PFFC - December 2008 - (Page 33) Exclusive content provided by AWA Alexander Watson Assoc. V SI LU C EX E T N TE N O C in-time deliveries, shorter production runs, and brand owners’ needs to differentiate their products on the supermarket shelf. However, the market remains buoyant. Consolidation and globalization are taking place in extrusion coating as in many other manufacturing industries, changing the face of the somewhat parochial regional markets that have existed in North America and Europe. This trend is particularly evident in liquid packaging and flexible packaging. North American Extrusion Coating & Laminating Market Share by Application 2007 Production By Weight Market/Application Total Food Service Liquid Packaging Rigid Packaging Flexible Packaging 000 Tons 4,114 1,550 930 515 450 % of Total 100.0 37.7 22.6 12.5 10.9 By Area Billion Ft2 229.5 66.3 38.6 19.5 49.4 % of Total 100.0 28.9 16.8 8.5 21.5 stable and do not require refrigeration to maintain freshness until opening. They also are lightweight, strong, convenient to carry and store, and pack well for shipping. North American market growth is estimated at greater than 3%/yr. This is fueled by typical away-from-home eating habits. Flexible Packaging Flexible packaging remains a fragmented market sector with many producers, but Photographic & Graphic 152 3.7 7.1 3.1 it also exhibits significant Commercial 517 12.6 48.6 21.2 consolidation, both globally and in North America, in Liquid Packaging both film- and paper-based in this market declined 40%. served by both regional Liquid packaging products. Recent evidence Today that decline has been and global suppliers, consolidation and of this trend is Rank’s offset somewhat by growth including Potlatch and globalization have been acquisition of Alcoa’s flexible in usage for juices, food, Evergreen Packaging. The particularly notable, packaging operations, which and non-food packaging, aseptic packaging arena is with Rank Holdings of including powders, pellets, dominated by multinationals resulted in broadening the New Zealand becoming product offering of the and other dry materials. such as Tetra Pak and the second largest global world’s second-largest liquid Gable-top containers Rank’s Sig Combibloc. supplier through acquisition packaging company into also have embraced many The aseptic packaging flexible packaging in a very of the largest supplier of innovations, including laminate typically is significant way. gable-top cartons and the windows, pouring spouts, multilayer PE/paperboard/ second-largest supplier of Further notable and creative shapes to PE/foil/PE, and generally aseptic packaging. Although offer added market appeal. consolidation is expected 70% paperboard, 24% PE, there is still some room Improved multi-ply barrier and 6% aluminum by weight. in the flexible packaging for consolidation in this cartons are expected to Developed in Europe by Tetra market sector. In North market, the number of global gain further growth, along Pak in the early 1960s, aseptic America, flexible packaging competitors is small, and the with co-extruded barrier has not yet replaced much packaging has been enjoying market structure will not rigid packaging—folding materials for containers good growth in North change significantly in the and foil liners that improve America since its introduction cartons, primarily immediate future. paperboard-based— for quality and freshness and/or in the early 1980s. North America leads in frozen and fresh foods extend shelf life. Aseptic containers are supply of gable-top cartons For conventional liquid used for juices, soy products, and other food packaging and polyethylene(PE)-coated packaging cartons, the requiring moisture and wines, syrups, and other boards for these products. grease resistance. That is North American market is foods. They are shelfMeanwhile Europe leads with because suppliers in North aseptic packaging products. America are mostly vertically Main Applications—Flexible Environmental concerns integrated, from fiber to final Packaging, 2007 are rightly turning brand product. It is also a result owners’ and consumers’ of the slower move toward 20% Other nonfood attention to packaging that reduction in packaging and is lightweight, user-friendly, in packaging weight, which is and recyclable. Extrusioncurrently an imperative in the coated packaging meets all European packaging market. these criteria—and today Given the growing global liquid packaging represents interest in the reduction the largest market for of packaging in the waste extrusion-coated materials stream and the reduction in across the globe, with 43% shipping costs through lower 10% on a weight basis. packaging weights, flexible Health, When milk packaging packaging is positioned to Pharmaceutical, moved to plastic containers, enjoy strong growth over the & Personal Care 70% Food & Beverage the use of gable-top cartons next several years. WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM DECEMBER 2008 | 33 http://WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM
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