Copenhagen and folding carton market ‘like brother and sister’

- Copenhagen and folding carton market share design, innovation, environment and sustainability heritage

 

Copenhagen and the folding carton industry are ‘like brother and sister’, according to Andreas Blaschke, president of the European Carton Makers Association (ECMA), and share many of the same ideals.

 

In his opening remarks at the ECMA Congress 2012, its 45^th instalment and taking place in the Danish capital, Blaschke said Copenhagen has a heritage of design and innovation, coupled with environmental awareness and sustainability initiatives.

 

As such, he said, it shares many of the same pillars as the folding carton market.

 

Addressing the structural changes at ECMA actioned earlier this year, Blaschke (pictured, top) said the market faces many challenges that the association’s new organization will help members to address.

 

A lack of growth in established markets, cost pressures, limited consumer spending, high volatility and low levels of predictability are all impacting the folding carton market.

 

As such, the need to be agile and responsive is more pressing, and the new ECMA structure has been designed to make the association faster and more efficient.

 

The move to become a grouping of direct members coupled with national associations, as opposed to purely national associations, will make ECMA a stronger force, and allow suppliers to play a bigger role, he said.

 

Blaschke added that the new-look ECMA will play a stronger role in lobbying the European Union, and facilitate the sharing of technical and specialty skills.

 

‘We’ve set our sails in the right direction,’ Blaschke said.

 

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