Despite extremely challenging economic conditions, the European market for plastic, laminate, and aluminum tubes posted a 1% rise in turnover for the first half of the year, with about 6 bn units sold, according to the European Tube Manufacturers Association (Etma, Düsseldorf, Germany; www.etma-online.org).

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Increased electricity and gas prices accompanied by a loss of purchasing power among European consumers due to inflation and fears of recession were a cause of concern, said the association. “This is an unpleasant cocktail of difficult economic conditions that will have a lasting impact on the lives of European tube manufacturers and consumers this year and certainly next,” said Etma president Mark Aegler.

Sales of plastic tubes increased by about 2% and turnover for aluminum tubes rose just under 1%, while deliveries of laminate tubes declined almost 4% in H1. Laminate and aluminum tubes account for 36% each of Etma members’ sales, with plastic tubes compromising the remaining 28%.

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Two of the three major end markets accounted for the uptick in demand. Demand in the cosmetics market, the largest in terms of volume, rose almost 2%, while call-offs from the pharmaceutical sector, the second largest sales market, was 8% higher. However, during the same period, the dental care market, the third largest segment, saw sales fall nearly 2%.

The three markets make up 85% of total deliveries. The household products and food sectors, which make up the remaining 15% of total deliveries, saw a decline in turnover of almost 15% and 10% respectively in the first half of 2022.