UK plastics industry seeks clarity over Brexit / Concerns surrounding free market access continue / Skills, supply chain and workforce issues unlikely to go away soon

Electronics to remain dominant consumer for thin and ultra-thin films / Miniaturisation and soaring spending boost demand / Asia will keep largest share of world market / TMR report

British Plastics Federation outlines priorities for Brexit talks / Single market access “crucial” / Converters depend on EU for polymer / Some 40% of plastics firms foreign-owned

Company investments drive growth / Plastics processing segment suffers from ageing technology / No access to key growth markets / Focus on new technologies and recycling

Global sales to grow by 4.1% per year to 2024 / Asia Pacific to overtake Europe as largest consumer / TM Research report

Plastics processing industry sales down 13.5% in H1 / Negative outlook for full-year revenue

Global market to expand by 5.8% per year to 2024 / Asia Pacific share forecast to grow to 63% / TM Research report

Global market expected to grow by around 5% annually to 2020 / Food packaging accounts for two thirds of use / Growth to be driven by BRICS countries / Technavio report

Average companies' budgets rise to over USD 6,000 in 2016 / Plastics represent 73% of all prints / Survey by 3D printing company Sculpteo

Global market to expand by 6% per year to 2021 / Limits by economic growth / Strongest growth in Asia Pacific / Smithers Pira report

Europur reports good performance last year / EU imports surge as exports fall / Study extended to include Russia and Turkey

Strong dynamic in the first third of 2016 / Riding on the coattails of the upswing from autumn and winter 2015 / 4% growth year-on-year / Construction business well above average / Semi-finished products a little more subdued

European converters remain a competitive force / Sector increasingly threatened by insecure raw material supply, high costs and foreign players / Innovation and client proximity strongpoints for continental companies / New study by EuPC and Wieselhuber

Investment focus shifts away from China / Capacity additions drive need to rationalise production / AMI report

Growth in Europe driven by restructuring and acquisitions / RKW is leading player / Supply and volatile price of raw materials as key challenges / AMI report