The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has numerous partnerships that help advance the interests of its members, one of which includes a partnership with Euromonitor International, a leading independent provider of strategic market research. FPA and Euromonitor developed the Flexible Packaging Market Tracker that features 20 key flexible packaging country markets and highlights market dynamics, trends, and opportunities to expand business internationally.
The Market Tracker pulls insights directly from Euromonitor’s proprietary data system, known as “Passport,” that provides data on industries, economies, and consumers worldwide, helping to analyze market context and identify future trends. FPA uses Passport for strategic planning, target-setting, market-entry, annual reviews, and packaging category management.
The tracker is a customized research tool available only to FPA members to enhance the FPA website. It tracks and compares flexible packaging markets around the globe to help members better understand, prioritize, build business cases, and capture global market opportunities for flexible packaging. It enables members to access market information from around the globe, not only on flexible packaging materials and markets but on rigid packaging products for those markets, as well. It also helps FPA members understand the global packaging landscape, identify prospects for new technical packaging development, and pinpoint where growth opportunities lie.
In FPA’s quest to be the go-to resource for the flexible packaging industry, the association expands its research and data offerings in a robust and effective fashion using the Market Tracker, which is updated annually. The tracker also illustrates FPA’s commitment to enhance services that can drive both domestic and international growth for members.
FPA recently updated the Market Tracker with the most recent market data available. The update includes information on COVID-19 impacts on the industry. In the COVID-19 section, members can view an overview of COVID-19 conditions; the impact of COVID-19 on the gross domestic product (GDP); the impact on sector growth; and the impact on the flexible packaging market. Since times are still uncertain in the wake of the pandemic and the economic landscape is changing rapidly, the COVID-19 section will be updated quarterly.
The Market Tracker is not the only COVID-19 resource that FPA has available to members. FPA was instrumental in having the flexible packaging industry deemed as essential manufacturing and the association created a special COVID-19 section on its website, flexpack.org, to help members and their families stay healthy and safe during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 resources page contains information from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The section also lists federal resources such as the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Guidance on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce; and the Department of Labor’s Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions and Answers, and the Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019.
Some of the state resources available in the COVID-19 dedicated section include the National Association of Manufacturers’ listing of state and local Executive Orders and information on the CARES Act that offers support for manufacturers affected by COVID-19; the National Governor’s Association’s comprehensive list of resources including maps and state-by-state resource pages; and Serlin Haley’s (FPA’s state lobbyist) interactive map of state legislatures and shelter-in-place orders.
While some countries haven’t recognized the packaging industry as essential for the food and pharmaceutical chains, many countries on both sides of the Atlantic have. FPA includes some international resources, with examples from our associates and partner associations that support any discussions with international authorities in declaring packaging an essential industry.
In the European Union, FoodDrinkEurope facilitates the development of an environment in which all European food and drink companies can meet the needs of consumers and society while competing effectively for sustainable growth. It issued a statement urging the European Commission, in close coordination with the EU Member States, to take urgent action to support the food sector workforce; recognize the entire food supply chain as “essential” (specifically mentioning packaging as part of it); unblock transport bottlenecks; support struggling businesses; and facilitate global trade.
The FPA COVID-19 resources page also includes all of FPA’s communication in support of the industry being declared an essential industry. These include the Realizing the Economic Opportunities and Value of Expanding Recycling Act’s Coalition Letter to the House; the White House Letter on Critical Infrastructure; the multi-industry letter supporting the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Critical Infrastructure; FPA Addresses Essential Manufacturing in Light of COVID-19 Crisis; and the FPA Letters to the White House, Capitol Hill, and the National Governors Association on Essential Manufacturing in Light of COVID-19 Crisis.
FPA also partnered with Industry Intelligence Inc. to distribute the special “IMPACT Road Ahead” report to the FPA leadership. The report tracks government actions, health and safety breakthroughs, market impacts, shifts in the supply chain, and manufacturing tactics, and is a convenient tool to track new developments of the pandemic. It covers topics such as consumer trends, economic indicators, updates from the medical front, transformation trends, and regional coverage.
With the continued challenges across our industry, economy, and society, FPA is committed to keeping correct and pertinent information in front of industry leaders to provide timely and concise information during this unprecedented time. FPA will continue to keep members updated on pandemic developments. At FPA, our number one priority is ensuring the health and safety of our staff and their families, as well as our members, their employees, and their families.
Dani Diehlmann is communications director at FPA.