APME is the voice of the plastics manufacturing industry, representing over 90 per cent of Western Europe’s polymer production capacity - with a turnover of more than 29 billion euro. The industry invests in research and development programmes amounting to at least 700 million euro and employs over 70 000 people. Combined with the European polymer converting industry and the machinery manufacturers, the plastics industry represents a major contributor to Europe’s economic strength employing well over one million people, generating sales in excess of 135 billion euro and representing an important sector of the European chemical industry, Europe’s second largest industry.