As the economic downturn deepens, packaging firms are feeling the pinch. But the picture at the moment reveals mixed fortunes. While some companies close down plants and shrink their workforce, others are reporting a high turnover. Last week, plastics group RPC, which has already announced the closure of three plants, saw its shares rise almost 30% from the previous week and an increase in turnover this quarter. Corrugated packaging company DS Smith also reported an increase in share price and higher sales volumes.

 

To understand the situation today and the outcome for tomorrow, it is important to look at investment across the industry prior to the economic crisis. In our spotlight feature, we chart the R&D and technical spend across the board to find out what the future holds for the industry.