By Anthony Clark, Plastics and Rubber Weekly
Berlin -- Green investments are the best way to beat the financial crisis, according to a summary of the findings of a poll conducted by the European Bioplastics Association (EBA) of its members. The bulk of companies questioned reported healthy growth figures for 2009, in some cases considerably more than 5 percent up on the previous year.
In May, 38 companies, among them many world leaders in polymer manufacture, revealed how they had fared in 2009 and voiced their expectations for the current year and 2011.
Forty seven percent of companies recorded growth in turnover, while another 32 percent managed to at least draw level; only 10 percent of companies posted losses.
Respondents reported a positive overall trend for both this year and the year to come, said Berlin-based EPA. In all, 80 percent of those polled were optimistic, with 20 percent anticipating satisfactory results, 40 percent good results and 20 percent excellent results. Based on these healthy expectations, two thirds of the companies will be increasing their investment in the sector this year.
"This is a clear indication of the strength of green innovation and the companies driving it forward," said Andy Sweetman, chairman of the European Bioplastics board.
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