CHINA SPECIAL & CHINAPLAS 2022 PETplanet Insider Vol. 23 No. 03/22 www.petpla.net 34 China’s consumers are increasingly demanding healthy drinks in sustainable packaging PET – the ideal candidate As a company that is active in moulds and services for bottles, with a considerable R&D department, Foshan-based GDXL has a good overview of the latest market requirements. In our interview, they explain current trends and developments in the Chinese market and beyond. PETplanet: How do you see the PET industry in China developing? GDXL: Consumers are now more interested in safe, healthy, individualised and sustainable products, which in turn creates corresponding requirements for the packages. PET is by its nature one of the ideal candidates. Its demand should go in pace with the growth and consumption ability of the economy, whose prospect is good and steady. On the contrary, sustainability of the material can be further improved by means of R&D of biobased raw materials, development of the collection and recycling industry, and product design, etc. Meanwhile, safety and performance of the package should not be compromised amid the post-pandemic era. These lead to opportunities and challenges to brand owners and suppliers in the industry. PETplanet: Do you observe any trends that are particularly in demand from customers in the PET bottle sector? GDXL: In response to the pandemic, customers have developed a consumption preference for choosing food and beverage products which are safe, healthy and credible, especially for essential commodities such as PET bottled water. Traditional renowned brands have intrinsic advantages in terms of consumer confidence. Meanwhile, compared with general consumers, younger generations tend to be more satisfied with creative, individualised and sustainable products which reflect their values. Adoption of sustainable materials, green and fashionable design, as well as cross-boundary elements into PET bottles may give some insights. PETplanet: Last year you announced turnover growth for the first pandemic year 2020, which was mainly due to growth in the domestic market. How have things progressed since then? Has the foreign business already recovered somewhat, and how did the 2021 financial year develop for GDXL? GDXL: In 2021, we achieved turnover growth year-on-year both in our domestic and overseas markets. The growth rate in overseas business is higher than that in our domestic market, with overseas turnover exceeding the pre-pandemic figure in 2019. It somehow reflects a sign that some of the foreign suppliers and converters are becoming more optimistic towards their local or regional beverage markets. PETplanet: In the last few years, you have focused on the multilayer coinjection area solutions strongly. Can you briefly explain the advantages and the applications for which the system is particularly suitable? GDXL: The main advantages of multilayer co-injection are the 144 cavities preform mould (photo: GDXL) by Gabriele Kosmehl
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