Ceepackaging

Analysis

Aluminium shipments stable

European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) figures for 2007 show that 864,000 tonnes of alufoil was produced by its membership; just 0.2 per cent down on 2006. At the same time there was a 2 percent growth in the surface area produced. This was the first time surface area data was collected and shows that real growth in square metres is significantly higher than the development in tonnes.
“This is a contribution to increased resource efficiency which means more customer value is created with less raw material usage. ,” pointed out EAFA President Fred McDonogh.
Deliveries of thicker gauges, used mainly for the manufacture of semi-rigid trays and technical applications, rose significantly by 5.5 per cent; thinner gauges, used mostly for flexible packaging, increased in terms of surface by about 5 per cent while the tonnage volume decreased slightly by 1.3 per cent.
Utilisation of EAFA members’ production within Europe* grew by 1% despite growing imports from Asian countries. However, exports fell by 6% due to the difficulties of exporting into US$ regions.
“High material prices and the strong Euro have impacted on both foil rollers and their customers. But European foil rollers are supporting their customers by working on the competitiveness and sustainability of alufoil-based packaging solutions through product innovation, as well as through process and supply chain optimisation,” said EAFA President Fred McDonogh.
“The pace of innovative alufoil-based packaging developments is well illustrated by entries to EAFA’s Alufoil Trophy and these indicate a healthy future for our material and gives great optimism for 2008.”
EAFA’s foil roller members account for about 98 per cent of the total European foil market and represent nearly all countries in Europe, including Russia and Turkey.
Approximately three quarters of aluminium foil is used in packaging where its characteristics of strength, formability and barrier properties have made it an essential part of many flexible packaging and container applications. Other uses of aluminium foil include automotive and heat exchanger components, insulation material and other industrial applications.
The European Aluminium Foil Association is the international body representing companies engaged in the rolling and rewinding of alufoil and in the manufacture of alufoil containers and of all kind of flexible packaging. It has more than 120 members include companies in Western, Central and Eastern Europe.