Plastic container demand in the US is expected to grow 4.6 per cent annually through 2010 to over $24 billion, according to a report.

It said this would create a demand for 14.2 billion pounds of resin. Gains will be supported by plastic’s numerous inherent advantages relative to other packaging media, including low cost, lightweight, design flexibility, shatter resistance, strength, favourable barrier properties and clarity, according to a published report.
However, further advances will be limited by increasing maturity in key markets like household chemicals, said a new study from The Freedonia Group, a Cleveland-based industry research firm. Plastic bottles and jars, which accounted for 78 per cent of plastic container poundage in 2005, will be the dominant plastic container type through 2010.
Smaller segments of the plastic container industry like cans, squeeze tubes and trays will record faster growth than bottles and jars. Cans will benefit from expanding applications like paint and coffee, traditionally dominated by other packaging media, such as metal. Squeeze tube growth will be supported by above-average increases in shipments of cosmetic and toiletry products. Advances in plastic trays will be aided by the increasing prevalence of case-ready meats in many retail channels, particularly Wal-Mart, it said.
By 2010, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) will usurp high densitypolyethylene (HDPE) as the dominant plastic container resin due to its increasing usage in applications like food and household chemicals. Nevertheless, HDPE will still account for 43 per cent of total plastic container volume, largely due to its low cost and entrenched position in many key markets, such as milk.
Meanwhile, US protective packaging demand is forecast to grow 4.7 per cent yearly to $4 billion in 2010.
Advances will be driven by specialised packaging applications in the electronic, medical and other industries, as well as growing Internet-based sales, said another study from The Freedonia Group. Best opportunities are expected for inflatable bags, insulated shipping containers and bubble packaging. Loose-fill will exhibit the slowest growth due to significant competition from inflatable bags, bubble packaging and paper fill materials, it said.
Foamed plastic demand in protective packaging is expected to grow 4.6 per cent annually to $1.1 billion in 2010 due to its competitive cost structure and good performance characteristics.