linkedin Japan Report: Finally Going with the Tide 12:00 AM Contact Us | Subscribe to Tobacco Asia © 2015 October Multimedia Co., Ltd - Tobacco Industry magazine reporting on cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, RYO, bidis, kretek, cigarillos, chewing tobacco, tobacco equipment, tobacco machinery, tobacco packaging machinery, make-pack machines, news, Indonesia and China Built with Metro Publisher™Tabaksgigant Philip Morris denkt dat er snel een eind komt aan de traditionele sigaret.Het concern heeft de afgelopen jaren een rookvrije variant ontwikkeld die volgens topman Calantzopoulos een prima alternatief biedt.Hij zei in een interview met de BBC dat de 'IQOS' nog niet door externe deskundigen is getest, maar dat een grote testgroep heeft gezegd dat hij meer dan voldoet."PhilipMorris beseft dat gewone sigaretten schadelijk zijn.Het enige goede antwoord daarop is om met een verantwoord alternatief te komen dat minder schadelijk is."Dat is volgens Calantzopoulos de rookvrije IQOS, die ruim 1,9 miljard euro aan ontwikkeling heeft gekost.

De sigaret werd twee jaar geleden gepresenteerd en is nu daadwerkelijk in de verkoop gegaan, onder meer in Groot-Brittannië.Calantzopoulos zegt dat hij met de Britse regering wil meewerken aan het "uitfaseren" van de gewone sigaret.Volgens de fabrikant van onder meer Marlboro wordt de tabak in de IQOS alleen verhit en niet aangestoken.Daardoor krijgt de roker 90 procent minder schadelijke stoffen binnen, maar krijgt hij wel de nicotine-kick.De verhitting vindt plaats met een speciale sigarettenhouder.Met een mobiele oplader van zo'n 50 euro wordt die houder tussendoor opgeladen.Een pakje IQOS-sigaretten kost omgerekend iets meer dan 9 euro.Ze zijn een stuk korter dan normale sigaretten.De alternatieve sigaret is volgens Philip Morris begin volgend jaar ook in Nederland te koop.Hoeveel de hele set hier gaat kosten, wil de Nederlandse woordvoerder nog niet zeggen.Het is niet voor het eerst dat sigarettenfabrikanten zoeken naar een alternatief.In de jaren tachtig produceerde Reynolds ook een sigaret waarbij de tabak werd verhit.

Dat systeem ging al snel ter ziele door allerlei technische problemen.e cigarette xhale 02De e-sigaret is de afgelopen jaren wel min of meer ingeburgerd.pax vaporizer kaufen ebayBij dat systeem komt door verhitte waterdamp in de sigaret nicotine vrij.eonsmoke vaporizer instructionsAfter posting a particularly strong run over the last few years, the U.S.box mod vape lissetobacco industry turned in a solid performance again during 2016.zen vape reviewHowever, these particular sin stocks have been facing pressure from regulators and a declining base of users in the U.S.best grinder for pax vaporizer

Can the companies continue their run in 2017?loperamid vaporizerLet's take a look.e cigarette tignieuAlthough tobacco stocks have been doing well, tobacco use has been falling in the United States.e cigarette 68300Smoking, by far representing the largest category of tobacco products, has been steadily in decline.In the past decade alone, the percentage of Americans who smoke has fallen from roughly 21% to around 17%.Half a century ago, the percentage of smokers in the U.S.was north of 40%.The trend could continue, as surveys conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that seven in 10 smokers want to quit.Image source: Philip Morris International.If Americans are smoking less, what's behind the rise in share prices?

Sellers of tobacco products have more than made up for their declining base through price increases.From 2000 to 2014, the value of global cigarette sales increased 121% while, the total volume of cigarettes sold increased only 8%, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.That implies a more than doubling in price for a pack of cigarettes over that time frame.That trend is showing no sign of letting up.Through the first nine months of the year, Marlboro maker Altria Group (NYSE: MO) has used price increases to grow its revenue from cigarettes by 0.9% in spite of shipments declining 1.7%.Look for price hikes to continue into 2017 and beyond.Cost-cutting has also helped the bottom line.Altria announced a productivity initiative in January, and the efforts to get lean are underway.The company introduced a multiyear effort to consolidate manufacturing facilities and reduce headcount, which it anticipates saving the company $50 million a year by the time it's completed.Marketing, administration, and research costs also fell 3.6% year over year, and the company expects a total of$300 million in annualized savings by the end of 2017.

In tandem with price hikes and cost-cutting, U.S.tobacco has also been consolidating into fewer players.For example, Reynolds American (NYSE: RAI) purchased its rival Lorillard over the summer of 2015.The move was seen as helping drive cost savings and spark sales.Reynolds itself has now been handed a buyout offer from British American Tobacco (NYSEMKT: BTI), which already owns about 42% of Reynolds.The proposed buyout would create the world's second-largest tobacco company.Reynolds is reviewing the offer and investors should stay tuned for a decision during the new year.Reynold's VUSE brand e-cigs.Image source: Reynolds American.The industry has also been pushing electronic cigarettes to stem the tide of lost smokers and that effort will continue in 2017.Reynolds American has its VUSE brand and Altria has its version of the product in Nu Mark.Additionally, Altria has partnered with Philip Morris International in its development of its heated tobacco product iQOS.Philip Morris recently submitted iQOS to the Food and Drug Administration for regulatory review.

Should the FDA approve it for sale, Altria owns the distribution rights in the U.S.Through price hikes, cost-cutting, and consolidation, U.S.tobacco companies have continued doing well.With the industry's most basic problem -- fewer smokers in many areas -- still front and center 2017 is likely to hold more of the same.Also look for developments in the e-cig and heated tobacco front.tobacco producers are hopeful that this area will provide long-term growth, but so far none of the companies are reporting specific numbers on their progress and regulatory rulings are in the offing.10 stocks we like better than Altria Group When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen.After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Altria Group wasn't one of them!That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.