In 2017, the 6 largest stretch film processors accounted for more than 85% of production capacity-product differentiation is essential for any new small business entering this field. #Polyolefin
In this blog, we published a series of articles based on the research conducted by the market research company Mastio & Co. (Mastio & Co., St. Joseph, Mo.) on the main markets of polyethylene film extruders in 2017. Each weekly blog will contain growth forecasts, technology drivers and key players for each of 10 different movie clips. We will start this series with stretch film.
According to Mastio's research, the stretch film market is still one of the largest and fastest growing PE film markets. Mastio's interviews with processors show that stretch film processors are optimistic about the growth in demand for stretch film products, as stretch films continue to replace other traditional pallet combinations and product bundling methods.
Three different types of stretch film are usually produced: manual winding, machine rotation or power stretch stretch film, and silage stretch film. However, the Mastio report states that in each category, there are several highly customized stretch film sub-grades designed for specific end-use applications. Stretch film application equipment is more cost-effective, faster, more user-friendly, more energy-efficient and safer to use than shrink packaging equipment. Shrink film requires the use of heating lamps or heat guns, which consume more energy and labor than power stretch packaging equipment. North America continues to develop and commercialize new applications of special-grade stretch films, and is designing more complex stretch films for existing applications.
The width of the stretched film is very wide, from 1 inch to more than 100 inches. Hand-held stretch films are usually sold in narrower widths of 1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 15, and 18 inches. 12 inches and 18 inches are the most common. The most common width range of machine spinning stretch film is 18 to 30 inches. Stretch film is most often wound on an elongated core roll, allowing manual and machine rotating application techniques. The stretched core roll helps to apply resistance to the film and stretch the film during application. The film needs to be pre-stretched to ensure that it maintains a good load capacity during transportation and storage.
Provides a variety of grades and specifications of stretch film, allowing applicators to use the most economical film for their specific application. Comparing packaged goods transported over short distances or in warehouses with goods transported over long distances requires a stretch film with inferior performance. Stretched films can be further classified into yield films or load-holding films. The production film is designed to provide maximum coverage during the assembly process. Yield stretch film is used for bundling products that are light in weight or intended to be transported and moved for short distances.
High-yield or high-percent stretch films provide maximum coverage at the lowest cost. The high load retention stretch film is designed to provide maximum load retention and prevent large or heavy combination products from moving during transportation and storage. The load-holding film provides greater stretch resistance and has more "film memory" over time. Load retention stretch films are applied to heavier combined loads that will transport longer distances. It should be noted that film thickness is a poor indicator of yield and load retention.
One of the most significant changes that continue to appear in the stretch film market is the increase in the use of linear low-density PE (mLLDPE) resins based on metallocene single-site catalysts. When mixed with conventionally produced PE resin or co-extruded, mLLDPE resin greatly improves the physical properties of low-profile films.
In 2017, the production of stretch film consumed approximately 2.0834 million pounds of PE, making the industry one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the PE film industry. Mastio predicts that with an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 3.7%, the consumption of PE resin used to produce stretch films will reach 2,327,200 pounds by 2020.
The current methods for producing stretched films include: single-layer blown film extrusion, multilayer blown film co-extrusion, single-layer cast film extrusion, and multi-layer cast film co-extrusion. In the past few years, the stretch film industry has continued to undergo a transition from the use of blown film extrusion processes to cast film extrusion processes and from single-layer structures to more multilayer co-extruded film structures. According to Mastio, nearly 76% of all stretch films produced in North America are produced by cast films, and 82% of all films produced are co-extruded films. Single-layer blown film extrusion is the most common method used to produce hand-held stretch stretch film.
According to Mastio, the six largest stretch film processors (Berry Global Group Inc., Sigma Stretch Film Corp., Inteplast Group Ltd., Paragon Films Inc., Malpack Ltd. and Intertape Polymer Group Inc.) account for more than 85 The percentage of capacity in 2017. This is a slight increase from Mastio's 2014 study, when the top six participants accounted for 82% of the market. Patent disputes have restricted the development of more complex nanolayer structures that are more common in Europe. More importantly, unlike Europe, stretch films in North America are sold through distributors, separating the entity that produces the film from the entity that uses the film. Product differentiation is essential for any new, smaller players to enter the field. Eventually, the nanostructures prevalent in Europe will be produced in North America.
Read the stretch film market report.
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Advances in materials, feed block/mold technology, and winding can help processors develop more complex cast-stretch products.
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