PE Cling Film Market Trend: Sustainability and Clean Production 

International Plastics News for Asia | Chi-Chuan Cheng

The use of cling film has substantially expanded in recent years in response to the increased demand from global pharmaceutical and F&B industries. This is especially true considering that manufacturers have developed many special-purpose films to boost market appeal. North America currently dominates the cling film market; however, the market for cling film has become a hot spot for rapid growth due to the urbanization of developing regions in the Asia Pacific, including China, India and Southeast Asia.

The market value of the global cling film industry is expected to increase from US$1.2 billion to over US$1.9 billion in the next seven years, according to Data Bridge. The marketing experts also note that the worldwide market value of PE cling film will account for 32% of the whole market value in 2021 (US$374 million) and that it is anticipated to grow at a rate of 7.1% by 2029 (the overall average is 5.9%), increasing to 34% of the total market value and reaching US$648 million. Thus, there is no denying that the future of the PE film market looks bright.

While PVC film currently dominates the cling film industry, companies that can produce chlorine-free, non-toxic PE cling film are undoubtedly the future market leaders due to shifting consumer preferences and environmental trends.

Key words to satisfy customers: non-toxic, environmental protection, energy efficiency, and sustainable production

As a leading Asian producer of cling film manufacturing equipment, Chyi Yang has successfully mass-produced many pieces of machinery and assisted manufacturers in marketing their products in markets such as Japan and China, as well as in Europe, North America, and Africa. In the development of PE material cling film production lines, Chyi Yang is also one step ahead of the competition with its products and equipment that have received international acclaims for superior quality. Many top manufacturers in China, Indonesia, and Taiwan have selected Chyi Yang's PE cling film whole plant equipment due to its automated and effective manufacturing technology, which meets their requirements for non-toxic, eco-friendly, energy-saving, and sustainable quality.

Despite the rise in environmental awareness, many Southeast Asian manufacturers are still facing cost pressures during the transition period. How to balance sustainability and production cost control has become a hot topic in the industry. With nearly 60 years of research and development experience, Chyi Yang has successfully introduced adhesive syringes into production lines to replace the old process of adding adhesive particles, making it easier for manufacturers to control flow rates and significantly reduce costs, resulting in improvements in sustainability. In addition, the CEC has been able to reduce the amount of waste.

In terms of waste reduction, Chyi Yang has also successfully developed a "0-waste" technology that collects and adds film trimmings from production back to the manufacturing equipment, so that no waste is generated during the continuous production process and the labor requirements for collection, recycling, and waste cleaning are reduced. This special technology has been successfully adopted by the market and is widely used.

Become a "market maker": Now is the time to enter Southeast Asian cling film market

The cling film is able to protect products from pests, dust, and microorganisms, and manufacturers can enhance the physical properties of cling film with additives that block water and oxygen, minimizing the risk of spoilage and waste. Additionally, this kind of polymer film is also used in the packaging industry, and eventually this special-purpose wrapping film is expected to further enhance the growth of the film market as demand for logistics continues to be strong.

Also, the rising demand for medical products due to epidemic is seen as one factor since the impermeability of the film surface can also be used in pharmaceutical and healthcare applications as a first aid bandage to avoid any moisture penetration or infection. At the same time, biodegradable and compostable cling film materials continue to be developed, driven by the environmental trend. All these trends are expected to contribute to the cling film market increasing significantly its value over the next 10 years, hence it is now the perfect time to enter the market.