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2. Plastic processing sector |
Introduction
Plastic processing in Serbia is a relatively young branch of
industry. It’s development began in the middle of the 1950s
and, its most intensive development occurred during the 1970s,
paralleling the development of the domestic polymer industry.
In the second half of the eighties essential investment activities
were decreased and increasing focus was put on the utilization
of domestic capacities. The disintegration of the unique Yugoslav
market hit the plastic processing industry especially hard because
of its special infrastructure attachment to almost all segments
of the domestic economy [industry, construction, agriculture,
and others]. The Yugoslav market was left partly, or totally,
without an entire series of products had been produced in it’s
former republics. The majority of those products were developed
in the first half of 1990s, either in public-owned or in new
private firms. This new development was supported by government
regulations and programs such as lower taxes.
Until 1992, production of semi-finished and finished products
was held almost exclusively within the state-owned companies.
Private processors, as small workshops, have existed more than
20 years, however their output is a very small percentage of
total plastic production in the country.
Since 1994 the private sector has experienced real expansion,
noting more and more participation in total production of plastic
products. Many workshops grew into real industrial producers.
Intensive investment activity on the part of private processors
mainly resulted in doubling the capacities of existing state-owned
companies. However, many other new products were developed.
New plants with the most contemporary equipment were erected
to increase the production levels of these new products: PVC
doors and windows, PET pre-forms, PP pipes for home water and
heating installations, polyamide pipes for pneumatics and hydraulics,
profiles for further mechanical treatment, etc.)
|
Companies/ producers |
num. of companies |
num. of employees |
pariticip. in tot. production(%) |
|
public-owned |
70 |
6.500 |
40 |
|
important private |
150 |
3.500 |
50 |
|
other private producers |
500 |
1.500 |
10 |
|
total: |
720 |
11.500 |
100 |
Table 1 – Structure of plastic producers and their participation
in total production
Currently almost all state-owned companies, [basic production
and processing facilities], are in some stage of ownership transformation,
mainly into joint stock companies. Some of them have completed
this process.
Both state and private ownership of the processing sector produce
enough semi-finished and finished products for the country's
necessities, with important free capacities for export.
Semi-finished products
The main producers of polyethylene tubular film are also some
of the main manufacturers of agricultural foil, construction
industry foils, thermo-shrinkable foil, stretch film, laminating
film, as well as labeling based on PE foil.
For packaging and other applications bi-oriented PP and PET
film, cast PP film, co-extruded PE/PA film, extruded and co-extruded
blown films such as wrappers for sausage products, based on
polyamide and polyethylene, as well as PVC film and extruded
foil by and tubular extrusions are now being produced by the
plastics industry of Serbia.
Poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) sheets, utilizing the block
polymerization technique, light artificial leather based on
PVC and cellulose polymers, as well as boards for further mechanical
treatment, made of PE, PP, PA and PVC are some of the other
finished and semi-finished products being produced in Serbia.
Construction industry products
Construction industry products present a very important field,
composing more than 40% of total plastics production in Serbia.
PE, PVC and PP pipes for drinking water and sewage, drainage,
watering, gas and fluids transport are in production, as well
as: spiral PE and PP pipes, diameters up to 3,000 mm, manufactured
using the Bauku procedure, as well as reinforced polyester pipes,
manufactured with the Veroc procedure. Production of PVC, PP
electro-insulation pipes, PP-3 pipes for home water and thermal
installations are also available from local producers and, PA
and PP pipes for hydraulics and pneumatics supplement this wide
assortment of plastic pipes. Serbian manufacturing levels are
more than ample for domestic needs, so that Serbia is a large
exporter of plastic pipes of all types, in this region.
PVC floor coverings and foamed insulation materials of polyurethane
and polystyrol, satisfy domestic market needs. More than half
of locally manufactured floor coverings are exported. PVC profiles
for the construction industry have been produced for more than
25 years. However, many new production facilities for PVC profiles
and finished door and windows have been introduced and this
has, resulted in a sudden increase in domestic production capacities
which still haven’t exhausted all market possibilities, which
promises further growth.
Packaging production
Packaging is second in volume in the field of plastics processing,
composing approximately 30-35% of the total production of plastic
products in Serbia. In regards to the number of companies producing,
and the number of employees working in this field, there is
no doubt that it is one of the most important. In addition to
packaging produced by injection molding, blow molding, thermoforming
and bag-making, there are knitted and woven sacks, rotary molded,
expanded polystyrene containers, containers and cisterns of
reinforced polyester, etc.
The biggest expansion in this field was made in the production
of PET pre-forms and bottles for carbonated and noncarbonated
drinks, edible oil and other beverages. During several years
production levels of 17,000 t were achieved. Recent investments
(1999) in new equipment for PET pre-forms have satisfied domestic
market demand.
Technical components
Technical components for electrics-electronics, automotive,
mechanical industry and appliances are mainly produced by use
of all engineering polymers and all standard technical procedures.
After the lifting of sanctions against Yugoslavia, producers
of these products could expect better days.
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