Energy and raw material prices were already on very high level but surged even further after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Those increases combined with availability issues have serious financial impacts on the flexible packaging supply chain. All main substrates used for flexible packaging such as plastics, paper and aluminium are concerned but also adhesives, lacquers and inks. The industry is confronted with the high energy prices in their direct operations manufacturing flexible packaging and logistics.
Even though the cost share for logistics is less than in other packaging sectors due to the low product to packaging ratio of flexible packaging and very efficient transportation (usually on reels) the absolute increase is very significant. Reports from forwarder associations even show the risk of reduction of available logistic capacities as companies will have to give up their operational business due to high diesel prices.
“The level of cost increases due this situation for manufacturers of the flexible packaging industry cannot yet be assessed completely but we are convinced that the peak is not reached yet,” commented Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director of Flexible Packaging Europe the situation.
“Main difficulties for our membership are the high uncertainty of serious pricing to their customers as many suppliers to the industry change their rates even after fixed delivery confirmation. Non-acceptance of such increases is often penalised by non-delivery or non-availability of the next order. Compared to the supplier and customer industry our sector is in a certain sandwich position. Furthermore, liquidity issues are of growing concern in particular for small- and medium-sized companies. That is combined with insufficient credit insurance lines due to high raw material prices.”
Almost half of the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) in Europe, excluding beverages, are packed with flexible packaging.
In times of instability, crisis and major global events, how do we make sense of trends which are likely to influence the beverage market?
While it is too early to predict the full impact of the conflict in Ukraine, when considering the trends within the beverage industry, it is important to take the macro drivers influencing the global economy into consideration.
Even before the latest current events, the global economy continues to be in a state of flux with recovery moving at varying speeds across regions and nations because of the pandemic.
In a report published in 2021, PwC reported that by the end of 2021, early 2022, they expect the global economy to revert to its pre-pandemic level of output. Noting however, that the recovery will be uneven across sectors, countries, and income levels.
As 2022 gets well underway, and the world pivots from pandemic to recovery, consumer behaviour and purchasing power remain highly dependent on economic realities, and perhaps now more than ever, understanding some of the key factors impacting the economic landscape is crucial for business strategy.
In its report „5 economic factors influencing the global beverage market“ Treatt takes a closer look at:
- Economic recovery post Covid-19
- Public debt levels
- Globalisation
- Higher value-add activities
- Generation Z
Please download the full report as pdf-file under: www.treatt.com
Provisional consolidated EBIT 2021|22 prior to war-related extraordinary items forecast to be around EUR 95.5 million
The AGRANA Group previously anticipated EBIT in the 2021/22 financial year (1 March 2021 to 28 February 2022) to amount to at least EUR 86.6 million (guidance: a significant increase of at least 10 % compared to the prior year). On the basis of provisional, unaudited figures, the Group would generate EBIT prior to extraordinary items associated with the Ukraine war of around EUR 95.5 million (EBIT 2020/21: EUR 78.7 million). Group revenue will amount to around EUR 2.9 billion (2020/21: EUR 2,547.0 million).
The outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022 represents a relevant event for AGRANA as at the balance sheet date of 28 February 2022. Based on the current status of internal impairment testing, Management currently anticipates a largely non-cash impact on EBIT related to asset and goodwill impairments in a range of EUR 65 million to EUR 85 million. The consolidated audit performed by the appointed auditors is presently ongoing at the level of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG. It is therefore not possible at this point in time to exactly define the actual scope of the impairments necessary.
The 2021/22 annual report will be published as planned on 13 May 2022.
