Top 10 plastics packaging producers in Europe

These are the ten major responsible for the ocean of plastic that we suffer in Europe


Top 10 plastics packaging producers in Europe

By Jenny Eagle+

09-Jul-2014
Last updated on 09-Jul-2014 at 11:27 GMT
Amcor flexible packaging

Related tags: Plastics packaging, Alpla-Werke, AMI, Amcor, Coveris

The top five plastics packaging companies in Europe have nearly all been involved in some form of major corporate change or restructuring, according to Applied Market Information (AMI).

As part of its survey to update its list of the 50 biggest plastics packaging producers in Europe, it found that now economies have recovered from the financial crisis merger, divestment and acquisition activity has strengthened as companies restructure their businesses and grow market share.

Amcor Group

As in the previous edition, Amcor group remains the largest plastics packaging producer in Europe in value terms, following its acquisition of Alcan’s flexible packaging business.

This acquisition followed earlier divestments of its rigid packaging operations which were involved in the commodity PET container business.

The group has focused on the higher value flexible packaging markets which have taken its 2013 turnover to an estimated €3bn in Europe.

Amcor Flexibles UK launched a range of packaging this year, including gravure, Flexo (High Definition), lamination, extrusion and laser perforation for the food and beverage market.

Its Evesham plant recently bought a laser scoring facility for easy opening on a range of substrates and last year, Amcor Flexibles Cumbria invested in gravure coating capability which runs with its short run 8 colour Flexo printing press.

"Thanks to Amcor's long heritage and proven experience in the food and beverage market in the UK, we can offer an unparalleled portfolio of packaging solutions which continue to delight our customers,” said Martin Davis, general manager, Amcor Flexibles Cumbria.

“Our ongoing commitment to investing in cutting edge capability will ensure we are providing products which meet consumer’s needs now and in the future."

Alpla-Werke

In volume terms the largest company is the Austro-German group Alpla-Werke estimated to have consumed around 680,000 tonnes of polymer in 2013 and is ranked second in value terms at €1.8bn of sales in Europe.

Alpla originally built its position as a supplier of HDPE containers for the household chemicals market, but it has now expanded into PET bottles and preforms. It has further reinforced its position over the years both by acquisition (it took over the European PET preform business of Tetra Pak) and by organic P305-Top 50 plastics packaging producers in Europe growth.

Since 2010, it has added 10 sites, many of them being in-plant operations for customers, but has also withdrawn from production at eight plants.

The recently created group Coveris is now the third largest in Europe with estimated sales of €1.5bn and annual polymer usage of over 400,000 tonnes.

Created by Sun Capital Partners the company brings together flexible and rigid packaging companies.

The report covers all the top rigid and flexible plastics packaging producers in Europe.

AMI estimates the top 50 groups accounted for sales of more than €25bn in 2013 and used some 6.8m tonnes of polymer materials at over 750 plants.

The Top 10

1.) Amcor Switzerland Flexible Film extrusion

2.) Alpla-Werke Austria Rigid Blow moulding, injection moulding

3.) Coveris Holdings S.A. USA Flexible, Rigid Film extrusion, sheet extrusion & thermoforming, injection moulding, blow moulding

4.) Sealed Air Corporation USA Flexible, Rigid Film extrusion, sheet extrusion & thermoforming

5.) RPC Group UK Rigid Blow moulding, injection moulding, sheet extrusion & thermoforming

6.) Mondi Group UK Flexible PE film extrusion, PP cast film, extrusion coating, lamination

7.) AptarGroup SAS France Rigid Injection moulding

8.) Constantia Flexible Holding Austria Flexible Film extrusion

9.) Klöckner Pentaplast Germany Rigid Sheet extrusion & calendaring

10.) Papier Mettler Germany Flexible Film extrusion

Source: Applied Market Information Ltd., 2014

Publication: Corporate performance and ownership among plastics packaging producers – A review of Europe’s 50 largest players