Cardboard and corrugated board market: trends and facts. Current state of the paper packaging market

Trends in the plastic packaging market that will determine the development of the industry in 2016 in our today's analytical review.

In recent years, plastic and (in general) displacing traditional materials such as glass and paper. It's no secret that it is one of the fastest growing segments of the industry, which is due to the advantages and consumer properties that the use of polymeric materials in packaging can provide. According to experts, about 70% of the demand for flexible packaging comes from the food industry.

In this regard, the forecast is absolutely natural, according to which the growth in demand for such a type of packaging as plastic food packaging made of rigid plastics will be about 5% per year, reaching a mark of $5.4 billion by 2017. The flexible packaging segment is also generating positive forecasts from industry analysts. The world demand for this type of packaging products will grow by 3.4% per year, reaching by 2020 a volume of $248 billion.

These forecasts are confirmed by the latest analytics news on regional markets, – throughout 2016.

According to experts, such positive prospects are due to the growth of scientific and technological achievements in the field of plastics and polymer processing technologies.

2015 was full of new products and innovative solutions in the field of plastic packaging. This year promises to be no less eventful in this matter. Thus, we present to your attention the trends of the plastic packaging market in 2016.

plastic cans

In 2015, we saw many packaging manufacturers focused on such a segment as the canning industry. This trend promises a real revolution in the aforementioned packaging segment, expressed if not in the complete replacement of traditional materials (metals), then certainly in a certain redistribution of the market towards polymeric materials.

These changes are due to the development of technologies for processing such polymeric material as PET and the development of blowmolding technology. Now manufacturers of plastic packaging are ready to offer the market high-quality solutions that will allow preserving products preserved by conservation.

One of the leaders in this segment is an American company Milacron Holdings Corp., which presented technology last year Clear.

Milacron Klear is an ideal alternative to metal when it comes to preservation packaging. This is an excellent solution for manufacturers of food products such as: vegetables and fruits, soups, meat and other food products, the demonstration of which to the buyer can increase the attractiveness of the product and (hence) sales volumes. It should be noted that (according to Milacron) Klear is fully compatible with traditional equipment for packing products using the preservation method, and will not require additional costs from companies for re-equipment. This factor will clearly accelerate the penetration of plastic in the canned packaging segment. We should not forget that plastic packaging provides more opportunities in the field of design and ergonomics.

Another market player demonstrating its serious intentions in the field of plastic packaging for canned foods is another American company, - sonoco.

In the past year, Sonoco launched its product line on the market. TruVue, packaging created using proprietary technology Fusion Freshlock. TruVue is a multi-layer high-tech plastic packaging made of transparent plastic and equipped with a metal lid and bottom.

At the same time, TruVue has excellent strength characteristics and resistance to extreme temperatures.

Smart packaging

Today's consumers are becoming more tech-savvy than ever before. People are increasingly using interactive solutions in their lives, this trend will be in demand and in the packaging industry.

The key element of this direction in the packaging industry are the so-called QR-codes, allowing the buyer to access additional amounts of information about the product that he holds in his hands. Using this code, you can program a link to a video presentation, an extended article on the Internet, or additional text information displayed on the screen of your gadget.

The second element in the development of the smart packaging industry are RFIDlabels, by means of which you can establish communication between your household appliances in the kitchen and food. In practice, this technology will allow automation to monitor the expiration date and (in general) the availability of certain products in your home, automatically program kitchen equipment to prepare certain dishes according to given recipes, and much more that can make life easier for a person.

In addition, the development of smart packaging is one of the key elements in the fight against counterfeit products. This factor will contribute to the activation of the mentioned trend in general and the development of technology for creating holographic stamps, in particular.

According to analysts, holograms will hold the leading position in the smart packaging segment until 2020. At the same time, the highest growth rates will be observed in the RFID segment (+20.4% per year).

Resealable packaging

Many economically conscious citizens already today make their choice mainly in favor of those food products that are packaged in packaging that can be resealed. This function of packaging extends the shelf life of food and thus prevents inefficient food spending and reduces waste.

British last year Pulse Flexible Packaging Ltd. won the silver award of the competition Starpack Awards for their package of a mixture of nuts and seeds, in the design of which it was possible to implement such indicators as: ease and convenience of opening, the ability to close and open the package repeatedly and a clear view of whether the package has been previously opened (which is important for protecting consumer rights).

Another interesting packaging solution was presented Bemis Co.(Neenah, WI) with help DuPont. The resealable bag consists of two separately sealed compartments that can be easily separated from each other thanks to the perforations. The package can be closed and reopened more than 20 times.

Reclosable packaging is already well established in segments such as chocolate or chips. It is expected that this year this trend will be among the leading ones.

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The slowdown in the economy has not yet affected the production of cardboard packaging, although this may happen soon enough. Monthly dynamics of its production practically throughout 2015 had positive values ​​y/y, and even in the first months of 2016 it remained positive.

The production of all types of cardboard packaging has been continuously growing since 2012. In 2015, a decline in production compared to the previous period was recorded based on the results of only 4 out of 12 months. According to research, with the cumulative increase in output was almost 8.1%.

At the same time, in reality, the situation on the carton packaging market is far from rosy. Although many projects for the production of cardboard and cardboard packaging have been introduced in Russia, the situation of consumers has deteriorated sharply. IndexBox specialists note a drop in freight traffic, as well as a drop in demand for most goods from the population: real incomes of the population in 2016 decreased by 3.9% y/y and continue to decline. Retail trade turnover fell by almost 10% last year. An additional negative impact on the market is the rise in prices for waste paper. Thus, on the face of "scissors" - an increase in cost combined with a contraction of effective demand.

Dynamics of cardboard packaging production in Russia

The volume of production of cardboard packaging in value terms repeats the dynamics of production in physical terms. In the first quarter of 2016, it had a more pronounced growth, increasing by 23% y/y.

The volume of production of cardboard packaging in Russia

Among the varieties of cardboard packaging, the main volume of production falls on corrugated cardboard packaging: in 1 sq. In 2016, more than 1 billion square meters were produced. m of such packaging, which is 85.2% of the total volume of production in physical terms. Compared to the beginning of 2015, the share of corrugated packaging has slightly increased, as it is cheaper and in greater demand.

In the structure of production by types of packaging, boxes account for the most (almost half), boxes are in second place (10%), packs account for 6.7%.

Production of cardboard packaging by product categories

Among the most important enterprises of the industry, we can distinguish: CJSC GOTEK, which has an enterprise throughout Russia, CJSC GOFRON from the Moscow Region, CJSC PACKAGING KUBAN from the Krasnodar Territory, LLC REMOS-ALFA from the Leningrad Region, OJSC PEF SOYUZ "from Moscow and others. An important role in the development of the industry is played by JSC APPM from the Arkhangelsk region, JSC NABEREZHNOCHELNINSKY KBK from Tatarstan, engaged in the production of commercial corrugated cardboard.

Carton packaging market in Russia: production geography

The largest volume of production among all federal districts falls on the Central Federal District: in 1 square. 2016, 566 million square meters were produced there. m of cardboard packaging, which is 47% of the total volume. In second place with a share of 17.3% is the Volga Federal District, in third place is the North-West (14.6%). Compared to the beginning of 2015, the composition of the leaders remained virtually unchanged. The stable distribution of shares in the total volume of production shows a uniform intra-annual use of capacities in all federal districts.

In the medium term, moderate dynamics in the development of the timber industry is expected. The volume of production of wood and products of its processing is due to the existing internal and external demand for the products of the Russian timber industry complex. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Economic Development, it is generally inferior to foreign counterparts due to outdated, environmentally unsafe technologies and a high level of moral and physical depreciation of fixed assets. In this regard, most often, quality standards are not maintained, resource intensity and energy intensity of production increase.

Currently, the forest industry is characterized by a lack of capacity for the production of products of deep processing. At the same time, the reserves of these capacities at operating enterprises are practically exhausted.

At the same time, experts do not yet expect a cardinal change in the situation. According to the same MED, the volume of investments in wood processing and the production of wood products in 2018 should be about 111.5% compared to 2014. And the volume of investments in pulp and paper production is only 93.6%.

The great investment attractiveness of wood processing is due to the underinvestment of this industry in 2009-2010, as well as the higher risks of implementing pulp and paper projects.

About innovations in the field of food packaging to the magazine " Agrotechnics and technologies' said market participants.

In the food industry, interest in innovation in packaging is significant. The competition in the market is extremely high, and manufacturers need to constantly look for new solutions to attract the attention of consumers, deviate from competitors, increase sales and market share, explains Anna Balashova, Head of Marketing at SIG Combibloc (the Russian representative office of SIG Combibloc, the world leader in the field of system supplies of carton packaging and aseptic filling machines for liquid food products).

According to Viktor Semkin, General Director of the agricultural complex "Moscow"(Moscow; production and sale of vegetable products and herbs), the Russian market for food packaging today is quite developed and stable. The growth in demand for packaging materials contributes to the search for new solutions: the possibilities of highlighting goods on store shelves are expanding, interesting packaging designs are being developed, and printing possibilities for printing on corrugated products and polymer products are progressing. In addition, he emphasizes, it became possible to print on food PVC films, which was not previously possible.

He is supported by Katerina Maksimenko, head of the marketing department at the NanoComposite company (Republic of Belarus; production of environmentally friendly packaging materials). The main changes are often related to design - there is a growing need for packaging with high-quality printing up to 10 colors, there is an interest in films (BOPP) with a pearl (mother-of-pearl) effect, she says. Accordingly, food manufacturers focus on design (for example, simplistic and minimalist), color scheme (bright and bold colors, or, conversely, soft and calm), a personal message to their customers through packaging.

This, as Maksimenko explains, is the result of high competition and the need to stand out with products on the shelves in stores, to become noticeable and recognizable by the results of advertising campaigns. At the same time, she adds, the modern trend of consumption on the go is creating an increasing popularity of portioned packaging formats.

“In our segment (packaging of meat, fish and cheese in vacuum and gas), the popularity of piece products is growing - the number of sausage loaves is decreasing and the number of small portions (products cut on a slicer) is increasing,” confirms Tatyana Gramlikh, General Director of the Design Bureau "Begarat" (integrated solutions for the production and packaging of products from meat and other food raw materials). And for traditional packaged products like sausages, there is a trend towards smaller portion sizes: less weight per sausage means less investment in packaging and less cost per package on the shelf, notes Gramlich.

Traditional formats are being replaced by solutions that allow keeping the freshness, taste, structure of the product longer, and also reduce the time spent by the buyer on preparation. The issue of compactness is also important, the ability to save warehouse space and improve the efficiency of goods logistics, develops the topic Daria Lashchenko, Marketing Director of the Group of Companies " Damate» (cultivation and processing of turkey, milk processing and production of dairy products).

The introduction of new technologies, according to her, is greatly influenced by the requirements of the modern trade format: shelf life that allows delivering fresh products over long distances, and, of course, convenience for the end consumer. “Today we must not only produce a turkey, but also cut it into portioned pieces of a standard weight, pack it and inform how it can be cooked correctly and in a variety of ways,” explains Daria Lashchenko.

However, according to Tatyana Gramlikh, the requirements of food manufacturers for packaging are now fading into the background. The requirements of networks and distributors are much more important. “The end consumer wants packaging that takes up little space and shows the product well enough. Chain stores are guided by these wishes, she says. “In addition, the packaging must guarantee the safety of the goods throughout the entire shelf life, because the consumer is used to this and does not even think about this topic.”

As Viktor Semkin said, every year the opportunity to choose packaging suppliers, various services to optimize the packaging and transportation processes of both piece and group goods is growing. Major suppliers try to learn from the experience of foreign companies, expand their range, increase production capacity, strive to introduce new types and technologies of packaging that allow solving such problems as biosafety; reliability; the possibility of recycling; ease of manufacture, storage, transportation; high aesthetic properties; reduction of material consumption and cost.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in aseptic packaging: it allows you to reduce logistics costs, as well as develop both distribution throughout Russia and export to other countries.

Focused on convenience

In recent years, the technology of preparing culinary products directly in the package has become widespread, notes a teacher at the Higher School of Biotechnology and Food Technology of the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Peter the Great, Advisor to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Alexey Korzh. “For example, the new Mylar Cook concept of the American-Japanese concern Joint Ventures dupont Teijin Films meets two modern trends at the same time: convenient packaging and ease of preparation of the product,” says the expert. “It provides for the use of deep-drawn foil as a package for a meat product prepared for heat treatment and its subsequent preparation in this package.”

From his point of view, Sealpac is one of the few companies that focuses on the development of innovative packaging solutions on an ongoing basis. As an example, Alexey Korzh cites the TenderPac packaging system for fresh meat, which allows the production of packaging with two compartments. One contains the product itself, and the other, invisible to the buyer, contains an adsorbent composite that absorbs the flowing meat juice that occurs during the maturation and storage of meat. When opening this package, the meat juice does not flow out, and the product looks presentable on the counter, explains Alexey Korzh.

And to save space on the store shelf when selling cold cuts, according to him, Wipack's innovative packaging system is perfect. It is a package of sliced ​​sausages in a solid biomodified foil with a layer based on polyester, which is made in the format of a book for the convenience of sales display.

Currently, one of the popular ways to extend the shelf life of meat products and culinary products is the introduction of barrier technologies. “We use barrier films and trays with a protective atmosphere,” says Daria Lashchenko. - Their main advantage is the ability to keep meat fresh for up to 10-14 days without the use of any preservatives. Today, this is primarily a matter of convenience for the buyer: there is no need to freeze the meat, the packaging is airtight and allows you to save all the natural properties of the product.”

The market for aseptic carton packaging will grow in the next five years by 1-1.5% per year.

Anna Balashova from SIG Combiblock notes that the food packaging market is very diverse, globally it can be divided into two segments according to the type of packaging: aseptic and non-aseptic. According to her, the development of aseptic technologies makes it possible to produce a product with minimal losses of the vitamin-mineral complex and preserve it for a long time without the addition of preservatives and any artificial impurities. And this is a big plus for producers of natural and healthy food products using asepsis, for example, Danone, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola.

“Packaging should ensure the safety of not only the taste, but also the quality characteristics of the products,” says a representative of the press service of the Valio company (the Russian division of the Finnish concern Valio, the leading manufacturer of dairy products in Finland). “For example, a fairly long shelf life of yoghurts that do not contain “E” additives and preservatives in their composition is also due to high-tech aseptic opaque packaging that allows the product to retain its beneficial properties and taste for a month from the date of manufacture.”

In general, Valio pays great attention to the convenience of using products, the company representative continues. Therefore, products are brought to the market in small packages and with a long shelf life - up to 90 days. All this became possible thanks to modern production technologies and aseptic packaging. In addition, the company strictly controls the safety of packaging materials. For example, for processed cheeses that are packaged hot, packaging made from polypropylene is used, which does not emit harmful substances when exposed to high temperatures.

SIG Combibloc notes that there is increasing interest in aseptic carton packaging, especially from dairy producers. “During the economic crisis of 2014-2016. Aseptic packaging sales growth rates have slowed down, as product bottling equipment and the packaging itself are significantly more expensive than non-aseptic counterparts,” explains Anna Balashova. “However, now the market is recovering, consumer activity is recovering, and manufacturers are increasingly interested in aseptic solutions, because they allow reducing logistics costs, as well as developing both distribution throughout Russia and export to other countries.” According to SIG Combibloc, the market for aseptic carton packaging will grow at a rate of 1-1.5% per year over the next five years.

Due to a significant change in the lifestyle of a modern person, the general type of food consumption is changing. “Our life has become much faster, and there is no time for full breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Therefore, a noticeable trend has become an increase in the consumption of products “on the go”,” says Anna Balashova. In this regard, according to her, the categories of “healthy snacks and snacks” are actively developing. And packaging solutions are also changing towards portioned formats (150-500 ml) and more convenient options both in the form of packaging and in the type of opening.

In addition, Balashova notes, more and more consumers are choosing personalized products that will clearly meet their needs not only in terms of composition, functional properties and quality of the product, but also in terms of design and type of packaging.

Flexible packaging has shown significant growth over several years, notes another market trend Anna Balashova, adding that it allows replacing heavy and expensive metal and glass jars with light and affordable solutions. At the same time, the specialist makes a reservation, flexible packaging is not well suited for filling liquid food products, which is why combined carton packaging is an unsurpassed leader in this category.

In recent years, flexible polymer packaging has indeed been in great demand, confirms Katerina Maksimenko from NanoComposite. Preference, according to her observations, is given to polyethylene and polypropylene films, as well as combined materials based on PE, BOPP, paper, foil, etc. “This is due to the affordability of this category, the ability to quickly purchase it from local manufacturers,” Maksimenko explains. “It is also important that flexible roll packaging is lighter and more compact, and this allows us to reduce the cost of transporting both the packaging itself and the products.”

Agrokombinat "Moscow" uses various types of containers and packaging for its products: corrugated cardboard, eco-inserts and polypropylene bags for salads and greens, foamed polystyrene substrates, PVC films, BOPP, stretch, thermal labels and plastic box packs. “For packing vegetables, the main packaging material is foamed polystyrene and polymer packaging,” says Victor Semkin. “The range of these types of packaging is wide, they are convenient to use, compatible with a wide category of food products, suitable for various options for automating the workflow, and also have a minimum cost, which helps to reduce the cost of packaging.”

Corrugated cardboard is used to transport goods in the network. According to Semkin, unlike the plastic packaging that was previously used at the enterprise, it has a number of advantages: low cost, the ability to quickly adjust the design to the logistics requirements of the warehouse, a wide range of printing types, a large selection of suppliers with high-quality corrugated packaging, environmental friendliness and ease of processing and recycling.

Corrugated packaging is a biodegradable product, and its price in almost all cases is lower than plastic counterparts.

The price of sustainability

The production and use of corrugated packaging not only ensures compliance with environmental regulations, but also contributes to commercial benefits. Corrugated packaging is a biodegradable product, and its price in almost all cases is lower than plastic counterparts, Victor Semkin explains.

The specialist said that the agricultural complex "Moscow" considers options for using eco-packaging for piece goods. However, despite the fact that its manufacturers are trying to focus on environmental friendliness, eco-packaging for piece goods still significantly exceeds the cost of analogues from other materials, which reduces its attractiveness. “Therefore, packing piece goods in eco-friendly packaging is only advisable when packaging premium and exclusive products,” Semkin believes.

In recent years, due to rising oil prices and intense environmental pollution, there has been an interest and need for environmentally friendly materials and packaging, says Kateryna Maksimenko. Especially, according to her, this is noticeable in foreign markets after the campaign announced by the PRC authorities to fight for the environment (the import of 24 common types of waste was banned into the country) and the signing of the directive on waste control by the European Commission (it is planned to switch to biodegradable / compostable packaging by 2023 or recyclable packaging).

“In Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, this topic has not yet captured the consciousness of consumers and packaging manufacturers on such a large scale,” Maksimenko admits, “but it’s nice to see that some companies are concerned about the environment and have begun to produce biodegradable materials.”

National and international environmental regulations force many manufacturers to use recyclable materials in their production, require new technological and marketing solutions in the packaging industry, which leads to increased competition between packaging manufacturers, Victor Semkin agrees, adding that this has a positive effect on their customers - the choice of suppliers is expanding packaging materials and their range.

"NanoComposite" also tries to follow the global trends in the development of the packaging market. Their developers have created a mineral film "Smart Paper", which does not harm the environment and is completely biodegradable. In addition, the line of environmentally friendly products of the plant was expanded with the materials "Nanofoil" and "Smart Laminated Foil". “Packaging, of course, can combine commercial benefit and environmental care. Eco-friendly packaging does not have to be expensive,” says Kateryna Maksimenko.

So, according to consumers, the mineral film "Smart Paper" is not only cheaper than laminated foil, parchment, BOPP, but also surpasses them in its characteristics. “Smart paper” is used, in particular, by such Russian enterprises as Molvest, Kurskoye Moloko, Krymsky Molochnik, Voronezhsky Dairy Plant, Molochnoye Podvorye, Shebekinsky Butter Plant, etc.

Anna Balashova is also of the opinion that modern solutions can combine commercial benefits and care for the environment. “For example, most of the carton packaging has passed FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. This mark guarantees that cardboard or other wood products have been produced in accordance with responsible forest management standards. And with proper forest management, the area of ​​​​landscaping increases, despite the regular cutting of trees, ”the specialist emphasizes.

Moreover, more and more projects for the production of plastic from vegetable raw materials are being implemented. Other important aspects, according to Balashova, are the reduction of material losses and energy consumption in the production of packaging, as well as the use of innovative equipment and technologies that ensure minimization of environmental impact. “And, of course, the packaging must be 100% recyclable, which will allow us to use all the useful elements extracted from it several times in a wide variety of fields of activity. And this brings undoubted benefits, ”concludes Balashova.

National and international environmental regulations force many manufacturers to use recyclable materials in their production, require new technological and marketing solutions in the packaging industry.

It is also possible to combine commercial profit and concern for the environment in the packaging of meat products, Tatyana Gramlikh believes. She believes that the most environmentally friendly is the local production of products and, as a result, the elimination of transportation over long distances and the longest possible storage periods as a main priority. “However, this option runs counter to the interests of network trading, which dictates the requirements for manufacturers,” the expert notes.

Nevertheless, she continues, it is possible to reduce the environmental burden at least through a direct reduction in the volume of garbage. This requires choosing packaging that requires less material to produce, says Gramlich. “For example, these options include cheaper packaging in a vacuum instead of packaging in a rigid film in a gas. This reduces the cost of packaging materials in the price of the product and at the same time reduces the amount of waste that must be disposed of, ”the specialist emphasizes the advantages of the solution. According to her, European manufacturers are working in this direction today. However, this is not so simple: the marketing that develops new packaging needs to reorganize. But in Russia, alas, such trends are not yet observed.

Daria Lashchenko does not fully share the point of view of her colleagues. “We did a number of consumer studies where we raised the topic of packaging sustainability,” she says. “The young audience finds the issue of recycling more relevant, but although this factor attracts attention, it is still not decisive when choosing.” Eco-friendly packaging has development potential if it does not affect the cost of the product, Lashchenko argues.

Nevertheless, protecting the environment, taking care of one's health, the gradual transition to biodegradable packaging and tightening environmental requirements indicate that the future still belongs to environmentally friendly packaging materials, Viktor Semkin concludes.

Convenience, piece format, the ability to cook directly in the package, information content and safety - this is what will determine the vector of development of the industry in the near future, adds Daria Lashchenko from the Group of Companies " Damate».

“The future belongs to innovative packaging solutions that simplify the life of the consumer, are convenient to prepare and consume, and also ensure maximum safety of the product,” support Valio.

The market is tightening up

Tatyana Gramlikh, General Director of Begarat Design Bureau

“Manufacturers of packaging technology need more and more productivity and mobility every year. Product manufacturers have to pack a larger assortment on the same equipment, the load on it is growing, and other requirements appear: versatility, speed of changeover from one product to another.

More and more modular solutions are required - machines and lines have been operating for many years, and the buyer of equipment wants to be able to rebuild the lines many times over the service life: add devices, for example, labelers, or completely change packaging formats. Even small product manufacturers with only one packaging line may have different distribution channels that require fundamentally different packaging.

A separate topic is the automation of packaging and packaging in boxes. The level of automation of final operations in the meat industry is much lower than, for example, in the confectionery and dairy industries. Since an extraorbital growth in the number of packages in pieces is planned, automation becomes inevitable, which will entail the unification of the packages themselves, both types and formats.

Analyst agency Smithers Pira predicts a rapid growth of the packaging market through 2020. In its report Future of Global Packaging to 2020, the packaging market is forecast to grow by 3.5% annually, which will allow from $839 billion in 2015 to $998 billion in 2020

However, market growth will not be uniform. In developing countries, it will outpace the average, creating new opportunities for material suppliers and processors. At the same time, in regions with a stable economy, business will develop at a slower pace, and demographic transformation will change the supply chain in the packaging segment.

In compiling its report on the state of the packaging market, Smithers Pira has identified and analyzed the varying impact of several key trends on the packaging market.

The first of these is the growth in the market share of rigid plastic packaging. For the period chosen for the study, it amounted to 4.4% annually. This is primarily due to the increasing popularity of plastic as a replacement for cans and glass bottles. Demands to improve the sustainability of materials and reduce costs are driving technological developments, in particular blow molding and PET bottles for hot liquids. In particular, by 2020 Coca-Cola will completely replace harmful plastic in its bottles with 100% bioplastic Plant Bottle 2.0.

Large growth of this market is expected in the next five years in regions such as Africa, the Middle East and Asia. At the same time, in some developed countries, notably Australia, demand for rigid plastic packaging has reached its limits in key areas such as bottled soft drinks and water. Strong competition between rigid and flexible plastic packaging is one of the growth drivers, as both can be used for food and beverages.

The growth rate of the flexible packaging market is declining. In the past decade, flexible packaging made from paper, plastics and laminated materials has become very popular, thanks to technological innovations that have transformed this type of packaging from cheap industrial packaging to consumer packaging for various applications. The flexible packaging market, including plastic packaging, will continue its active development in the next five years, although not as fast as before.

Smithers Pira data shows that Asia will remain the largest flexible packaging market, growing from 42% to 45% by 2020. Moreover, the largest consumer of flexible packaging will remain the food industry and areas in need of lightweight packaging.
Research will continue to focus on improving the barrier properties of multilayer polymeric and laminated materials for the food industry and reducing film thickness. At the same time, the emergence of high-speed pouring equipment, where bottles are held by the neck, makes it possible to replace rigid PET with flexible plastic, which is still the leader in the beverage segment.

The $261 billion carton packaging market (corrugated, collapsible and liquid containers) was the largest share of the overall packaging market in 2015 and will remain in 2020. In 2015, China overtook the United States to become the largest consumer of carton packing in the world and, according to forecasts, by 2020 will consume about a quarter of the world volume. The second and third places will be taken by India and South Korea. The growth of online orders is driving the increase in the consumption of cardboard packaging. Moreover, about 30-40% of goods purchased via the Internet are returned, so their packaging should be easy to open and close.

According to Smithers Pira, the growth of the food tin packaging market will be in line with the average growth of the packaging market in 2015-2020. Demand is dictated by Asia led by China. In developed countries, tin packaging loses to light plastic and cardboard packaging. At the same time, demand for tin containers for cosmetics and household chemicals will grow, also mostly in Asia.

The agency forecasts low growth in 2015-2020. glass container market. It will be the result of the spirits industry's slow transition from glass to more sophisticated packaging materials. The leaders of this market - producers of champagne wines - were the first to use isothermal packaging that keeps wine cold for two hours after it was taken out of the refrigerator.
At the same time, brewers are increasingly moving away from traditional paper labels to self-adhesive transparencies that create a no-label effect, while still appreciating glass's ability to create haze, tactile effects, and unique shapes.

The modern packaging industry is a fairly new phenomenon in Russia. Throughout the 1990s. The Russian packaging market has been growing along with consumer markets, and strong macroeconomic trends since 2000 have created a thriving market with an annual growth rate of 10-12%. In 2008, the packaging market crossed the $20 billion mark and, according to the unanimous opinion of analysts, strong growth will continue in the period from 2009 to 2009.

Today, paper and cardboard packaging dominate the Russian market, and their share is rapidly increasing. Plastic, glass and metal retain smaller proportions, while wooden packaging is extremely rare [see below]. Table 1]. With the development of the Russian packaging market, it is likely that plastic will play an increasingly important role.

Table 1

Russian packaging market

Today, Russia owns only 2% of the global packaging industry's productivity level. This is not enough to meet the growing domestic demand, but investment in this industry is active, the prospects for the future seem clear. According to expert data, Russian packaging manufacturers are investing in modern technologies and improving the functionality of graphic tools. Between 2002 and 2009 Russia has imported more than 500 modern flexographic printing presses.

Paper packaging is one of the fastest growing sectors in the forestry, paper and packaging industries, with virtually all segments showing significant growth in recent years. Base paper consumption - containerboard, paperboard and sack kraft paper - increased by 10% in total in 2009. The growth of base paper packaging materials is reflected in the growth of recycled products [cf. Table 2].

table 2

Production of certain types of paper packaging in Russia

Processors' profit margins vary as demand grows faster than supply, keeping prices higher than in mature markets .

Cardboard packaging is mainly used in the food, chemical industry (including cosmetics) and manufacturers of household and office equipment. About 70% of the production of cardboard packaging in Russia falls on corrugated cardboard, 80% of which is used for the transportation of goods. Per capita consumption of corrugated board in Russia is much lower than in Europe, therefore, additional growth can be expected when the standard of living of Russian consumers improves.

The main Russian manufacturers of corrugated cardboard and boxes are Kama Paper Company (Naberezhnye Chelny), Gotek, St. Petersburg Cardboard. The largest foreign-owned manufacturers are Stora Enso Packaging (Finland), SCA Packaging (Finland) and Smurfit Kappa (Ireland).

Plastic packaging is the second most important packaging material produced in Russia. The demand for it is growing, and manufacturers are trying to meet it by investing in new equipment and increasing productivity in order to create improved products. The expected growth in plastic film production is expected to be approximately 12% per annum. As a rule, manufacturers are petrochemical companies and their subsidiaries producing various types of plastic packaging [see. Table 3].

Table 3

Types of plastic packaging

The main major manufacturers are Alcan Packaging, Amcor, NB-Retal, Evroplast.

Thus, today in Russia the most rapidly developing sectors are the production of paper and plastic packaging with an annual growth rate of 10-12%.