{"id":95094,"date":"2024-09-04T10:55:23","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T08:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/?p=95094"},"modified":"2024-09-04T10:55:23","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T08:55:23","slug":"ipv-complains-about-competitive-disadvantage-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/en\/ipv-beklagt-wettbewerbsnachteil-in-europa\/","title":{"rendered":"IPV deplores major competitive disadvantage in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year's industry survey of IPV member companies presented a sobering picture. Around 67 per cent of companies complained of a noticeable decline in turnover. IPV Board Spokesman Jens Vonderheid and Managing Director Karsten Hunger provide an insight into the current economic situation in the packaging industry and highlight the difficult competitive conditions in Germany.<\/strong><\/p>\n

IPV Board Spokesman Jens Vonderheid looks at current developments with concern: \u201eThe year 2024 is unfortunately a little too relaxed, significantly fewer enquiries and correspondingly fewer orders<\/strong>. And I hear that from many industries in our region.\u201c Together with IPV Managing Director Karsten Hunger, he analyses the current economic situation in his industry. Karsten Hunger is hopeful: \u201eThe economic downturn continues to be reflected in a general reluctance to buy. But at least the bottom seems to have been reached for some time now, Demand is stabilising<\/strong>.\u201c However, both agree that even a slight deterioration in the framework conditions can immediately jeopardise this trend. The German economy is generally struggling with more difficult competitive conditions. The packaging industry is particularly affected by this.<\/p>\n

\u201eOne in - one out\u201c rule is disregarded<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The \u201eone in - one out\u201c rule introduced in 2015, which is intended to curb the escalating bureaucracy of the authorities, <\/strong>is consistently disregarded. For several years now, no effort has been made by politicians to pursue this principle. Politicians briefly showed that things can be done differently during the coronavirus pandemic. Processes were accelerated and liberalised in order to maintain supply chains. Almost all of this has now been reversed and new overregulation has been introduced. With serious consequences for the German economy<\/strong>, Jens Vonderheid, Managing Director of Hera Papierverarbeitung, states from the perspective of an entrepreneur.<\/p>

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\u201eI no longer see us in the situation where we have to be the pioneers in everything. As many countries are not yet following suit with these regulations, we are at a huge competitive disadvantage. The same must apply in Europe: If something is decided, then it really must be decided for all EU countries, at the same time and to the same extent. The number of \u201eindustrial flight companies\u201c to more favourable European countries is already increasing rapidly. And the trend will continue to increase.\u201c<\/p>\n

Jens Vonderheid<\/strong>, IPV Board Spokesman and Managing Director of Hera Papierverarbeitung<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From the perspective of the IPV a number of sectors are being sacrificed to the forced decarbonisation in Germany<\/strong>. Many regulatory measures give the impression that they were knitted with a hot needle in order to achieve political results as quickly as possible. \u201eIn our industry in particular, there are more and more conflicts of objectives in the justifications for legislation, which suggest that long-term overarching planning is no longer taking place,\u201c says Karsten Hunger.<\/p>\n

Energy policy is also location policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

According to the IPV, energy policy also looks particularly difficult. Electricity and gas costs have risen significantly for most manufacturers. Above all Electricity became around 30 per cent more expensive on average<\/strong>, For a few companies, electricity prices have even risen by triple digits. A good portion of the additional costs are still being passed on, but this is a massive hurdle in competition: \u201eWe are phasing out nuclear power and others are building new power plants. At the same time, we are importing nuclear power from abroad. Unfortunately, that doesn't fit. We have to pull in the same direction<\/strong>\u201c, says Jens Vonderheid.<\/p>