
Bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) is polypropylene based film or sheet stretched across two axes in a sequential manner. BOPP films are manufactured using tubular film and stenter processes. Commercially, stenter process is preferred to the tubular process considering the inherent advantages such as mass production and extensive thin films. Presently, BOPP films are available in various product forms, such as plain BOPP films, matte BOPP films, heat sealable BOPP films, and anti-fog BOPP films, wherein each of these films offers varied properties that makes it suitable for usage in wide range of applications. BOPP films are primarily employed in the food industry for packaging of frozen food, meat & cheese, pet food, bakery products and confectionaries, and fresh produce. Rising demand for these applications in various regions is likely to propel demand for BOPP films in the near future. BOPP is also used in tapes, tobacco packaging, gift packaging, cosmetics packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, lamination, and other applications. Flexible packaging is used in majority of these applications. Considering the extensive growth of the global flexible packaging market, demand for BOPP is projected to increase significantly in the next few years. Asia Pacific dominates the BOPP market in terms of production and demand. Countries such as China, India, Thailand, and South Korea are expected to be the key producers and consumers of BOPP. Growth of the market is likely to be restrained due to fluctuation in raw material prices, as these are dependent on crude oil prices and supply of BOPP in the market. These factors are projected to hamper market growth during the forecast period. Rising demand for specialty films in the packaging industry is expected to act as a major opportunity in the BOPP market in the next few years.