European Alufoil Manufacturers optimistic for the full year 2012

After a slow start into the year 2012 the European manufacturers of aluminium foil saw clear signs of recovery in the second quarter. According to European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) 411,500 tonnes were delivered in the first six months (2011: 420 100 tonnes), representing a decrease of two per cent. Thinner gauges mainly for flexible packaging and household foil were down two per cent while thicker gauges typically used for semi-rigid containers and technical applications dipped almost eight per cent.

A major boost came from exports which leapt by almost ten per cent, indicating a recovery in demand from emerging markets and others outside Europe. However, these figures mask a better performance in the second quarter of 2012, where deliveries were above the year before, indicating more steady demand from inside Europe. While total production figures for the first half of 2012 showed a decline on the previous year there are signs of recovery in deliveries.

Stefan Grimm, Executive Director of EAFA commented, “The outlook for alufoil production in 2012 is optimistic for the third and fourth quarter. We are confident that total production for the whole year will match results from last year. The second quarter results were very encouraging after a period of negative figures.” “There is an increasing demand for short term deliveries, rather than longer term ordering which can affect these results,” he added.

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