Tube deliveries in Europe in the first-half increased nearly 2% to around 6.2 bn units, with the volume-dominant sales markets in particular displaying positively development, according to the industry group European Tube Manufacturers Association (etma, Düsseldorf, Germany; www.etma-online.org).

Deliveries to the pharmaceutical industry climbed 5%, while those for the cosmetics and dental care markets expanded some 2% each, the group said. Shipments to the food sector stagnated, and those for household and technical products tumbled some 20%.

Related: European tube deliveries rise nearly 2% in 2022 

The association noted that customers are increasingly pushing for the use of recycled materials in tubes as part of their sustainability concepts but bottlenecks exist in the availability of high-quality post-consumer recycling materials.

“For plastic tubes, the quantities required will certainly not be achievable through mechanical recycling of used plastic packaging alone,” association president Mark Aegler noted. “Chemical recycling can be an additional option for closing the gap, especially for complex composite structures. Appropriate political guidelines are needed here at the European level so that the necessary investments in recycling capacities can take place.” 

Etma said that while the situation on the raw material and energy markets has eased further, prices remain above pre-pandemic and pre-war levels. 

Labour costs and labour availability also remain extremely tight. In addition, the weak economy in Europe and continued high inflation are negatively affecting consumer purchasing power and spending attitudes, it added.

Aegler said the order backlog is still high but some manufacturers are now recording a slight decline in incoming orders. Forecasts for market development in the second half are subject to considerable uncertainty, he added.