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tobaccoasia 51 How Does Cutting Down a Tree Protect the Toco Toucan? By harvesting managed Eucalyptus trees for use in construction and as fuel for curing barns, producers like Nelson Wagner preserve native forests for birds like the Toco Toucan and help protect the Planet. It's part of our commitment to unite the world under One Vision of action-oriented social responsibility. ACTION-ORIENTED SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ACTION-ORIENTED SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY See Our Vision for Positive Change AOIsustainability.com duction flow is set up in a U-shape. The plant's management is currently also es- tablishing the capacity to produce a vari- ety of Essentra's other recently launched specialty filters, including carbon and environmental variants. In addition, it is expected that the facility will be able to also produce the new filter innovations Essentra is planning to bring to the mar- ket over the coming few years. Filters for the 21st century Essentra's Advantage Range of filters offers fresh and design-based solutions to reduce the overall cost of the ciga- rette without compromising the taste or the brand quality. For example, the firm's trademarked Smooth Core Recess filter is a high-impact carbon filter with a recessed mouth end that acts as a visual indicator of performance and taste. The precisely-positioned activated carbon segment in the center ensures a smoother, cooler taste. Further filters in this prod- uct line include the BiTech, Randomly Oriented Acetate (ROA), Infused and Smooth Core Technology filters. The company's Icon range of pre- mium filters combines high-impact end appearance with performance to add real value to a cigarette brand. With over 20 variants available, including activated carbon options for a cleaner tasting and cooler smoke, the product range not only looks better, but performs better, too. For instance, the Insight filter comprises two separate filter segments surround- ing a cavity containing granular, acti- vated, colour-stained carbon. A unique characteristic of this filter is that it uses a transparent plug wrap paper, giving it a very distinctive appearance and al- lowing the consumer to view the inner P. T. Sreekumar, managing director, Essentra Filter Products workings of the filter. This product range also comprises the patented Autograph, Combined Performance Superior (CPS), Corinthian, Recess and Tube Segment filters, among others. The Sensory range is designed to ap- peal to one or all of the senses, enabling the consumers to create an individual smoking sensation for themselves. For customers, the products also offer visual differentiation opportunities through the use of shaped and coloured threads and flavours, ensuring a complete sensory experience. As an example for a product within this range, the Sensation filter uses flavor and sensory delivery mechanisms with an embedded capsule that can be manually crushed at any point during smoking to release its flavor, giving the consumer total control over the taste experience. Within this particular range, the company also offers proprietary filter models like Strand, Diamond Menthol Thread, Cavitec Flavour, Flavour Direct Spray and Flavor Thread. Specialty plugs drive future market Essentra's impressive line-up of inge- nious filters is clearly indicative of the cigarette industry shifting away from tra- ditional mono acetate products and to- wards more advanced specialty filters for premium brands. "This trend is going to continue and even will get increasingly stronger as mono acetates are being phased out more and more," said Raza Nensey, managing director of Karachi-based Filters Paki- stan (Pvt.) Ltd., a major global supplier. For the modern consumer, taste, added value, and visual differentiation seem im- portant factors when it comes to select- ing their preferred cigarette brand. This explains why market research projects that premium brands will further gain price band market shares, while econo- my brands will contract considerably as consumers are defecting to classier – but therefore also more expensive – premium products. The general consumer's motto appears to be to smoke less in terms of volume by migrating to a higher-quality brand. For them, settling for a premium product is both an expression of a more sophisticated lifestyle as well as a reflec- tion of their individuality as a person. At least this is what a Euromonitor International study covering the years 2007 to 2012 (the latest figures available) indicates.