Polyethylenes are the most commonly used resins in flexible packaging in 2013

Study of Maxiquim recently released by Abief (Associação Brasileira da Indústria Flexible plastic packaging), exclusively for his associates, concluded that the flexible plastic packaging industry was responsible for 79 percent of all consumption the LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene) marketed in Brazil in 2013, the equivalent of 769 thousand tons. The main user of these packaging industry was food, with participation of 35%, followed by industrial, 16%, and personal hygiene and household cleaning, 14%.
The second largest volume of resin consumed by the sector – 444 thousand tons-was that of LDPE (low density polyethylene), 75% of the national demand. The food industry remained the main client, featuring 28%, followed by industrial (21%) and beverages (9 percent).
The third largest volume is registered in PP (polypropylene), with 402 000 tonnes, i.e. 25% of the total demand. In this segment, the main industry is again using foods with 21.8%, followed by housewares, 13.5% and drinks, 10.4%.
The resin with less participation in the production of flexible plastic packaging in Brazil in 2013, according to the study by Maxiquim, was the HDPE (high-density polyethylene). She appears with 262 thousand tonnes equivalent to 26% of the total demand. The main client is the industry of personal hygiene and household cleaning, with 27% stake. In the sequence are disposable (19%) and Agriculture (8%) foods have participation of only 4%. It is worth remembering that the disposable are represented, basically, by the plastic bags from supermarkets.