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Aluminium Tube celebrates centenary
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
Exactly one hundred years ago in 1913 a new technical development made the industrial scale production of aluminium tubes feasible, and marked the start of a unique success story.
The First World War then put a temporary stop to any further development of the aluminium tube. But a promising start had been made and the foundation stone for the modern tube industry had been laid.
Development of the large-scale production of the aluminium tube took place in Germany after the First World War, in the twenties and particularly in the thirties. Metal tubes had previously only been made from tin, lead or tin-plated lead. But tin was very expensive, and it required foreign currency; and just like lead, it was subject to controls for a time. Furthermore, food legislation limited the use of lead for tubes. By 1939, more tubes were produced from aluminium than from the soft metal. The triumphant advance of the aluminium tube had begun, and it continued unabated after the Second World War.
Production figures for the aluminium tube still top the list of tubes produced even today. The member companies of etma, the European tube manufacturers association that represents over 80% of all tube production in Europe, reported a record result in 2012, with over 10 billion tubes produced. Of these, slightly more than 40 % were aluminium tubes, with plastic and laminate tubes accounting for the remaining production, each with a share of roughly 30 % of total volume.
As it celebrates its centenary, the aluminium tube has clearly lost none of its attractiveness. On the contrary: rapid developments in printing and conversion technology have made it visually more interesting and versatile today than it has ever been. On top of this there are the well-known benefits like light weight, easy handling, its excellent standards of hygiene, outstanding barrier properties and optimal product protection, just to mention a few of the most important features. Aluminium tubes are now used primarily in the food and pharmaceutical sectors and in the cosmetics industry. And particularly in today’s world, where resource efficiency and sustainability are right at the top of the agenda, the aluminium tube’s excellent recyclability means it is still a highly modern form of packaging that is very much in keeping with the times.
The First World War then put a temporary stop to any further development of the aluminium tube. But a promising start had been made and the foundation stone for the modern tube industry had been laid.
Development of the large-scale production of the aluminium tube took place in Germany after the First World War, in the twenties and particularly in the thirties. Metal tubes had previously only been made from tin, lead or tin-plated lead. But tin was very expensive, and it required foreign currency; and just like lead, it was subject to controls for a time. Furthermore, food legislation limited the use of lead for tubes. By 1939, more tubes were produced from aluminium than from the soft metal. The triumphant advance of the aluminium tube had begun, and it continued unabated after the Second World War.
Production figures for the aluminium tube still top the list of tubes produced even today. The member companies of etma, the European tube manufacturers association that represents over 80% of all tube production in Europe, reported a record result in 2012, with over 10 billion tubes produced. Of these, slightly more than 40 % were aluminium tubes, with plastic and laminate tubes accounting for the remaining production, each with a share of roughly 30 % of total volume.
As it celebrates its centenary, the aluminium tube has clearly lost none of its attractiveness. On the contrary: rapid developments in printing and conversion technology have made it visually more interesting and versatile today than it has ever been. On top of this there are the well-known benefits like light weight, easy handling, its excellent standards of hygiene, outstanding barrier properties and optimal product protection, just to mention a few of the most important features. Aluminium tubes are now used primarily in the food and pharmaceutical sectors and in the cosmetics industry. And particularly in today’s world, where resource efficiency and sustainability are right at the top of the agenda, the aluminium tube’s excellent recyclability means it is still a highly modern form of packaging that is very much in keeping with the times.
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