European Plastics Industry industrial revolution – and the German government’s plan to make sure German industry is at its forefront. Proponents of Industry 4.0 say it represents a paradigm shift from centralised to decentralised production. For plastics processors, too, the digitisation of the industry and new digital technologies offer new perspectives and advantages. UK’s plastics sector The UK accounted for 7.7% of Europe’s overall plastics demand of 47.8 tonnes in 2014, based on trade association PlasticsEurope’s data. The UK uses over 5 million tonnes/year of plastics in the packaging, construction and automotive markets. As one of Europe’s top plastics processors, UK is estimated to produce approximately 2.5 million tonnes/ year of plastics raw materials. The UK plastics sector, which Circular Economy aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility comprises 3,000 primary and value at all times, says Ellen MacArthur Foundation processors, contributes £17.5 The Commission has proposed revisions to legislation billion/year of sales value and provides employment to on waste. Key elements include a common EU target for 180,000 workers or 7% of UK’s manufacturing workforce, recycling 75% of packaging waste by 2030 and a ban on according to the British Plastics Federation (BPF) study “UK landfilling of separately collected waste. Plastics Industry: A Strategic Manufacturing Sector”. “Less than 25% of plastic waste collected is recycled, Yet, as the industry grows, the skills gap is widening. and about 50% goes to landfill,” says the Commission. A general lack of training and apprenticeships, emergence PlasticsEurope has expressed concerns: "The of technologies and the appropriate skills needed are European plastics industry has been calling for a legally looming in the plastics manufacturing sector. The binding landfill restriction on all recyclable as well widening gap could become harder to fill now with the as other recoverable post-consumer waste by 2025. UK exiting from the European Union (EU) via the “Leave”/ Although a 10% target constitutes a step in the right Brexit vote in the recently concluded referendum. direction, it remains a timid attempt to put an end to the Central to the Brexit issue has been the flow of landfilling of all waste which can be used a resource.” migrants into the country. Even with foreign workers European Bioplastics (EUBP), the trade association comprising part of its manufacturing workforce, the skills for suppliers of biobased plastics, was more enthusiastic gap has been a dilemma for UK’s sector. In 2014, Britain's about the report. It says that “forward looking sectors with strong environmental credentials and growth potential, such as bioplastics, need to be promoted.” It predicts that by 2025 production capacities of bioplastics within the EU will have grown twentyfold to 5.7 million tonnes. Not just a buzzword Despite all these concerns, the European plastics industry has its eyes firmly fixed on the future. Many European machinery companies are likely to have the number 4.0 highly visible on their stands at K2016 exhibition in Germany, to be held from 19-26 October, as they push their solutions for “smart” factories that operate within the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The 4.0 refers to Industry 4.0, a term invented in Germany in reference to what is perceived as the fourth
Machine makers like Engel will present Industry 4.0 at K2016 in October later this year
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