Development in pharmaceutical packaging industry in developing economies, the improved shelf life of packaged food products using barrier resins, growing urbanization and changing lifestyles are all resulting in the growing demand for barrier resins. The food & beverages industry is one of the key applications areas of barrier resins, where the resin is mainly used in the packaging of foodstuffs such as canned milk, fish, meat, wine, beer, canned fruits and vegetables and carbonated soft drinks. Use of barrier resins offer long lasting flavor, extended shelf life and maintains the quality of food by preventing odor and oxygen from penetrating the package and protects sensitive vitamin content. In the packaging of meat, barrier resins work as a protection against the permeation of moisture, oxygen and UV rays. It also protects the aroma and flavor in the product. Another key reason for the growth of barrier resins market is the growing awareness of people towards flexible packaging due to the lower cost, ease of handling and the pictorial appeal.

 

Ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) is anticipated to be the fastest-growing type in the market of barrier resins. EVOH is a flexible thermoplastic barrier resin and has major applications in pharmaceutical and food & beverage packaging. It is transparent, moldable, recyclable and oil & solvent resistant. Under humid conditions, the EVOH barrier resin has greater barrier properties in comparison to other high barrier resources. The EVOH barrier resin offers flavor preservation in coffee, oxygen barrier in medical packaging and barrier to solvents and fragrance in cosmetics packaging.

 

Development in the pharmaceutical packaging industry in developing economies, improved shelf life of packaged food products using barrier resins, growing urbanization and changing lifestyles are increasing the demand for food packaging, which in turn, is driving the market for barrier resins. The barrier resins market in Asia-Pacific is observing a phase of fast transformation and growth, mostly driven by infrastructural development and stable economic growth. The Asia-Pacific region is a global sourcing center for the key companies due to the rapidly growing demand for barrier resins. Changing consumer preferences, healthy economic growth, increased spending on infrastructure and improvement in the standard of living are anticipated to drive the market of barrier resins in Asia-Pacific. Increasing demand from end-use industries in the emerging and developed countries is driving the development of global barrier resins market.

 

The key players in the barrier resins market are E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Asahi Kasei Corporation, INVISTA, Chang Chun Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Kuraray Co., Ltd., Solvay S. A., The Nippon Synthetic Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Teijin Limited, Kureha Corporation, The Dow Chemical Company, Honeywell International, Inc., Zhejiang Juhua Co., Ltd., and Ineos Group Limited among others.