Visit to EMBALLAGES 2006, Paris , November 20 to 24, 2006

Emballage 2006 was again a major international exhibition for Packaging machines, techniques and materials. With 2200 exhibiting companies and more than 100 000 visitors it is considered as the largest packaging show in 2006, worldwide. Visitors came from all industries and user markets, food industries being the largest sector with 30 % of visitors, but pharmaceuticals was also important (11 % ), cosmetics accounted for 10 %, and miscellaneous industries ( chemicals...) for 23 %. The world packaging industry totals a turnover of 485 billion USD in 2004, including 460 billions for packaging materials and 25 billions for packaging machines, and the worldwide demand still grows very rapidly: it should reach 570 billions USD in 2009. Adhesives are used everywhere in packaging, for labeling, wrapping, cases and cartons erecting and sealing, form fill and seal, laminating plastic films, heat sealing (for instance for pharmaceuticals ), and therefore I believe that Packaging is also the largest market for adhesives.