Extrusion International USA 3-2020

30 Extrusion International 3/2020 EXTRUSION INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY NEWS Innovative Advanced Recycling Technology Project announced Berry Global Group, Inc. announced its collaboration with longtime customer, Mondelēz International to supply packaging containing recycled plastic for Philadelphia, the world’s most popular cream cheese. The package contains plastic material recovered using advanced recycling technol- ogy from Berry’s partnership with SABIC, announced earlier this year. Berry prides itself on its ability to provide sustainable, value- added packaging for leading brands around the world and is proud to collaborate with Mondelēz International to im- prove the sustainability of their packaging. “We are pleased to partner with Mondelēz International in providing packaging made from this advanced recycling technology. By recovering and diverting plastic that would have otherwise been sent to landfill or incineration, we are working towards our common goal of promoting a circular Berry Global Group, Inc. berryglobal.com economy,” said Jean-Marc Galvez, President of Berry’s Con- sumer Packaging International Division. The announcement adds to Berry’s list of initiatives to ad- vance towards a more sustainable future. These initiatives include investment in both mechanical and chemical recy- cling, the innovative use of recycled material in products, and global commitments to address plastic waste in the en- vironment. Last year, Berry committed that 100 percent of its fast-moving consumer goods packaging would be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by the year 2025. “This is an exciting project which demonstrates our ability to supply a leading worldwide brand with a solution to not only aid in their sustainability commitments, but which also aligns with Berry’s,” said Galvez. The shipments of primary plastics machinery (injection molding and extrusion) in North America decreased in the first quarter, according to the statistics compiled and report- ed by the Plastics Industry Association’s (PLASTICS) Commit- tee on Equipment Statistics (CES). The preliminary estimate of shipments value from reporting companies in the first quarter totaled $254 million, 19.6% decrease, following a 7.7% increase in the fourth quarter of last year. The value of shipments of plastics machinery in the first quarter was 6.9% lower than the first quarter last year. While the total value of shipments decreased in the first quarter, single-screw extruders shipments rose by 15.5%. Shipments of twin-screw extruders declined marginally by 0.8%. Compared to the first quarter of 2019, the value of sin- gle-screw and twin-screw extruders were significantly higher by 34.9% and 19.3%, respectively. “The first quarter shipments were expected to come in lower due to the coronavirus shutdowns in March. Nevertheless, we saw robust growth in single-screw and twin-screw ship- ments on a year-over-year basis,” according to Chief Econo- mist of PLASTICS Perc Pineda, PhD. CES also conducts a quarterly survey of plastics machinery suppliers, regarding present market conditions and future expectations. In the coming quarter, 18.5% of respondents expect conditions to either improve or hold steady in the next quarter – lower than the 69.4% that felt similarly in the fourth quarter last year. As for the next 12 months, 22.6% The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) plasticsindustry.org expect market conditions to be steady-to-better, down from 73.5% in the previous quarter’s survey. “The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt the manu- facturing and service sectors of the economy, both impacted by the plastics industry. However, the demand for plastics re- mains fundamentally healthy, particularly in the medical and consumer essentials spaces, and the economic slowdown is transitory,” Pineda added. Plastics machinery exports in the first quarter totaled $358.5 million – a 1.6% increase from the previous quarter. Imports rose by 0.5% to $746.3 million, resulting in a trade deficit of $387.8 million, 0.6% lower than the fourth quarter last year. The U.S. continues to rely on Mexico and Canada as its first and second largest plastics machinery export markets. Combined exports to the USMCA trade partners totaled $153.4million, 42.8%of total U.S. plastics machinery exports. Pandemic Pauses Plastics Machinery Shipments During First Quarter