Flexible Packaging Leads the Way

For pouches, growth projections are more dramatic. Freedonia forecasts U.S. demand for pouches to increase 7 percent annually through 2008 to $5.2 billion. This growth is being fueled by such value-added features as resealability, pour spout availability, and retort and aseptic capabilities. In addition, pouch-processing improvements have resulted in faster line speeds and reduced costs, which have opened up additional opportunities for pouches as a packaging option.