First half year alufoil sales up – optimistic outlook for second half of 2007

The sales of aluminium foil rose by two percent in the first half year of 2007 after an already strong first half year in 2006. According to the data provided by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) sales reached 452,000 tons compared to 443,200 tons from January until June 2006.

The usage inside the EAFA region grew by 4.4 percent while exports considerably dropped by almost ten percent. The tonnage based volume for thinner gauges mainly used for flexible packaging increased by 1.6 percent and thicker materials used for containers and technical applications went even up by nearly ten percent. In the second quarter the growth rate slowed down: There was a stable sales development in total (224,400 tons) while the intra EAFA usage grew by two percent, the exports fell by eleven percent.

“Over the last twelve months the foil industry in Europe installed new or updated capacities to maintain the global leadership in terms of quality and production efficiency and closed older facilities recently”, explained EAFA Executive Director Stefan Glimm the slower growth rate. “Especially the demand inside the EAFA region is still strong and the European manufacturers of aluminium foil mills are optimistic to have another record year.”

Approximately three quarters of aluminium foil is used in packaging where its characteristics of strength, formability and barrier properties have made it an essential part of many flexible packaging and container applications. Other uses of aluminium foil include automotive and other heat exchange components, insulation material and other industrial applications.

The European Aluminium Foil Association is the international body representing companies engaged in the rolling and rewinding of alufoil and in the manufacture of alufoil containers and of all kind of flexible packaging. Its more than 120 members include companies in Western, Central and Eastern Europe.