US demand for flexible bulk packaging will grow 3.4 percent annually through 2011. Film wrap, plastic strapping and plastic shipping sacks will lead gains. Plastic such as polyethylene will remain the dominant material, with the limiting effect of downgauging softened by new applications and further inroads on paper sacks.

This study analyzes the $6.1 billion US flexible bulk packaging industry. It presents historical demand data for the years 1996, 2001 and 2006 and forecasts for 2011 and 2016 by material (plastic, paper, steel, textiles); product (e.g., shipping sacks, film wrap, strapping, liners, flexible intermediate bulk containers); and market (e.g., nondurable goods, durable goods).

The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 40 major players including Illinois Tool Works, Exopack, Altivity Packaging, Berry Plastics, Sigma Plastics, Bemis, and AEP Industries.

                         TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                    
  
  SECTION                                                          PAGE
  
         INTRODUCTION                                                xi
     
   I.    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                            1
         
  II.    MARKET ENVIRONMENT                                           4
         General                                                      4
         Macroeconomic Outlook                                        5
         Demographic Trends                                           9
         Manufacturing Outlook                                       12
         Retail Sales Trends                                         15
         Competitive Bulk Packaging                                  18
         Historical Market Trends                                    21
         Pricing Trends                                              24
         Environmental Issues                                        26
         Regulatory Issues                                           29
         Foreign Trade                                               33
         
 III.    MATERIALS                                                   37
         General                                                     37
         Plastic                                                     40
           Polyethylene                                              41
           Polypropylene                                             45
           Other Resins                                              47
         Paper                                                       49
         Steel                                                       52
         Textiles                                                    54
         
  IV.    PRODUCTS                                                    56
         General                                                     56
         Shipping Sacks                                              59
           Plastic Shipping Sacks                                    61
              Material Use & Product Types                           64
              Markets                                                66
              Producers                                              70
           Paper Shipping Sacks                                      71
              Material Use & Constructions                           74
              Markets                                                77
              Producers                                              80
           Textile Shipping Sacks                                    82
              Material Use                                           83
              Markets                                                85
              Producers                                              86
         Film Wrap                                                   87
           Pallet Wrap                                               88
              Markets                                                93
              Producers                                              96
           Other Bulk Bundling & Overwrap Film                       99
              Markets                                               101
              Producers                                             103
         Strapping                                                  104
           Steel Strapping                                          107
              Markets                                               109
              Producers                                             111
           Plastic Strapping                                        112
              Markets                                               116
              Producers                                             118
         Drum, Bin & Box Liners                                     120
           Markets                                                  123
           Producers                                                124
         Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers                      125
           Product Types & Constructions                            129
           Markets                                                  132
           Producers                                                134
         Other Flexible Bulk Packaging                              136
         
   V.    MARKETS                                                    138
         General                                                    138
         Nondurable Goods                                           141
           Food & Beverages                                         142
              Food & Beverage Industry Outlook                      143
              Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                        146
                Film Wrap                                           147
                Shipping Sacks                                      148
                Other                                               150
           Chemical Products                                        151
              Chemical Products Outlook                             152
              Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                        155
                Shipping Sacks                                      157
                Drum, Box & Bin Liners                              157
                Film Wrap                                           158
                Other                                               158
           Agricultural & Horticultural Products                    159
              Agricultural & Horticultural Industry Outlook         159
              Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                        162
                Shipping Sacks                                      164
                Other                                               166
           Other Nondurable Goods                                   167
              Paper Products                                        168
                Paper Products Outlook                              169
                Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                      171
              Textile Products                                      173
                Textile Products Outlook                            173
                Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                      175
              All Other Nondurable Goods                            177
         Durable Goods                                              180
           Building Materials                                       181
              Construction Outlook                                  182
              Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                        185
                Shipping Sacks                                      187
                Strapping                                           188
                Film & FIBCs                                        188
           Metal Products                                           189
              Metal Products Outlook                                190
              Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                        191
           Other Durable Goods                                      193
         Other Markets                                              196
         
  VI.    INDUSTRY STRUCTURE                                         199
         General                                                    199
         Industry Composition                                       200
         Market Share                                               204
           Illinois Tool Works                                      205
           Exopack                                                  206
           Altivity Packaging                                       207
           Berry Plastics                                           207
           Sigma Plastics                                           208
           Bemis                                                    209
           AEP Industries                                           210
         Acquisitions & Divestitures                                210
         Competitive Strategies                                     214
         Manufacturing & Development                                216
         Horizontal & Vertical Integration                          218
         Marketing & Distribution                                   221
         Cooperative Agreements                                     224
         Company Profiles                                           227
           Aargus Industries, see Sigma Plastics Group                 
           Acme Packaging, see Illinois Tool Works                     
           AEP Industries Incorporated                              228
           Alcoa Incorporated                                       230
           Alpha Industries, see Sigma Plastics Group                  
           Altivity Packaging LLC                                   231
           AmTopp, see Formosa Plastics Group                          
           Anglo American plc                                       233
           Atlantis Plastics Incorporated                           234
           B.A.G. Corporation                                       235
           Bancroft Bag Incorporated                                237
           Bemis Company Incorporated                               238
           Berry Plastics Group Incorporated                        241
           Bulk Lift International Incorporated                     243
           Bulk-Pack, see Bancroft Bag                                 
           Cadillac Products Incorporated                           244
           CDF Corporation                                          245
           Cello-Foil Holding, see Exopack Holding                     
           Coastal Films of Florida, see Sigma Plastics Group          
           Covalence Specialty Materials Holding, see Berry Plastics   
           Cryovac, see Sealed Air                                     
           Curwood, see Bemis Company                                  
           Dacro BV, see Illinois Tool Works                           
           DuPont (EI) de Nemours                                   247
           Exopack Holding Corporation                              249
           Exxon Mobil Corporation                                  251
           Firstline, see Fortifiber                                   
           Flexia Corporation, see Intertape Polymer Group             
           FlexSol Packaging, see Sigma Plastics Group                 
           Formosa Plastics Group                                   253
           Fortifiber Corporation                                   255
           Gerrard-Ovalstrapping, see Samuel Manu-Tech                 
           Gibraltar Industries Incorporated                        256
           Greif Incorporated                                       257
           Hedwin Corporation                                       258
           Hood Companies                                           259
           Illinois Tool Works Incorporated                         260
           Inteplast Group Limited, see Formosa Plastics Group         
           Intertape Polymer Group Incorporated                     264
           Jumbo Bag Corporation                                    266
           Langston Companies Incorporated                          267
           Liqui-Box, see DuPont (EI) de Nemours                       
           Mondi Group                                              268
           New Mercury Plastics, see Sigma Plastics Group              
           Omega Plastics, see Sigma Plastics Group                    
           Performance Plastics, see Sigma Plastics Group              
           Pinnacle Films Incorporated                              270
           Pliant Corporation                                       271
           Poly-America LP                                          272
           Poly Plastic Products, see Sigma Plastics Group             
           Poly Plastic Products of North Carolina, see Sigma 
              Plastics Group                                                  
           Polychem Corporation                                     273
           Polytex Fibers Corporation                               274
           Presto Products, see Alcoa                                  
           Republic Bag, see Sigma Plastics Group                      
           Samuel Manu-Tech Incorporated                            276
           Scholle Corporation                                      278
           Sealed Air Corporation                                   279
           Sekisui Jushi Corporation                                280
           Sigma Plastics Group                                     281
           Signode Packaging Systems, see Illinois Tool Works          
           Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation                      284
           Storsack Holding GmbH                                    285
           Strapex, see Illinois Tool Works                            
           Tyco International Limited                               286
           Up North Plastics, see Poly-America                         
           UPM-Kymmene Corporation                                  287
           Valeron Strength Films, see Illinois Tool Works             
           VS Plastics, see Sigma Plastics Group                       
           Winzen Film and Fiber, see B.A.G.                           
         Other Companies Mentioned in Study                         289
         
         
  
                               LIST OF TABLES
                                   
    TABLE NUMBER                                                   PAGE
  
         SECTION I -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
         Summary Table                                                3
  
         SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
    1    Macroeconomic Indicators                                     8
    2    Population & Households                                     12
    3    Manufacturers  Shipments                                    15
    4    Retail Sales                                                18
    5    Flexible Bulk Packaging Market, 1996-2006                   23
    6    Flexible Bulk Packaging Pricing Trends                      26
    7    Foreign Trade in Flexible Bulk Packaging                    36
  
         SECTION III -- MATERIALS
    1    Raw Material Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                 39
    2    Plastic Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                      41
    3    Polyethylene Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                 44
    4    Polypropylene Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                47
    5    Other Plastic Resin Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging          49
    6    Paper Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                        51
    7    Steel Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                        53
    8    Textile Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging                      55
  
         SECTION IV -- PRODUCTS
    1    Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand by Type                      58
    2    Shipping Sack Demand by Type                                60
    3    Plastic Shipping Sack Supply & Demand                       64
    4    Material Use in Plastic Shipping Sacks                      66
    5    Plastic Shipping Sack Markets                               70
    6    Paper Shipping Sack Supply & Demand                         73
    7    Material Use in Paper Shipping Sacks                        77
    8    Paper Shipping Sack Markets                                 80
    9    Textile Shipping Sack Supply & Demand                       83
   10    Material Use in Textile Shipping Sacks                      85
   11    Textile Shipping Sack Markets                               86
   12    Film Wrap Demand by Type                                    88
   13    Pallet Wrap Demand                                          92
   14    Pallet Wrap Markets                                         96
   15    Other Bulk Bundling & Overwrap Film Demand                 101
   16    Other Bulk Bundling & Overwrap Film Markets                103
   17    Strapping Demand by Type                                   106
   18    Steel Strapping Demand                                     109
   19    Steel Strapping Markets                                    111
   20    Plastic Strapping Demand                                   115
   21    Plastic Strapping Markets                                  118
   22    Drum, Bin & Liner Demand                                   122
   23    Drum, Bin & Box Liner Markets                              124
   24    Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container Supply & Demand       129
   25    Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container Markets               134
   26    Other Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand                       137
  
         SECTION V -- MARKETS
    1    Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand by Market                   140
    2    Nondurable Goods Flexible Bulk Packaging Markets           142
    3    Food & Beverage Shipments                                  146
    4    Food & Beverage Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging         147
    5    Chemical Product Shipments                                 155
    6    Chemical Product Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging        156
    7    Agricultural & Horticultural Indicators                    162
    8    Agricultural & Horticultural Market for Flexible 
           Bulk Packaging                                           164
    9    Other Nondurable Goods Markets for Flexible Bulk 
           Packaging                                                168
   10    Paper Product Shipments                                    170
   11    Paper Product Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging           173
   12    Textile Mill Product Shipments                             175
   13    Textile Product Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging         177
   14    All Other Nondurable Goods Markets for Flexible 
           Bulk Packaging                                           180
   15    Durable Goods Markets for Flexible Bulk Packaging          181
   16    Construction Expenditures                                  185
   17    Building Material Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging       186
   18    Metal Product Shipments                                    191
   19    Metal Product Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging           193
   20    Other Durable Goods Market for Flexible Bulk Packaging     196
   21    Other Flexible Bulk Packaging Markets                      198
  
         SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
    1    US Flexible Bulk Packaging Sales by Company, 2006          202
    2    Selected Acquisitions & Divestitures                       212
    3    Selected Cooperative Agreements                            226
  
    

                           LIST OF CHARTS
                                   
    CHART NUMBER                                                   PAGE
  
         SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
    1    Flexible Bulk Packaging Market, 1996-2006                   23
  
         SECTION III -- MATERIALS
    1    Raw Material Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging, 1996-2016      39
    2    Polyethylene Use in Flexible Bulk Packaging, 2006           45
  
         SECTION IV -- PRODUCTS
    1    Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand by Type, 2006                58
    2    Shipping Sack Demand by Type, 2006                          61
  
         SECTION V -- MARKETS
    1    Flexible Bulk Packaging Demand by Market, 2006             140
  
         SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
    1    US Flexible Bulk Packaging Market Share, 2006              205