Tinplate needs promotion

Tinplate needs promotion

MIAMI, U.S. (Reuter): Asian tinplated steelmakers and tin producers should pool efforts to promote the steel beverage can in the face of rival plastic and aluminum's growing success in the region, a steel official said.

Sunartadirdja Sufirman, president of Latinusa, the tinplate division of Indonesia's Krakatau Steel Group, said South East Asia was behind Europe and other regions in promoting tinplated steel beverage cans.

"We must really promote the steel can, but we must do it together, and be supported by the government," Sufirman said.

In Europe, steel has 51 percent of the beverage can market compared to aluminum's 49 percent. In the U.S. the aluminum can has all the beverage can market, but steel is making a comeback bid, partly by learning lessons from Europe.

Sufirman was attending Metal Bulletin's International Tin Conference here.

South East Asia is a major producer of tin, Sufirman said, but tinplate production was below capacity.

Latinusa is investing US$70 million to double its tinplate production over the next two years to 300,000 tones a year. The company's production is consumed domestically to make food tins.

All beverage cans used in Indonesia are made from aluminum, Sufirman said.