Extrusion International 4-2018

21 Extrusion International 4/2018 The Future of Plastics Bandera supports the production model based on technical ma- terials from natural sources and on materials that can be re-inte- grated into the environment: R&D activities, dedicated workshops, along with a cutting edge, industrialscale extrusion line specifically manufactured to test the materials of the future. Costruzioni Meccaniche Luigi Bandera realistically shows thewhole sector that the use of sustainable rawmaterials is a viable solution. The use of plastics, an essential component of our contemporary economy, has increased twenty times over the past fifty years and a growing trend of double that quantity is the forecast for the next twenty years. The concern grows for sustainability for the forecast for the next twenty years. The concern grows for sustainability for the industries of the plastics sector, not only from the undeniably important ethical aspect, but also from the practical aspect of sus- tainability of the plastics sector itself. In fact, 15%of plastic packag- ing materials are recycled worldwide, versus the well over 35% of European countries. The recent G7Meeting in Canada focused on this issue fromseveral different facets. Specifically speaking, they set to reach by 2030 the objective to recycle and reuse 55%of the plastic packaging materi- als produced. Even more so, this percentage is subject to grow by 2040, by which time they foresee to reclaim 100% of all plastics produced. Con- versely, on the side of research, innovation and new technologies, they committed to develop alternative solutions to cut down the environmental impact of plastics. From this very concern stems Bandera’s will to manifest the at- titudes that have always characterized its actions, so much so for them to become a mission in time. In fact, this company oriented towards innovation and sustainabil- ity of both processes and materials, has chosen to exteriorize this mission with its new communication campaign, PACKAGING FOR- WARD, focused exclusively on developing consciousness over the issue of the circular economy of plastic materials. Innovation as an operating principle is the key of success for this company, known for its great tradition, operating in the sector of plastics for over 70 years to present. Bandera has always manifested a very strong pioneering attitude, operating in favor of transforming biodegradable or recycled ma- terials and striving to achieve always more lightweight packaging products. Bandera has designed and is manufacturing an industrial scale extrusion line – to be made available to packaging material manufacturers – dedicated to exploring and studying the produc- tive capabilities of both, biological and recycled materials. This line will be operating, as of September 2018, at the Bandera R&D Cen- tre so Bandera’s efforts have gone well beyond laboratory studies. Luigi Bandera S.p.A. www.lbandera.com Alessandro Grassi Italian Manufacturers of Plastics and Rubber Processing Machinery The Statistical Studies Centre of Amaplast (Italian trade associa- tion, member of CONFINDUSTRIA, bringing together about 170 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery, equip- ment and moulds) has analysed foreign trade data published by ISTAT for the first quarter of 2018. A comparison with the same period in 2017 reveals growth of 26% in imports and a contraction of approximately one percentage point in exports. This provides indications of two important factors. Significant and constant growth in purchases abroad, suggesting sustained recovery in the domestic market, as already seen in the impressive positive results at year-end 2017. As underscored by Amaplast President Alessandro Grassi at the Members Assembly on 14 June in Linz, Austria, “It is a fact that the propensity to invest among Italian converters is back on a positive growth trend andwe can only be happy about this.” The slowdown in exports should not come as a surprise andmay be considered to fall within a normal range of variation. After the first two months of continued positive growth, the slowdown in March was almost to be expected, heralded also by decreases in orders as reported by members in the last weeks of the period. It is clearly premature tobe talkingabout adecline, even thoughwe must acknowledge that the sector has witnessed continuous posi- tive growth for at least seven or eight years (with the exception of a brief dip in 2013) and thus, given the inherent cyclical nature of the economy, a negative phase would be entirely within the norm in the mediumor even short term. The mid-June Amaplast member survey comparing the current half year with the same period in 2017 revealed that more than half (51%) forecast stable turnover and a significant portion (38%) foresee improvement. As regards orders, 42%of members forecast substantial stability while 41%expect to see increases. After an excellent 2017, with double-digit growth in all indicators, it is still not unreasonable to expect the current year to close out with positive performance both in production and in foreign trade, albeit at amoremodest growth rate as comparedwith recent years. Amaplast www.amaplast.org