PACKAGING
THIN WALLING DELIVERS THE WHOLE PACKAGE CURRENT MARKET FOR THIN-WALL MOULDED PRODUCTS?
Global forecasts for the thin walled plastic packaging market is rising significantly. According to a report released in 2020 by Research & Markets, it will be worth an estimated USD 71 billion by 2027 expanding at a CAGR of 4.5% between 2019 to 2027. Food and beverage, and more widespread adoption of thin walled packaging in developing economies, will drive this growth. PE is projected to be the largest-growing segment during this forecast period. Light-weighting and consumer convenience are important factors in this expansion, with the combination of environmental pressures, improvements in recycle rates and high polymer prices placing increasing pressures on packaging manufacturers. Wider adoption of bio-based and recycled materials is also expected to boost market growth. GROWTH APPLICATIONS
For several decades now light-weighting and consumer convenience have given packaging manufacturers the strong commercial incentive to do more with less. No strangers to responding to demographic and lifestyle changes and balancing a wide range of variables, including cost, increased strength, recycle rates and functional requirements, lightweight formats have become the industry norm. Especially in food and medical packaging. More recently, the market has been moving more towards novelty solutions that improve performance, functionality and shelf impact. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced yet another re-think to our way of living and future reliance on packaging. While food and medical packaging saw rises in demand, other categories softened. As public health concerns gradually ease, we suspect demand for reusable and sustainable solutions will swiftly resume. The exact timings will be very much determined by consumers. Understanding how
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people interact with packaging and the channels they purchase through will be a clear driver, ensuring consumer safety, product security and future sustainability are evenly balanced. MAIN TRENDS
Sustainability (including environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance) and personalisation are expected to be among the key trends. Sustainable packaging will form a critical part of brand storytelling and consumer unboxing experiences. As a material, plastic is inextricably linked with energy and resource savings. Its low weight makes it both cost effective and flexible to use, adding to the sustainability score when measuring ESG. If anything, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented retailers, brand owners and packaging manufacturers with the opportunity to review, realign and reinforce the value of their packaging. CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
As packaging changes, so do packaging processes and equipment. Speed and lightweighting remain probably the most dominant trends. Efficiency and throughput are inextricably linked. From a machinery performance viewpoint, thinner wall sections bring changes in processing requirements. Among them, higher pressures and speeds, faster cooling times, and modifications to part-ejection and gating arrangements. These process changes need to be factored into the mould, machinery, and packaging component design. Even when using less raw material, packaging forms the protective layer so still needs to be engineered to provide strength. Choosing the best machine for your packaging application is critical. Understanding the melt stability and how the plastic will perform as an end product should form the basis of all decisions. In caps and closures, the tethered market is a
