IK banks on more cooperation with raw material producers

The high number of force majeure notifications in Germany and Europe during the last year has led to significant pressure on the producers of plastics packaging. Raw material shortages correlated with price increases. Within the framework of public statements on that development the German Plastics Packaging Association (IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen) underlined the need for a good cooperation between raw material producers and processors. An encouraging start has now been made. IK President Roland Roth met with Javier Constante, Commercial Vice President Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics EMEA, at the Dow site in Horgen. The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere. Roth and Constante agreed that the future of the plastic industry can only be shaped successfully through mutual efforts.

As Roland Roth states: "Producers and processors have gone separate ways for a long time. We must ensure that the tensions we experienced in 2015, I need only say 'force majeure', are not repeated. Our industry must close ranks." In this connection Roland Roth also emphasised the importance of Europe: "We need a commitment on the reliability of our production supplying, capacities in Europe and the will to continue supporting innovation in Europe." Javier Constante underlines this concern: "We believe that the European packaging industry will continue to grow. Europe is not only a market, but first and foremost an innovation production location. We view the future positively and plan to maintain capacities and offer new products on the market."

Roth and Constante also agreed on cooperation between raw material producers and processors in respect of the often unfairly negative image of the industry perceived by the public. "At the moment we see a discrepancy between emotional reactions to plastic pollution and the facts, which often prove exactly the opposite and show plastic's great usefulness.” says Javier Constante.

The two parties are banking on cooperation between associations to create a stronger public platform in the future.