World demand for converted flex packaging to increase

World demand for converted flexible packaging is forecast to increase 3.5% per year to over 19 million metric tons in 2013. Contributing to this rising demand are growth in food and beverage production, as well as ongoing developments in high-barrier resins and value-added features. These will continue to favor flexible packaging products over their rigid counterparts. Gains will be limited by the mature state of the packaging industry in developed areas such as the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan, where the main markets for flexible packaging are well-established, said The Freedonia Group’s new report.
   
The fastest increases will occur in the world’s developing regions: Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Africa/Mideast region, all outpacing the global average. Population growth and greater urbanization (except in Eastern Europe), industrialization trends, and expanding international trade will support advances in these regions’ generally underdeveloped packaging sectors.
   
Some of the best gains are expected in China, which has surpassed Japan to become the world’s second-largest converted flexible packaging market (behind the U.S.), and India, which will benefit from strong growth in domestic output and consumer product markets. Rapid gains are also expected in Russia and Indonesia, which will benefit from greater investment in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment, resulting in improved product quality.
   
Plastic films, which account for almost three-quarters of global converted flexible packaging material demand, will continue to make inroads at the expense of paper and aluminum foil. Plastics will benefit from a superior price/performance profile, versatility, and efforts to improve sanitation and extend product shelf lives in the food-and-beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal-care markets. Additional developments in flexible packaging films, such as breathable properties, biodegradable films, and high-barrier resins, will support demand in new and existing applications, including microwaveable pouches, resealable stand-up pouches and pouring spouts, which reflect increasing consumer preference for convenience-oriented processed food, especially in developed countries, according to the report. —[email protected]