The metal packaging industry has entered a period of rapid development.
Release time:
Dec 18,2020
China’s metal packaging industry has now established a complete industrial system covering products such as coated steel, can manufacturing, lid production, and drum fabrication. With the continuous rise in consumers’ purchasing power and the evolution of consumption patterns, high-end beverage products—experiencing rapid growth—are increasingly using metal packaging. In recent years, China’s metal packaging industry has entered a period of rapid development. However, since the domestic market has yet to be effectively activated, and given that the safety and convenience of metal packaging still need improvement compared to glass bottle packaging, the market potential for metal packaging used in canned foods remains enormous, presenting strong growth momentum.
Driven by strong demand for two-piece cans in rural markets and the gradual improvement in metal packaging machinery, management practices, and production capacity scales, China’s metal packaging industry is poised for significant growth. According to market research findings, several large enterprise groups within the industry are emerging and adopting intensive production models. These larger enterprise groups are leveraging their advantages—such as capital, technology, brand recognition, and market visibility—to continue expanding and strengthening their positions through various means, including capital exports, low-cost expansion, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and leasing arrangements.
According to relevant data, in 2011, global packaging sales revenue reached 592.2 billion U.S. dollars. Among this total, metal packaging accounted for 102 billion U.S. dollars, representing 17% of the entire global packaging market, with per capita consumption at 13.6 U.S. dollars. During the same period, China's metal packaging sales revenue was 10.85 billion U.S. dollars, surpassing Japan's 7.4 billion U.S. dollars and ranking second only to the United States' 23.2 billion U.S. dollars, making China the world's second-largest metal packaging producer. Metal packaging still has tremendous room for growth within the broader packaging industry chain.
Aluminum two-piece cans are made from thin aluminum alloy sheets and undergo a thinning-and-drawing process during manufacturing, resulting in can walls that are significantly thinner than the can bottoms. When used for beer packaging, the strong internal pressure effectively compensates for the reduced rigidity of the thin can walls. Moreover, the metal can’s high gas-barrier properties, light-shielding capabilities, and excellent sealing performance help maintain the consistent quality of the beer stored inside. It is precisely these metallic characteristics that enable metal cans to be filled at high speeds—even when using the time-consuming isobaric filling method.
The rapid growth of the food and fast-moving consumer goods sectors is the primary driving force behind the swift development of this industry. Meanwhile, the trend toward upgrading packaging products is directly boosting the share of metal packaging within the broader packaging market. In the future, metal packaging will place even greater emphasis on ensuring food safety, reducing thickness and weight, and enhancing recyclability.