Thanks to technological developments in energy efficiency, especially in the fields of blow moulding, extrusion, injection moulding and thermoforming, European plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers could cut around 20% of machine-related energy consumption by 2020, according to the findings of a new study commissioned by Euromap (Frankfurt / Germany; www.euromap.org), the European association of plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers. That is tantamount to the annual electricity consumption of all private households in the city of Hamburg / Germany. "This considerable saving can be made despite the fact that around one third of energy consumption is a constant over which we have no control, since it is the energy required to melt plastics," said Euromap president Bernhard Merki.

Based on survey of European plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers, the study is scheduled to be released in instalments starting this summer.