Tetra Pak Hungaria, the Hungarian subsidiary of the Swedish packaging producer, will turn out 1.55 billion containers this year, up from 1.40 billion last year, CEO Thomas Kormendi said in a report from Hungarian publication MTI Econews.
Tetra Pak Hungaria expects sales revenue to rise 10 per cent to HF33.4 billion (€137.5m) this year, Kormendi said. Exports, which make up about two-thirds of output, are the firm's engine for growth, he added.
Tetra Pak's aseptic containers are used in Hungary to package milk and fruit drinks. Tetra Pak currently has more than 25 per cent of the UHT-milk packaging market there, and 21 per cent of the fresh milk carton packaging market, which are the second and third most popular types of milk packaging after plastic bags, with 47 per cent of the market, Kormendi claimed.
Carton boxes are the most widespread form of fruit drink packaging, and Tetra Pak has a 70 per cent market share in Hungary. The second and third most common fruit drink packaging are aseptic PET bottles and glass bottles.
Tetra Pak is also eyeing the wine market and plans packaging for table wine by the end of the year.
Out-of-home food consumption - an indicator for packaging industry growth - is 35 per cent in Europe and is expected to converge with the United States' 49 per cent figure in the coming years, Kormendi said.
Tetra Pak is celebrating its 50th year in business this year. Now the biggest liquid carton packager in the world, the company has grown into a global packaging provider, currently supplying the complete spectrum of food and beverage packaging and equipment the world over.