Prime Minister David Cameron congratulates the UK's plastics trade body on its 80th anniversary

"The plastics industry is also contributing enormously to our transition to a green economy, in particular through developing and supplying low carbon products and solutions, which help other manufacturing sectors," he said.

Cameron went on to say that he was "particularly pleased" to see the respondents to the BPF June 2013 survey, which signaled an increase in business confidence in the plastics sector. Some two-thirds of companies are expecting sales turnover to increase in the next 12 months, up from 55% in January with exports expected to stabilize, and 41% are anticipating increased profitability, up from 36%.

"This is consistent with the recent good news about the growth in our manufacturing sector in general," Cameron said. "Although the decisive action that the government took to rebalance the economy contributed to this development, it is also a tribute to the energy and enterprise of thousands of mainly small and medium size businesses in the plastics and other sectors."

BPF's Director General Peter Davis said: "This letter is a top-level endorsement of the strategic importance of the UK plastics industry to the national economy and society and is a marker of the high profile the BPF has secured in Westminster."