PE film producers grab larger market share in Europe

PE film producers grab larger market share in Europe

Industry consolidation has seen Europe’s major PE film extrusion companies take a larger market share in the past three years, according to AMI Consulting. The top 50 companies increased the combined market share in Europe from 55% in 2000 to 60% for 2003. In production terms, their 33% growth rate over the same period outstripped the 10% increase for PE film overall.

In its report, AMI said British Polythene Industries still tops the league of Europe’s leading producers. But whereas a decade ago it was more than twice the size of its nearest rivals, nowadays it is only 12% ahead of the next largest producer, Rheinische Kunststoffwerke (RKW).

While BPI has been disposing non-core activities, RKW has been expanding and has moved up from its No. 3 position in 2000. It has acquired the Rosenlew PE film and sack business from UPM-Kymmene and the German film units of BP Chemicals. Sweden’s Trioplast Industrier has slipped from second to third position, despite growth in its business. Armando Alvarez in Spain is the fourth largest PE film producer.

Other companies highlighted by AMI for substantially increasing capacity in the past three years are Manuli in Italy, SP Metal in France and Plastotecnica in Italy. These companies are respectively fifth, sixth and eight largest in Europe.