The consumption of flexible plastic packaging in Brazil, registered a growth of 1.6% in the 10th semester of this year in comparison to the same period last year; compared to the 20 th semester of 2016, the increase was 0.9%. The data are from an exclusive research done by Maxiquim (www.maxiquim.com.br) for ABIEF – Brazilian Association of the Flexible Plastic Packaging Industry – (www.abief.org.br). The positive result was obtained after two years of market downturn, but was below expectations, a fact attributed to political instability and slow economic recovery in course, according to Herman Moura, businessman and president of the Association.

Flexible exports performed better in the period: they grew for the second consecutive semester and closed about 20% above the figures recorded in the last six months of last year. And imports in the sector, in volume, fell again: about 11% compared to the 20 semester of 2016.

“This performance made it possible, in volume, to have the second consecutive semester of trade surplus. Already in values ​​this was the first surplus in many years, “celebrates Herman.

In 2016, the Brazilian plastic packaging industry closed with a production of 1.834 million tons (down 0.1% compared to 2015) and revenues of R $ 21 billion (up 6%). The participation of the different types of resin in the volume of production was: LDPE (linear low density polyethylene) 50%, LDPE (low density polyethylene) 23%, PP 17% and HDPE 10%. In tonnes, both exports and imports of flexible packaging fell by 30% and 23% respectively in 2016 compared to 2015. In terms of figures, the falls were more accentuated: exports 40% and imports 34%. However, the share of flexible packaging in the plastics processing industry remains significant: 29%.

Source: Embanews.