MARKET OVERVIEW: MULTILAYER FILMS, RAPRA, BRUSSELS 2005

Multilayer films 2005

Rapra International Conference
8th-9th November 2005, Brussels Belgium

Conclusions

Films, in packaging and other applications, will continue to be a fast growing part of all plastics. The main advantages of films, particularly in packaging, are:

• A terrific performance/volume ratio
• Lower cost than rigid packaging, lighter weight to ship
• Easier shipping both as films, in reels, and as packaged goods
• Easier disposal
• Overall much lower cost than any other packaging
• Films develop fastest in emerging industrial countries that leapfrog older solutions
• Very alive and continuous developments and innovations

All in all, the ever rising price of oil, the upstream precursor, should never really strongly affect the plastics industry, all petrochemicals, plastics packaging and films.

Petrochemicals are the noblest use of oil, and less than 10% of current oil consumption, are used as a primary raw material.

Mankind should never have burnt oil, whether it is a fossil resource or a continuing earth chemical abiotic process, or both. Now it is time to develop other sources of energy and leave oil to its true role, the raw material of the most imaginative and diversified man-made products ever.

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