Proposals for preserving the plastics industry / Suggesting creation of large-scale national cluster / Fragmented industry should agglomerate / New study by European House – Ambrosetti

Flexible packaging accounted for 79% of LLDPE demand in 2013 / Maxiquim study

Latest BPF poll finds sector optimistic about 2014 / 73% of respondents expect UK sales levels to rise / Half anticipate increase in profitability / Energy supply and recruitment of skilled staff remain problematic

Plastics industry continues to see solid growth rates / Europe's second largest plastics processing country / More than 8m t of polymers converted in 2013 / Activities centre around Istanbul / Strongly dependent on feedstock imports

Engineering thermoplastics consumption recovers slightly in 2013 / Gains driven by ABS and PMMA / Import volumes of PC, PA and SAN down / Asian producers increasingly step into the fold / Low local capacity utilisation rates / Plastinfo report

Polymer capacity continues to rise / PE accounts for most regional output / Saudi Arabia is largest production base / Conversion sector focused on packaging and construction

Total polymer demand to reach 12.5m t in 2013 / Thermoplastics consumption growing 10% annually since 2007 / Fragmented plastics processing industry / AMI study

Optimism grows for year ahead as productivity improves / Gains in turnover and profitability expected / Reject euro replacing sterling / BPF survey

Diverts focus away from export to domestic markets / Shift in consumer behaviour boosts demand growth / Small companies to disappear / Industry consolidation gathers pace

Plastics industry likely to reach an all-time high in revenues by 2015 / Demand potential to double / Polymer demand reaching 40m t by 2021

Thermoplastics consumption takes a deep cut in 2012 / PVC hardest hit / E&E industry struggles to combat poor domestic demand / Plastics processing segment one of the few bright spots in the country's industrial sector

The Islamic Republic catching up as supplier of HDPE to Turkey and China / Global sanctions proving to have little impact

UK aims to double plastics recycling by 2017 / Impact only comes with more investment

Swiss plastics industry sees sales fall to CHF 15 bn last year / Pressure from euro crisis and strong Swiss franc / Processed volume amounts to 812,000 t / Productivity declines / Packaging industry also weak / Recovery expected during 2013

Growing number of international visitors and exhibitors in Guangzhou / Focus on sustainability and production efficiency