Flexible packaging helps alufoil market grow

- Deliveries of alufoil grew 1.2% in the first nine months of 2012

 

- Thinner gauges and exports outside EAFA region support growth during start of 2012

 

Flexible packaging helped the aluminum foil (alufoil) market record single-figure growth in the first nine months of 2012.

 

The European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) said the first nine months of 2012 showed a positive development for European manufacturers of alufoil, with deliveries of 618,500 tonnes compared to 611,400 tonnes in the previous year.

 

It said thinner gauges, mainly for flexible packaging and household foil, were up more than one cent, while thicker gauges, typically used for semi-rigid containers and technical applications, decreased five percent.

 

Exports outside the EAFA region improved by 12 percent, indicating a recovery in demand from emerging markets and others outside Europe, the association said.

 

The EAFA region covers Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Luxembourg.

 

Manfred Mertens (pictured, top), EAFA vice president and Roller Group chairman, said: ‘The slight increase in deliveries should last at least until the end of the year although the uncertainties of the economic situation in the near future grow.

 

‘The trend for short deliveries continues making predictions and planning more difficult. The European aluminum foil producers can partly serve those needs with their flexibility and close-to-market operations.’

 

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