The German manufacturers of tubes and aluminium aerosol cans enjoyed considerably improved demand in the first four months of 2010. With the exception of plastic tubes, where there was only a moderate rise in demand, orders received showed marked improvements with double-digit growth year-on-year. Aluminium aerosol cans were even able to return to their levels of 2008 which was a successful year. Following the economic crisis in 2009, meanwhile utilisation of production capacities is thus once again good to very good. Depending on the diameter, delivery times for plastic tubes are now 4-6 weeks, while those for aluminium tubes are 5-8 weeks and those for aluminium aerosol cans are even 7-10 weeks.

This improved volume development is being overshadowed, though, by cost increases for raw materials and consumables that are considerable in some cases. Manufacturers have to cope with hefty price increases for oil, aluminium, plastics and paper. Oil prices increased by 66 per cent between April 2009 and April 2010. During the same period, the price of aluminium rose by 60 per cent, that of paper by 57 per cent and there were price increases for the plastics PE-LD and PP of 35 per cent and 59 per cent respectively.

The increased raw-material prices have led to considerable price increases for transport services and in the processing industry. Haulage contractors and the manufacturers of lacquers, printing inks, closures and cardboard products have already reacted and passed on their price increases to the tube and aluminium aerosol can manufacturers. On top of this customers are demanding unusually long settlement terms which are putting the sector under enormous pressure with respect to liquidity.

Dr Monika Kopra-Schäfer, the chair of the GDA division Tubes, Cans and Impact Extrusions and the managing director of Linhardt GmbH & Co. KG, puts it in a nutshell: “We manufacturers of tubes and aluminium aerosol cans mastered the crisis in 2009 relatively well thanks to in-house improvements in efficiency and intelligent systems for working hours. However, the pressure on margins caused by the current drastic increases in costs is now exceptionally strong. We can only maintain the innovativeness of the sector in this environment if companies achieve adequate margins and their liquidity is guaranteed.”

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Your contact:

Gregor Spengler
Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie e.V. (GDA)
Fachverband Tuben, Dosen und Fließpressteile
Am Bonneshof 5
40474 Düsseldorf
Telephone: +49 211 4796-144
Fax: +49 211 4796-25144
gregor.spengler@aluinfo.de