LLC "LeanGroup" presented a new direction — its own production of aluminum tubes — at the Rosupak 2025 exhibition. As a result, the company has become the largest manufacturer of all three main formats of tube packaging: laminate, extrusion, and aluminum. In addition, the company is entering the pharmaceutical market in Russia, where the demand for aluminum tubes grows annually.
At present, LeanGroup holds a significant share of the plastic tube market in the CIS. This packaging is primarily used by manufacturers of cosmetic products and toothpaste. Launching its own modern production of aluminum tubes continues the company’s development strategy, which is based on introducing new technologies and entering new markets. This type of packaging is indispensable for aggressive or sensitive formulations due to its absolute tightness, enhanced barrier properties (protection against light, oxygen, and moisture), and chemical inertness. For this reason, a much wider range of products, including those with complex and active formulas, can be packaged in aluminum tubes — a feature especially relevant for the pharmaceutical industry.
Despite frequent predictions about a shift from aluminum to laminate tubes, recent years have seen the opposite trend — growing demand for aluminum tubes across many countries, including the CIS region. One of the key reasons is that aluminum is considered the most commonly recycled material that does not lose its properties during recycling. Moreover, modern technologies in aluminum tube manufacturing allow for higher-quality printing and decoration, meeting the high standards of consumer companies.
The main consumers are:
- Cosmetic industry (40–50% of tubes): hair dyes and other cosmetics containing active ingredients. Aluminum ensures the preservation of active components and gives the packaging a premium look.
- Pharmaceuticals (30–35% of tubes): medicinal ointments, gels, and creams with high concentrations of active substances that require guaranteed packaging safety and protection from external influences.
- Food industry (10–15% of tubes): long-shelf-life non-refrigerated products such as condensed milk, pâtés, concentrated sauces, and pastes.
- Household and technical chemicals (5–10% of tubes): adhesives, sealants, lubricants, polishes, and repair compounds where resistance of the packaging to aggressive environments is critical.
The aluminum tube market in Russia and the CIS has shown steady growth (approximately 10% in 2023) and continued its positive dynamics in 2024, driven by import substitution in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. With its entry into this market, LeanGroup plans to strengthen its position over the next few years by developing the new aluminum tube segment, expanding its extrusion business through the launch of previously unavailable products, ensuring stable supplies and convenient logistics, and offering customization options for in-house components (e.g., caps in specific shapes and designs). This last point is particularly important for pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies, as it supports the rapid launch of innovative and competitive products. In addition, having all three tube technologies under one manufacturer expands packaging choices for various applications and simplifies clients' access to adjacent market segments.
Source: SYRYO&UPAKOVKA
