These four countries have 64 million inhabitants in total, and with rapid economic development in the past 20 years, their eating and shopping habits have been revolutionised. The local flexible packaging industry has flourished to serve the needs of regional food producers, but also incoming global brand manufacturers and retailers. Supermarkets demand sophisticated packaging to protect and differentiate products, and more affluent consumers opt for convenience foods, ready meals and single servings. This modern industry can also offer more environmentally friendly packs, and high-technology solutions to food safety and storage.

This new survey, Flexible Films and Packaging in the Czech and Slovak Republics, Poland and Hungary, contains profiles describing the activities of 381 producers and converters of flexible films and packaging materials. These company profiles show what they are likely to buy, and also what they sell, and to whom. Capacity and turnover data, and numbers of employees have all been included when available, to provide an indication of the scale of the companies’ operations. For simplicity and comparison all profiles are structured to provide the following information:

• Company name, location and contact information (address, telephone, fax, email and website)

• Corporate information (management, ownership, subsidiaries, turnover)

• Operations and products (in-house film production, bought-in and converted products, printing, finishing and other services offered, production capacity and number of employees, and international standards)

• Markets served (food and non-food, geographical)

The author has drawn upon 20 years experience of working in the European flexible packaging industry to compile this unique report.

This report provides a guide and a business planning tool for anyone involved in the vibrant flexible packaging sector in this region, or contemplating its potential. The insights and data provided will be of use to manufacturers and distributors of raw polymers, additives, plain or converted plastic films, aluminium foils, special papers, inks, adhesives or coatings; as well as flexible packaging converters, suppliers of machinery for film manufacturing, handling, converting and finishing, and brand owners, food processors and retailers.