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UNION [ on cover ]
From the growth of engineering applications to international competition. In a rapidly evolving industrial landscape, Union is focusing on technological innovation, global reach and the development of high-performance systems, alongside new investments in its blown film division, Tecom.
PET foil extrusion line
HIGHLY SPECIALISED EXTRUSION
Italian technology plast / June-July 2026
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The plastics extrusion technology market is going through a complex phase, characterised by changing consumption patterns, an evolving regulatory landscape and growing international competition. In this setting, European companies are called upon to strengthen their capacity for innovation and consolidate their global market coverage. We discussed all this with Ferdinando Passoni, CEO of Italian company Union, specialists in the design and manufacture of high-performance extrusion lines for sheets, film and engineering applications.
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES Union‘ s operations are expanding globally, with a consolidated presence in Europe and a growing focus on Asian and American markets. The company strategy is aimed at strengthening local sales and technical support teams in order to serve customers with greater continuity and reactivity. According to Passoni, the international scenario is characterised by a high degree of uncertainty, which in some cases forces companies to postpone investments in new production facilities. Despite this, the sector as a whole continues to offer significant opportunities, especially in the field of engineering applications and high-performance materials. In particular, the demand for foam production lines is growing in various industrial segments, including thermal insulation, technical profiles, and decorative applications.
EVOLUTION OF MATERIALS AND SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability and recycling are among the hottest topics in the plastics industry. Passoni underscores that the economic effectiveness of recycling processes depends heavily on the structure of the supply chain and the number of processing steps required. Indeed, when the production chain is excessively long, the energy and logistics costs can significantly impact the final price of recycled materials compared to virgin raw materials. For this reason, the industry is working on the development of increasingly efficient and technologically advanced recycling models. At the same time, the packaging market is evolving steadily, with growing competition between different materials and increasing focus on weight reduction.
PACKAGING: THE GROWING ROLE OF FLEXIBLE PACKAGING Among the main applications, the share of flexible packaging is growing steadily, gradually replacing rigid solutions in many applications thanks to greater efficiency in the use of materials. The reduction of packaging weight is a primary objective of sustainability strategies, with a direct impact on the decisions of plastics processors about the technology to adopt. This phenomenon is also reflected in the demand for production plants and lines, with flexible packaging enjoying a more dynamic trend compared to traditional rigid packaging. www. plastmagazine. it