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Analysis
Aluminium foil exports increase in 2008
Exports of aluminium foil from Europe showed an increase of three per cent in the first half of 2008 bucking a general downward trend in sales which showed a decline to 432,800t from the record level of 452,000t in first half of the previous year, according to figures from European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA).Deliveries inside the EAFA region* dropped by five per cent; volumes of thinner gauges mainly used for flexible packaging declined by 7 per cent and thicker materials used for containers and technical applications were down by two per cent.
There is optimism that the negative trend is slowing down with figures for the second quarter figure showing a drop of only three per cent to 216,000t; against record growth in the previous two years.
And while the intra EAFA usage dropped by five per cent in the second quarter, exports rose by nine per cent despite the challenging US Dollar exchange rate.
“The overall economic situation means that the general reluctance to consume is an unfortunate fact to which our customers and their customers have to adapt. However, the slight trend recovery in the second quarter underlines the optimism of the European aluminium foil industry for the rest of the year 2008,” commented EAFA President Fred McDonogh.
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.
