The rotational moulding industry in Europe is experiencing a cautious recovery, with the market expected to show some growth in 2012 following three years of declining problems, according to a recently published guide from plastics industry consultant Applied Market Information (AMI, Bristol / UK; www.amiplastics.com).

A 3% fall in production sites is recorded in AMI’s “The rotational moulding industry in Europe”, 7th edition. The remaining 336 listed production sites across western and central Europe are estimated to have consumed 211,000 t of polymer in 2011, down from the pre-recession high of around 250,000 t 2006. In the 5th edition of the rotational moulding guide, AMI predicted the annual consumption of thermoplastics in the European industry would reach 288,000 t in 2011, but the following economic downturn destroyed this optimistic forecast (see also Plasteurope.com of 29.03.2007).

AMI said that the weakness in the European rotomoulding sector is largely a consequence of continued economic uncertainty in Europe, which resulted in the reduction of infrastructure projects and impacted on the demand for rotationally moulded water and fuel tanks, which make up the largest end use application for this process.

Other sectors, however, experienced an improvement and the economic downturn resulted in some applications that may have traditionally used blow moulding switching to rotational moulding because of the smaller volumes of articles required and the economic advantages of using rotational moulding for small runs.

The materials handling market has been relatively unaffected by the recession and the market for IBC is still growing, maintained by the requirement for most containers to be replaced a minimum of every three years. The offshore industry and fishing remain solid and growing markets, especially in the Nordic countries where over 50% of rotational moulders supply the marine and fishing markets.