Analysis of Eastern Europe & Russian Markets and ITM Application

Source from:  TobaccoChina Online-06/26/00 06/26/2000

On the second day of the EuroTab 2000, participants discussed the development of tobacco trade and tobacco science in east Europe and world tobacco retails.  Michael Pietz, a manager on East European Affairs of Reemtsma International Company, briefly introduced the growth of tobacco industry in east Europe and former Soviet Union. East Europe will continue to be an active tobacco market in future. But the competition in the region will become more fiercer, he said.  Wolfgang Stalitzer, a manager of international affairs sector of Austrian Tobacco Company, outlined tobacco monopoly in Austria. He said that Austrian tobacco industry had undergone a series of reforms with the emphasis on privatization, which brought about a bigger market and higher profits to Austrian tobacco trade. According to a decision of Austrian government, tobacco industry in Austria will be privatized in the next three years.  Patrick Webber, a market and sales manager of the Trespaphan Company, introduced the development trend of tobacco overwrap films. He said BOPP would be replaced by a new generation of overwrap film. Printing on overwrap film will be the latest form of tobacco advertisement. In a report entitled “Prospects of Russian Tobacco Industry, Vassily Terevsov, chairman of the Russian Tobacco Traders’ Association, said, tobacco industry is a trade to keep Russian economy growing. The annual Russian cigarette output totaled 136 billion in 1994. The figure rose to 270 billion in 1999. Russian tobacco industry is working towards the goal of producing more cigarettes with plug, low tar and low nicotine. Firdaufia Chehab, a representative of the International Tobacco Machinery Co., gave an account of weight and inspection of Libra system. Microwave induction is the key of the Libra system. It defines relevant norms of tested objects with resonance frequency. Compared with traditional method, it is more stable and easy to operate. At a seminar on tobacco retails and re-distribution, representatives from the Italian Tobacco Association, Habanos Company of Spain, European Tobacco wholesale Association and Altadis Company delivered speeches on sales at chain stores, crack-down on black market sales and fake cigarette production and the developing trend of tobacco shops in the new century. Enditem