Increasing demand for fresh and quality packaged food, consumer convenience and manufacturers concern for longer shelf life of the food products is driving the market for Global active and smart packaging technology for food and beverages. Demands on package performance continue to increase as a result of market and social changes. Active packaging reduces the need for additional preservatives in perishable food stuffs. Thus shelf-life is extended and food stuffs maintain freshness longer. Research work in this area brings out newer methods and technologies for improving the active packaging. Read about some of the new developments in Active packaging technologies for fruits and vegetables important to prevent wastage

Natural composite material combines the properties of several materials to offer performances which are not found in only one and the same material like lightness, stress rigidity, etc. Currently the natural fiber composite market has a very small market share of the plastic composite market- their application is limited to production of less than 1 mln tons of reinforced plastic. However, there is a renewed interest in natural fibers on account of ecological trends. Read more in Is natural fiber growing to snatch away business from fiberglass in the next decade?

The world faces a challenge to increase the intensity of agricultural activity while keeping the products affordable. Greenhouses that can be erected very inexpensively through the use of plastic film are one possible solution. With the aid of such greenhouses, the output per hectare can be increased considerably. New developments can help improve these greenhouses and make them even more effective. Read more in New developments in additives increase light stabilization of PE agriculture film

Polymer industry in Europe faced challenging times in 2008 and 2009, when all polymer markets had negative growth. There was one exception - Wood plastic composite (WPC) which showed a modest growth in 2009 with demand pegged at about 100,000 tons. Read more in Wood plastic composites march toward 15% pa growth in Europe