European thin wall packaging consolidation continues, in 2022 the top 10 producers accounted for almost half of the market based on polymer throughput. Aside from consolidating, they have been expanding their capabilities, venturing into new business areas, and have become a more prominent feature in the packaging space.

Outside the top producers, the market remains fragmented, with AMI identifying more than 1,000 companies producing sheet and/or thermoforming and/or injection moulding thin wall containers across Europe. Barriers to entry remain low and success translates into strong technical competence, the ability to provide high-quality products and value-added services cost-competitively, and the ability to deliver on sustainability.

The growing body of legislation increasingly mandating recycled content levels has pushed demand for plastic packaging with recycled content to an all-time high and continues to grow. Yet access to material remains challenging. Greater numbers of thin wall packaging producers are seeking out and investing in their own recycling facilities and collaborations to secure better access to recycled material, but current progress remains insufficient to meet future demand. Although the thin wall packaging value chain has developed sustainability strategies, invested in acquisitions and collaborations in support of these strategies, and remains committed to ensuring that their products are not only recyclable but have also played a key role in developing recycling streams for their products where these do not exist, this needs to accelerate and start delivering at scale to deliver on legislative targets and meet upcoming requirements.

The latest edition of AMI’s highly regarded Thin Wall Packaging in Europe report is the result of an extensive research program, providing a detailed independent assessment of this industry in times of uncertainty. The report quantifies resin demand for thin wall packaging by country, polymer and production method (extrusion thermoforming/injection moulding). This authoritative study highlights the development of the market for thin wall packaging over the past five years (2017-2022), how it is responding to sustainability pressures, and how the market is likely to develop over the next five years to 2027.

Thin Wall Packaging in Europe 2022 is a detailed market report from AMI Consulting.

For further information please contact our Packaging Consultant, E / Susannah.Owen@amiplastics.com

For sales please contact Sales Manager E / Brian.Hinchliffe@amiplastics.com