World Steel Drum Packaging Industry Development Report Big Spoiler VIII

8) Others

During the meeting, Mr Sheth highlighted the difficulties faced by his association in obtaining steel drum production statistics. It is worth noting that in Thailand, there are only two major companies engaged in this industry. In Japan, all steel drum manufacturers that are members of JSDA are required to report production data monthly in a standardized format. In South Korea, by contrast, the lack of associations has forced manufacturers to rely on assumptions derived from steel shipment records and market insights gleaned from key customers. In China, the data collection process is different, providing two distinct pathways. One method is to obtain reports from government agencies, while the other is to obtain information directly from businesses.
Mr Sheth suggested putting medium-sized businesses and the threat of plastic buckets at the forefront. He suggested paying attention to statistics and information from each country to assess the future of steel drums. In this regard, Mr. Fujii pointed out that there are no statistics on IBC and plastic barrels, emphasizing that their scale in Japan is relatively small. In China, these industries are emerging and there is no relevant data yet. Similarly, in India, there are currently no statistics, but Mr. Sheth expects to have information at an upcoming meeting. He assumes that ISDI/SEFA develops strategies to maintain or expand the steel drum industry with the future in mind. It is also recommended that AOSD jointly establish a standard format that encourages governments to support the steel drum industry by emphasizing sustainability and recycling.