Interview with Emmanuel Perret (AEROBAL President) and Gregor

AEROBAL
International Organisation
of Aluminium Aerosol
Container Manufacturers
Secretariat:
Am Bonneshof 5
40474 Düsseldorf
Germany
� +49 211 4796-144
Fax +49 211 4796-25141
e-mail: aerobal@aluinfo.de
website : http://www.aerobal.org
Aerosol Europe
interview with Emmanuel Perret (AEROBAL President)
and Gregor Spengler (AEROBAL Secretary General)
Mr. Perret, how would you describe the current situation on the world aluminium
aerosol can market?
Already in 2006 worldwide production of aluminium aerosol cans reached an unprecedented
level of 4.8 billion cans. In 2007 the industry is even expecting a production volume of about
5.2 billion cans. We are rather confident to reach this aim because in the first half of 2007
AEROBAL members increased their production by about 10 percent, and demand in the
second half of 2007 has also been very promising up to now. Due to the lively demand for
aluminium aerosol cans and other impact extruded products such as aluminium tubes and
beverage bottles, there is a bottleneck in the supply of slugs. If demand in all these
packaging sectors keeps on growing, the availability of slugs will be one of the big challenges
for aluminium aerosol can producers in 2008. In addition the high cost of raw materials,
energy and transport put a certain pressure on profit margins. If investments of aluminium
aerosol can producers in the modernisation of their machinery and the innovative drive of the
industry shall be maintained in the future, a sustainable improvement of margins is needed.
Mr. Perret, why have aluminium aerosol cans gained market share in Europe in the
last few years?
Many customers are increasingly asking for shaped cans which allow them to further
differentiate their brands. Thanks to the extremely flexible production technology of impact
extrusion, aluminium aerosol can manufacturers are in a position to offer almost full body
shaping of the container. Especially in the extremely demanding cosmetics industry
customers are asking for monobloc containers with eye-catching shapes in order to reach
utmost shelf impact and lasting brand loyalty. On top of that embossing and debossing of
aluminium cans as well as innovative printing techniques give the container an attractive
design with almost photo-realistic images. Since the cosmetics market still is a growing
market, especially in Eastern European countries but also in Asia and South America,
prospects are quite good for the aluminium can to further increase its market share in global
aerosol can production. Currently aluminium aerosol cans hold a market share of about 43
percent in Europe and of roughly 40 percent worldwide.
Mr. Perret, could you give us some examples for recent innovations in the aluminium
aerosol can industry?
In the last two years the main innovation has clearly been the massive introduction of shaped
cans on the market with more and more radical shapes. This has been possible thanks to a
significant evolution on each single component of the process, from the production
equipment to the packaging system, including new tools and improved raw materials to meet
the shaping challenge.
Over the past months the industry significantly reinforced its commitment to develop a
sustainable business, especially focussing on reducing the impact of our industry on the
environment.

Although the industry is working at reducing this impact since many years with major actions
such as implementing solvent-free product cleaning processes or continous downgauging of
the cans, we are now moving further with the implementation of coatings using far less
solvents. Examples are high solid content or water-based coatings and even solvent-free
systems like powder coatings which have been recently introduced on the market for some
specialties. These are very promising technologies that will allow the industry to produce
cans with almost no VOC emissions throughout the process. Moreover, these implemented
technologies will also allow significant energy savings and thus a reduction of CO2
emissions.
Significant developments are also being made in the printing technology to come closer and
closer to photographic printing quality allowing to reinforce our customers’ brand image. The
laser engraved plates technology introduced recently on the market is opening new
possibilities for artwork designers to get an even more attractive product.
Mr. Spengler, what is the aluminium aerosol can industry doing to prepare for the
discussions with customers about the sustainability of the aluminium aerosol can
industry?
European governments, retailers and big customers of aluminium aerosol can producers are
increasingly discussing ecotaxes on packaging, carbon footprint labelling and life cycle
analyses of products. Aluminium aerosol can producers are currently preparing for these
discussions with hard facts. For this purpose AEROBAL has chosen the “cradle-to-grave” life
cycle analysis approach. This approach is trying to determine the entire impact of the product
on the environment, whereas mono-causal approaches such as CO2 footprint are only
considering part of the impact and may completely mislead the industry.
AEROBAL developed a life cycle analysis questionnaire for aluminium aerosol cans which
reflects the complete production process. Together with a similar questionnaire for the slug
production and existing tools for primary aluminium production, casting and recycling,
AEROBAL will be in a position to mirror the whole life cycle of aluminium aerosol cans from
primary aluminium production up to recycling.
Mr. Spengler, how are AEROBAL members tackling the challenges arising from the
coming REACH Regulation?
The new REACH Regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of
Chemicals) will have far-reaching consequences for many suppliers to the aluminium aerosol
can industry and for the can manufacturers themselves. In this framework aluminium aerosol
can producers act as downstream users. A key step for downstream users to comply with
REACH is to have a full overview of what substances or preparations the company uses or
imports, including substances in articles that the company uses or imports. Such a substance
inventory will
- support companies in fulfilling their downstream user obligations
- help them to get an overview of the potential implications of REACH
- secure the necessary future supply of substances/preparations
Also for AEROBAL members it is essential to work on such an inventory list. Coatings were
identified by AEROBAL members to probably be the most crucial/critical part of this inventory
list because deselection of substances in this area might be a threat to the aluminium aerosol
can industry. It was decided to launch a joint AEROBAL activity in this field. In order to work
on an AEROBAL inventory list on external and internal coatings all AEROBAL members who
produce aerosol cans in Europe or export aerosol cans to Europe will name their coatings
(internal lacquers, base coatings, printing inks, overvarnishes) including the suppliers of
these coatings to the AEROBAL Secretariat. The AEROBAL Secretariat will collect all the
information and produce one consolidated inventory list of all coatings used by the industry.
Afterwards the coating suppliers will be contacted on the basis of the consolidated inventory

list to make sure that all relevant information on the coatings used is collected and to check
whether there is any risk of deselection.
Mr. Perret, what is AEROBAL's position on the alternative to the water bath test?
It is part of AEROBAL’s mission to support the development of the industry towards safer
and more efficient processes.
Still, AEROBAL always made clear that the cold alternative test method which is currently
laid down in the UN Model Regilations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods cannot be
applied to aluminium cans. The current provisions under chapter 6.2.4.2.2.2 of the Model
Regulations that the test pressure shall be at least two-thirds of the design pressure of the
aerosol dispenser cannot be matched by aluminium aerosol can producers. With relatively
high test pressures of up to 18 bar and with shaped cans, available test devices have a
detrimental effect on the can. Resulting deformations of aluminium cans – due to material
properties – would lead to risks in the supply chain. This is not acceptable for aluminium
aerosol can producers for product and consumer safety reasons.
Nevertheless, AEROBAL is making constructive approaches challenging the industry to
move towards better performances in all areas. Indeed, AEROBAL very much appreciates
that meanwhile an agreement was found with FEA to install a working group under the FEA
umbrella to work on the following subjects
- Production of a FEA guideline on the interpretation of the current provisions for “cold”
alternative test methods in the UN Model Regulations for a proper implementation by
national competent authorities
- Development of a “cold” alternative test method suitable for aluminium aerosol cans
- Investigations to define „hot“ alternatives
A first meeting of the task force is planned before the end of this year. AEROBAL members
will actively contribute to this work.
Mr. Spengler, how do you see the future of aluminium aerosol cans?
The future of aluminium aerosol cans will definitely be bright.
Currently demand in Europe, North America and parts of South America (for example
Argentina) is very strong. And there are no signals on the horizon that this situation is going
to change in the near future. On top of that rapidly growing markets such as Russia, Asia and
some other South American countries are going to catch up. Today their per capita
consumption of aerosols is in some cases far below one can per person per year, whereas
per capita consumption in Europe and the US amounts to about 10 cans per person per
year. With rising per capita income and a subsequently increasing relevance of the
cosmetics market in these growing economic areas also demand for aluminium aerosol cans
is going to rise. In this context please bear in mind that about 80 percent of aluminium
aerosols are sold to the cosmetics market. So there is a huge growth potential in these
markets.
I am convinced that aluminium aerosols will globally become a packaging of choice in the
cosmetics industry because they are attractive, unbreakable, light, easy to use, recyclable
and allow a hygienic and well-dosed application of the product. Thus they offer convincing
advantages for brand owners and consumers alike. These convincing characteristics will
pave the way for a promising future of the aluminium aerosol can industry.