China capturing the BOPP lead

This year, Brückner Maschinenbau is supplying three plants to China for the manufacture of BOPP films. The German company's largest single project yet in the People's Republic, two of the plants will have a working width of 8.20m and the third will be 6.60m, with a total nominal capacity of 115,0000t/year. When they go on-line this autumn, this will make the customer, the Shuang Liang Group, based near Shanghai, one of the biggest producers of BOPP film in China.

Brückner claims to be the global market leader for film stretching plants, with a share of over 50 per cent. Thanks to thriving business in the BOPP sector, the company's sales almost doubled from €119M in 2001, to €225M in 2002. Shuang Liang produces BOPP films ranging in thickness from 12-60 micron. They are used for packaging and as special cigarette or heat sealing films. Production is destined primarily for the domestic market where demand is said to be set to continue rising.

Market research company PCI Films Consulting predicts that the Far East will soon oust Europe from its present leading position as producer of BOPP films. China's installed capacity alone is said to be already 1.75Mt/year, while Western Europe is only just likely to make it to the 1Mt/year mark.

PCI foresees consumption rising some 7.7 per cent annually to reach 4.6Mt/year in 2007. More than half of the new growth is expected to come from Asia.