Thinner films and more functional packages

INTELLIGENT packages that satisfy many criteria in addition to supplying the necessary consumer information are on the advance - and not only where foods are concerned. The plastic film industry has therefore been hit much less hard by the 2009 economic crisis than other branches of the plastics industry. It's flexible packages, i.e. film packages, which are in particularly strong demand because of the low cost of materials and production and their broad range of applications. Because of their low weight, they help to conserve resources and also offer good scope for recycling. The use of flexible packages in the food and beverages industry and in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry is encouraged by the materials' hygienic qualities and long shelf life. Further development with breathable films, microwave- and freezer-safe films, and biodegradable films is also spurring their growing use. Even today, plastic films meet about three-quarters of global demand for flexible packages. According to a study by the US Freedonia Group, global demand for flexible packages will rise by an average of about 3.5% per annum in the coming years from a good 16 million tonnes in 2008 to ultimately almost 19.5 million tonnes in 2013. The market researchers expect the fastest growth in the developing regions of Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa as well as in the Middle East. The biggest volume growth, Freedonia anticipates, can be expected in China - now, after the USA, the second biggest market for flexible packages - forecast growth in India, Russia and Indonesia is also strong. Three-layer films dominate Industrial film is the term usually given to those films that are employed, for example, as shrink film hoods, stretch films or as packaging for industrial goods; and films sold by the film producer to industry as raw stock for converting. Polyolefins are mainly used for the production of industrial films and principally grades of PE. The market today is dominated by 3-layer film composites. By combining two or three different types of polymer, it is often possible to save on material whilst enhancing functionality at the same time ?an important factor for a production line's cost- effectiveness. Consumer packages defy the crisis In the industrialised nations, the reasons for the increasing use of flexible food packages made of plastic can also be found above all in changing consumer habits. There is constant growth in the consumption of ready-to-serve meals, a trend due not only to the growing number of single-person households, but also to more and more women working and a certain aversion to cooking. New trends are also resulting from the fast-expanding range of foods. Finally, there is a growing desire for an appealing exterior with a highly transparent, glossy or also colourfully printed package and an if possible distinctive shape. Obviously these changes are imposing growing demands on the package itself and hence on raw materials producers, machine makers and packaging material manufacturers and call for a maximum of flexibility. Film composites have become established for consumer packages and particularly food packages. 5-layer films are standard, and 7- and 9-layer composites are by no means rare today. Extrusion line manufacturers are giving the processor extra flexibility by enabling him to produce as many different products as possible on a single line without retooling, e.g. 3- and 5-layer films. With the latest die technologies, cast films with strong barrier properties can be produced in up to 27 layers. In both cast and blown film lines, virtually all machine makers today use energy-saving and maintenance-free AC motors or, in some cases for reasons for space, direct drives instead of conventional motor-gearbox versions.NEW BALANCE