Aluminium plays a major role in the modern world through its innumerable forms of applications- from kitchenware to electric conductors and from railway wagon to Appollo spacecraft. Because of its intrinsic and versatile properties of lightness, strength to weight ratio, corrosion resistance, electrical and thermal conductivity, non toxicity etc., a wide range of uses has opened up for this metal. As a result, it has captured the market at the expense of older materials- copper, lead, zinc and steel among metals and glass, wood and paper among no metals. In fact, next only to steel, aluminium is the most widely used metal in the world today.
Aluminium as a packaging material is unmatched owing to its lightweight, hygienic and non-contamination which eventually results in longer shelf-life of end products. The user of foil always wishes to get the largest area where his money and foil is used in packaging as thin as 0×008 mm, when it has a covering area of 32,300 square inches to the pound. When the metal is as thin as this it is not only physically weak but will contain minute perforations very thin foil is a less efficient barrier than is thicker foil free from perforations.
The global aluminium foil packaging market size will reach $46.19bn by 2025, with a revenue-based compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.0% over the forecast period, the industry’s growth to the increasing demand for packaging in the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Tobacco, cosmetic, and electronic industries are also set to create growth opportunities for the aluminium market. Aluminium is a recyclable material that can be found in abundance and aluminium foil is strong, lightweight, portable, flexible, and mouldable.
Aluminium foil is used in the pharmaceutical industry to package various types of medicine because it offers protection from moisture and sunlight. The increased need for aluminium in the industry comes as a result of increased demand for drug delivery devices and blister packaging.
The demand for aluminium packaging to the rising demand for ready-to-eat food products in the food and beverage industry. It says: “Fast-paced lifestyle, ease of ordering through online platforms, and the ability to choose from diverse restaurants are the significant factors that have surged demand for online food delivery, which in turn, is expected to drive the market in near future.”
Aluminium is used in the food and beverages industry for packaging solutions which including foil wraps, pouches, blisters, and containers. Foil wraps, in particular, are used by households to wrap food products and have witnessed a surge in demand due to the growing food delivery services in growing economies such as India, China, and Brazil.
In pharmaceutical end-use segment, aluminum foil is largely used for packaging drugs in the form of blisters. Pharmaceutical packaging industry also uses foil pouches to pack fluid drugs. Aluminum foil is also used in the form of caps, lids, and closures for plastic containers. Pharmaceutical end user industry segment is expected to be growing at the second fastest CAGR over the forecast period. Aluminum foil blisters are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for packaging capsules and tablets. Factors, such as the shift toward busy lifestyles and adoption of unhealthy lifestyle have resulted into high prevalence of chronic diseases. In addition, increasing number of health campaigns by various government and non-government organizations has resulted in growth of the pharmaceutical industry boosting the demand for medicines. This factor is projected to drive the product demand in near future.
