Packaging industry not spared by tough economy

• Plastics Technology Magazine says that although output of injection-molded packaging decreased by 6 percent in 2008, and the decline accelerated as the year ended, it predicts that the market demand will stabilize in the first half of 2009 followed by a moderate increase in the second half. Overall production of molded packaging will rebound 3 percent in 2009, according to the magazine. (As reported in a Jan. 24 Pack Expo newsletter.) pP