Demand for pouches in the US will climb 6.1 percent per year to $7.9 billion in 2012. Stand-up pouches will exhibit robust growth, while flat pouches will post healthy gains in a number of markets. The largest market, food and beverages, will continue to experience healthy growth.

This study analyzes the US market for pouches, with forecasts for 2012 and 2017 by product type (stand-up, flat), product feature (resealable, aseptic, vacuum, retort, shaped, stick, spouted), market (form/fill/seal, preformed), and end use (food and beverage, nonfood packaging).

The study also reviews market environment factors, assesses the industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 37 industry players, including Alcan, Amcor, Bemis and Printpack.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


SECTION                                                                        PAGE

                INTRODUCTION                                                     ix

          I.    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                                 1

         II.    MARKET ENVIRONMENT                                                4
                General                                                           4
                Macroeconomic Outlook                                             5
                Demographic Trends                                                9
                Consumer Income & Spending Trends                                12
                Retail Sales Outlook                                             14
                Manufacturing Outlook                                            17
                Food & Beverage Industry Overview                                20
                Packaging Industry Outlook                                       22
                Pricing Trends                                                   25
                Machinery Trends                                                 28
                Raw Material & Component Trends                                  30
                    Plastic Film, Paper & Foil                                   31
                    Adhesives, Inks & Coatings                                   35
                    Closures & Other Components                                  38
                Environmental & Regulatory Considerations                        42
                International Outlook & Foreign Trade                            44

        III.    PRODUCT & MARKET OVERVIEW                                        48
                Pouch Definition                                                 48
                Product Types                                                    49
                    Flat Pouches                                                 51
                      Pillow (Back Seal)                                         54
                         Markets                                                 56
                         Product Characteristics                                 59
                      Four-Side-Seal                                             60
                         Markets                                                 61
                         Product Characteristics                                 64
                      Three-Side-Seal                                            65
                         Markets                                                 66
                         Product Characteristics                                 67
                    Stand-Up Pouches                                             68
                      Markets                                                    70
                      Product Characteristics                                    74
                Product Features                                                 76
                    Resealable Pouches                                           77
                    Aseptic Pouches                                              80
                    Vacuum Pouches                                               84
                    Retort Pouches                                               86
                    Shaped Pouches                                               90
                    Stick Pouches                                                92
                    Spouted Pouches                                              96
                Markets                                                          98
                    Form/Fill/Seal                                              101
                    Preformed                                                   102

         IV.    FOOD & BEVERAGE PACKAGING                                       104
                General                                                         104
                Candy & Snack Foods                                             108
                    Candy & Snack Food Industry Outlook                         109
                    Pouch Demand                                                111
                      Savory Snacks                                             114
                      Candy & Confections                                       116
                      Bakery Snacks                                             118
                      Nuts & Dried Fruit                                        120
                      Other                                                     122
                Processed Foods                                                 123
                    Processed Foods Industry Outlook                            124
                    Pouch Demand                                                127
                      Dry Foods                                                 130
                      Processed Meat, Poultry & Seafood                         134
                      Frozen Foods                                              137
                      Sauces & Condiments                                       140
                      Other Processed Foods                                     142
                Beverages                                                       144
                    Beverage Industry Outlook                                   145
                    Pouch Demand                                                147
                      Juices & Fruit Drinks                                     149
                      Other Beverages                                           151
                Fresh Produce                                                   154
                    Fresh Produce Outlook                                       155
                    Pouch Demand                                                156
                Pet Food                                                        158
                    Pet Food Industry Outlook                                   159
                    Pouch Demand                                                160
                Cheese                                                          163
                    Cheese Industry Outlook                                     164
                    Pouch Demand                                                165
                Other                                                           167

          V.    NONFOOD PACKAGING                                               172
                General                                                         172
                Medical & Pharmaceutical                                        174
                    Medical & Pharmaceutical Products Outlook                   175
                    Pouch Demand                                                177
                      Pharmaceuticals                                           179
                      Medical Supplies & Instruments                            182
                Consumer Products                                               184
                Industrial & Other Products                                     188

         VI.    INDUSTRY STRUCTURE                                              191
                General                                                         191
                Merchant vs. Captive                                            196
                Market Share                                                    198
                    Bemis                                                       200
                    Printpack                                                   201
                    Alcan Packaging                                             202
                    Amcor                                                       203
                    Exopack                                                     203
                    Sonoco                                                      204
                Acquisitions & Divestitures                                     204
                Competitive Strategies                                          208
                Manufacturing                                                   210
                Marketing & Distribution                                        212
                Cooperative Agreements                                          214
                Company Profiles                                                217
                    Alcan Incorporated, see Rio Tinto Group                        
                    Alcoa Incorporated                                          218
                    Altivity Packaging LLC, see Graphic Packaging                  
                    Amcor Limited                                               219
                    American Packaging Corporation                              221
                    American Plastics Company Incorporated, see Appleton
                      Papers Incorporated                                          
                    Ampac Packaging LLC                                         222
                    Appleton Papers Incorporated                                226
                    Bemis Company Incorporated                                  227
                    Bosch (Robert) GmbH                                         229
                    Bossar SA                                                   232
                    C&H Packaging Company Incorporated, see Appleton
                      Papers Incorporated                                          
                    Cardinal Health Incorporated                                233
                    Catalent Pharma Solutions Incorporated                      234
                    Coesia SpA                                                  235
                    Constantia Packaging AG                                     237
                    Curwood Incorporated, see Bemis Company Incorporated           
                    DuPont (EI) de Nemours                                      239
                    Exopack Holding Corporation                                 241
                    Floeter Flexible Packaging Group, see Ampac Packaging          
                    Graphic Packaging Holding Corporation                       245
                    Hudson-Sharp Machine Company                                247
                    Illinois Tool Works Incorporated                            248
                    KHS USA Incorporated, see Kloeckner-Werke AG                   
                    Kloeckner-Werke AG                                          250
                    Liqui-Box Corporation, see DuPont (EI) de Nemours              
                    LPS Industries Incorporated                                 251
                    Milprint Incorporated, see Bemis Company Incorporated          
                    Mohawk Northern Plastics Incorporated, see Ampac
                      Packaging LLC                                                
                    Multifilm Packaging Corporation, see Constantia
                      Packaging AG                                                 
                    Nordenia International AG                                   253
                    North State Flexibles                                       254
                    Oracle Packaging Incorporated                               255
                    Pactiv Corporation                                          258
                    Perfecseal, see Bemis Company Incorporated                     
                    Pliant Corporation                                          259
                    PouchTec Industries LLC                                     260
                    Presto Products Company, see Rank Group Limited                
                    Printpack Incorporated                                      261
                    Pyramid Global Packaging Solutions Incorporated             262
                    Rank Group Limited                                          264
                    Rio Tinto Group                                             266
                    Rollprint Packaging Products Incorporated                   269
                    SaddleSprings Beverage Company Incorporated                 270
                    Sealed Air Corporation                                      271
                    Sharp Corporation, see Superior Group Incorporated             
                    Sonoco Products Company                                     274
                    Superior Group Incorporated                                 275
                    TOLAS Healthcare Packaging, see Oracle Packaging
                    Totani Corporation                                          277
                    Valeron Strength Films, see Illinois Tool Works                
                    Valley Packaging Supply Company                             278
                    Volpak USA, see Coesia SpA                                     
                    Wihuri Oy                                                   279
                    Winpak Limited, see Wihuri Oy
                    Zip-Pak, see Illinois Tool Works Incorporated                  
                Other Companies in the Pouch Industry                           281

                                 LIST OF TABLES
                                        
TABLE NUMBER                                                                   PAGE

                SECTION I -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
                Summary Table                                                     3

                SECTION II -- MARKET ENVIRONMENT
           1    Macroeconomic Indicators                                          9
           2    Population & Households                                          12
           3    Personal Consumption Expenditures                                14
           4    Retail Sales                                                     16
           5    Manufacturers' Shipments                                         19
           6    Food & Beverage Shipments                                        21
           7    Packaging Supply & Demand                                        25
           8    Pouch Prices                                                     27

                SECTION III -- PRODUCT & MARKET OVERVIEW
           1    Pouch Demand by Type                                             50
           2    Flat Pouch Demand                                                53
           3    Pillow Pouch Demand                                              56
           4    Four-Side-Seal Flat Pouch Demand                                 61
           5    Three-Side-Seal Flat Pouch Demand                                66
           6    Stand-Up Pouch Demand                                            70
           7    Resealable Pouch Demand                                          80
           8    Aseptic Pouch Demand                                             83
           9    Vacuum Pouch Demand                                              86
          10    Retort Pouch Demand                                              90
          11    Shaped Pouch Demand                                              92
          12    Stick Pouch Demand                                               95
          13    Spouted Pouch Demand                                             98
          14    Pouch Demand by Market, Appearance & Producer                   101

                SECTION IV -- FOOD & BEVERAGE PACKAGING
           1    Food Packaging Pouch Demand by Application & Type               107
           2    Candy & Snack Shipments                                         111
           3    Candy & Snack Market for Pouches                                114
           4    Savory Snack Market for Pouches                                 116
           5    Candy & Confection Market for Pouches                           118
           6    Bakery Snack Market for Pouches                                 120
           7    Nut & Dried Fruit Market for Pouches                            122
           8    Other Snack Food Market for Pouches                             123
           9    Processed Foods Shipments                                       127
          10    Processed Foods Market for Pouches                              130
          11    Dry Foods Market for Pouches                                    133
          12    Processed Meat, Poultry & Seafood Market for Pouches            137
          13    Frozen Foods Market for Pouches                                 140
          14    Sauces & Condiments Market for Pouches                          142
          15    Other Processed Foods Market for Pouches                        144
          16    Beverage Shipments                                              147
          17    Beverage Market for Pouches                                     149
          18    Juice & Fruit Drink Market for Pouches                          151
          19    Other Beverage Markets for Pouches                              154
          20    Fresh Produce Shipments                                         156
          21    Fresh Produce Market for Pouches                                158
          22    Pet Food Shipments                                              160
          23    Pet Food Market for Pouches                                     163
          24    Cheese Shipments                                                165
          25    Cheese Market for Pouches                                       167
          26    Other Foods Market for Pouches                                  171

                SECTION V -- NONFOOD PACKAGING
           1    Nonfood Packaging Pouch Demand by Application & Type            173
           2    Medical & Pharmaceutical Product Shipments                      177
           3    Medical & Pharmaceutical Market for Pouches                     179
           4    Pharmaceutical Market for Pouches                               182
           5    Medical Supply & Instrument Market for Pouches                  184
           6    Consumer Products Market for Pouches                            188
           7    Industrial & Other Markets for Pouches                          190

                SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
           1    US Merchant Pouch Sales by Company, 2007                        194
           2    Captive & Merchant Pouch Markets                                198
           3    Selected Acquisitions & Divestitures                            207
           4    Selected Cooperative Agreements                                 216

                                LIST OF CHARTS
                                        
CHART NUMBER                                                                   PAGE

                CHART III -- PRODUCT & MARKET OVERVIEW
           1    Flat Pouch Demand by Type, 2007                                  54
           2    Pillow Pouch Demand by Market, 2007                              59
           3    Four-Side-Seal Flat Pouch Demand by Market, 2007                 64
           4    Three-Side-Seal Pouch Demand by Market, 2007                     67
           5    Stand-Up Pouch Demand by Market, 2007                            74
           6    Pouch Features Comparison, 2002-2017                             77

                SECTION IV -- FOOD & BEVERAGE PACKAGING
           1    Food Packaging Pouch Demand by Application, 2007                108

                SECTION V -- NONFOOD PACKAGING
           1    Nonfood Packaging Pouch Demand by Application, 2007             174

                SECTION VI -- INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
           1    US Merchant Pouch Market Share, 2007                            200