|
Our latest news
a. Overview of the
Greek packaging market
In the last five years the Greek packaging industry had an average
growth of 4%, much above the European Union average. Food and
beverage is the major customer sector covering more than 55% of
packaging consumption. The expected growth figure for 2009 is
1-1.5%.
The Greek packaging manufacturers are being affected by competition
from (often subsidised) packaging producers in low-cost
manufacturing locations, as well as the growing trend of
multinational consumer goods producers to import goods from central
manufacturing facilities outside of the country. In addition,
multinational producers are also said to be exerting significant
downward pressure on packaging prices. The trend towards e-auctions
has been noted in the country, with packaging companies forced to
participate if they wish to remain on lists approved suppliers.
On the other hand, Greek packaging materials are exported to the
Balkan countries, the Middle East and North Africa. Moreover,
several Greek companies have established manufacturing facilities in
the Balkans which is a fast expanding market area.
Greek packaging industry has realized that innovation and good
manufacturing practices are the strong weapons to overcome the
competition from the low cost labour manufacturing countries. For
that purpose, the Association of the Greek Manufacturers of
Packaging and Materials (AGMPM) is strongly promoting activities
related to innovation.
Following the 2008 activities reported, AGMPM has
co-organized in the first months of 2009,
- The workshop on printing
technology for RFID labeling.
- Seminar on efficient
packaging waste management.
- Seminar on Sustainable
packaging innovation.
The major 2009 packaging events in Greece are the two
Exhibitions: Expo Pack 2009 and Graphica Expo 2009
(info@graphicaexpo.gr
| www.graphicaexpo.gr
) which take part co currently on 29/5-01/6 in the new Athens
Metropolitan Expo Centre.
|
Packaging consumption
per material
|
2008
in
€ million |
Annual growth
2004-2008 |
|
Paper & board |
302 |
3.5 |
|
Rigid plastics |
248 |
6.5 |
|
Flexible
plastics |
386 |
5.7 |
|
Metal |
398 |
3.1 |
|
Glass |
64 |
0.5 |
|
Wood |
44 |
2.5 |
|
Total |
1,442 |
4.1 |
|
Packaging consumption
by end sector |
2008
in € million |
Annual growth
2004-2008 |
|
Food |
540 |
4.7 |
|
Beverages |
288 |
4.0 |
|
Healthcare |
52 |
3.1 |
|
Other
consumer |
252 |
5.8 |
|
Industrial |
220 |
2.3 |
|
Total |
1,442 |
4.2 |
b. GREECE: 2008 Packaging events
1st National Conference on Food and Beverage Packaging
The major packaging event in Greece during 2008 was the 1st
National Conference on Food and Beverage Packaging, organized by
the Association of the Greek Manufacturers of Packaging and
Materials (AGMPM). The Conference took place in the grounds of
the 11th Biennial Packaging Exhibition (SYSKEYASIA) and was
supported by the Exhibition organizing authority.
The 300 participants from industry and academia had the opportunity
to attend the two plenary sessions and any of the four focused
parallel sessions:
- The role of packaging in the
developing and production of the final product.
- Packaging designing and the
retail-chains requirements.
- Novel packaging technologies.
- Packaging materials and
packaging operations.
More than 100 research papers were given as oral presentations
or posters. The speakers in the plenary sessions were coming
from the leading retail chains, food industry, ECR, and heads of
food processing research groups. There were also two invited
speakers from WPO members: Lemia Thabet and Dogan Erberk.
The following round table discussions created interesting and
hot debates:
- Conception and designing of a
product: (a) what is coming first? The aesthetic or the
functional designing? And (b) the environmental parameter starts
from the product designing and not from its waste management
stage.
- Developments in the retail
packaging: (a) Packaging and demographic trends. And (2)
Packaging, the retail store, and the consumer.
Support to students doing research on food packaging.
The AGMPM has set up prizes to be given each year to the
graduate students who have presented the best research papers in
scientific conferences. In 2008 were given three €1000 prizes to
the following Ph.D. students:
- Th. Tsironi, National
Technical University of Athens (NTUA) , “Development of
mathematical models for selecting the optimum modified
atmosphere for packaging of fish filets”
- A. Karagiannaki, Athens
University of Economics and Business, “RFID on various steps of
packaging. Effects and interactions”
- E. Chouliara, University of
Ioannina, Combined effect of irradiation and modified
atmospheres for the extension of shelf life of fresh poultry”
Discussion fora on waste management.
AGMPM organized in May a discussion forum entitled
“Biodegradable and OXO- biodegradable plastics. Their effect in
municipal waste management”. Major issue was the adoption by
major retail chains of OXO-biodegradable shopping bags.
Another discussion forum is planned for the 3rd of December. Its
subject being: “Municipal solid waste management and packaging
waste. Exploring more effective and more efficient ways”.
back
|
