Plastics market exceeds one billion euros

The Romanian market of plastic products last year was worth more than 1 billion euros (37,000 billion ROL), posting a nominal increase of 25% as compared to 2002.

The plastic products industry last year outpaced the entire Romanian economy, and next year’s growth pace is expected to surpass the 5% Gross Domestic Product growth, Septimiu Sfintescu, managing director at Aspaplast, the Association of Plastic Products Manufacturers, told Ziarul Financiar.

The industry will grow particularly along the segment of construction materials, such as plastic pipes, fittings, as well as hydro and thermal insulation materials. The development of hotels, restaurants and catering firms will also generate an increase in the number of the consumables, single-use glasses and plates.

At the same time, the surging beverage and food consumption will boost the business of firms operating in this sector.

The new regulations regarding the food industry have also stimulated the growth of the fresh food packaging segment, with the consumers increasingly opting for supermarkets, and less for the traditional stores.

The industry of plastic materials for cars will also benefit from the launch of the Dacia Logan model, which will bring along a series of traditional suppliers of Renault, expected to build production facilities.

The main destination of Romanian plastic products is domestic consumption, with the value of this market reaching 935 million dollars in 2002, of which 384.8 million dollars in domestic production, 609 million dollars accounting for imports, with exports coming to a mere 58.8 million dollars.