Round Table discussion with Roland Rex (President Pro Carton) and Andreas Blaschke (President ECMA)
What are your expectations for your industries over the next 12 months?
RR – All indicators for private consumption are positive in Europe so the demand for FMCG packaging will grow. This will help to fill some of the spare production capacities. Changing shopping behaviour to a diversified omni-channel shopping environment and digitalization will both create new opportunities. I feel that industry consolidation will help create stronger, more cost efficient and innovative businesses which can fulfil our customers’ requirements and, importantly, be profitable.
AB – Volume should be good over the next year as the economy is picking up. Margins, however, remain under pressure since raw material prices are up and hard to recover. I don’t expect to see much further consolidation or largescale rationalisation in the short term as many companies have been through a period of change which is often followed by a period of integration and stability.