Flexible packaging now has consumer conveniences, sustainability, reduced costs

By Tom Polischuk

In his annual meeting presentation, Jon Ewing, managing director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, compared flexible packaging to several of the more mature packaging formats. According to Ewing, the top three companies in the glass packaging segment account for 93 percent of market share; for food and beverage cans, that share number is about 85 percent; and for folding cartons, it’s 55 percent. Even with the industry consolidation reflected above, the top three companies in flexible packaging currently account for less than 40 percent.