COVID-19 Impact on Protective Films Market in Chemical and Materials Industry

INTRODUCTION
The global COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the dynamic interdependencies within the global sector that exist. The pandemic epidemic has shaped and altered every industry’s entire dynamics. The effectiveness and strength of containment efforts to the degree of supply disruptions, shifts in investment patterns, changes in behavior (such as avoiding the purchase of costly products), the impact of drastic tightening in global market conditions, trust impacts, volatile commodity prices, and growing debt burdens.
Protective film is a material that protects surfaces that are susceptible to damage. Such as in the place of example of a motor car, protective film is like a helping hand and protects the motor car from daily wear and tear that comes with regular usage and other more uncommon damage. It has modified in many applications and they normally vary according to thickness material, and adhesive strength.
The most common type of plastic which is used in protective films is LDPE (low density polyethylene), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), and Co-Ex (co-extruded low density polyethylene).
• Low-density polythene films have enhanced elasticity and flexibility, and are generally low in weight
• Polyvinyl chloride is sleek with relatively higher levels of elasticity, making it an ideal option for metal surface protection
• Polyolefin works exceptionally well with glass or painted metal, and certain variants are used for packaging
• Co-extruded, low-density polythene provides a higher level of protection by using layering techniques
Film thickness is usually described as the combined thickness of the plastic and that of the adhesive. In the USA, film is measured in thousands of an inch, or mils. (This is not the same as millimeters.) Typical film thicknesses range from 1 mil to 6 mil, occasionally higher. The thicker the film, the more protection it offers against abrasions, scratching among others. Thicker films tend to be more rigid and can be more challenging to apply to contoured surfaces.
Adhesive type is also an important consideration. Textured surfaces usually require thicker and softer adhesives. If the bond is just contacting the “peaks” of the surface, it may be touching less than 5% of the total surface area and be prone to falling off the surface. Adhesives for textured surfaces also tend to be higher in tack value.
Tack, or adhesive stickiness, is measured in ounces per inch. For best performance, it is desirable to use the lowest tack value that adheres sufficiently well enough to keep the film on the surface during its life cycle. Using a higher tack level than is necessary can increase the risk of the film being difficult to remove or leave adhesive residue behind.
For example, protective films that are used to protect the LCD screens on cell phones have a tack of about one ounce/inch. Films that are used to protect carpeting have a tack of 25 ounces/inch or higher. Using carpet film on an LCD display would probably pull the display apart when the film was removed.
Due to the spread of coronavirus affected and disruption in protective films market related supply chains have resulted in a sharp decline in exports and imports throughout the world.

UPCOMING FUTURE OF PROTECTIVE FILMS MARKET
After the Covid-19, consumer lifestyles and the consequent demand for convenience products, together with the popularity of microwave cooking. High-barrier flexible packaging products, such as retort pouches, are challenging rigid pack formats, such as metal tins and glass jars, for a wide range of food products.
Increasing the government initiatives and regulations because of mutation of the virus, the use of protective films market will anticipated to increase in pharmaceutical industries such as use of automotive, medicine, and PPE equipment.

PRICE ON PRICE
Due to outbreak of coronavirus government has imposed the lockdown across the world, due to which less workface imposed faced by the manufacture units. The market conditions revealed that the businesses had been severely affected due to the pandemic-related challenges and continue to face various chaos despite recent government measures. Even though companies operate in different industries and businesses, certain issues remain common across the sectors.

IMPACT ON DEMAND
Protective films market interconnected with much industry and during pandemic almost every industries affect and that are facing the maximum brunt of the present crisis. The closing of factories to manufacture of PVC and LDPE related material has affected the small business by impacting consumption of both essential and discretionary items. Consumption is also getting impacted due to job losses and decline in income levels of people particularly the daily wage earners, due to slowing activity in several sectors including retail, construction etc.
With widespread fear and panic now increasing among people, overall confidence level of consumers has dropped significantly, leading to postponement of their purchasing decisions. Border restrictions have severely impacted the transport sector.

IMPACT ON SUPPLY CHAIN
Global chain has been one of the most vital parts of the trading process. The Covid-19 seriously hit the supply chain to many nations in PVC and LDPE related and many other industries sharp declined in export and import throughout the world.
On the supply side, shutdown of factories and the resulting delay in supply of PVC and LDPE related goods from other countries has affected many global manufacturing sectors which source their intermediate and final product requirements from China. Many sectors such as like chemical industries, pharmaceuticals, electronics, etc. are facing an imminent raw material and component shortage. This is hampering business sentiment and affecting investment and production schedules of companies. Besides having a negative impact on imports of important raw materials, the slowdown in manufacturing activity in China and other markets of Asia, Europe, and the US is impacting India’s exports to these countries as well.

CONCLUSION
The coronavirus was global health threat with direct impact in supply chain and demand due to this market faced chaos. The government of every country had to take tough decisions to slow down the spread of coronavirus. This cession of production will have the main impact on the country’s GDP because protective films are interconnected with almost every industry. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of having diverse supply sources within the country and across the globe.
Therefore, important to take such measures decision that will economically improve public admiration, and create favorable conditions for the activities of business entities in the chemical industries and at the same time increase the level of preparedness for crisis situation in the future because the world has witnessed a phenomenal fall in economy. However, a global pandemic that is claiming millions of lives and bringing economic activities to a standstill should clearly not be a way of bringing about favorable climatic change.