(PlastEurope) -- The plastics operations of packaging group Rexam showed a fall in sales and earnings in the first half of 2011. As a result, the company has announced measures to remedy the weak business development in this segment, starting with price hikes, cost-cutting projects and capacity adjustments. In the medium term, the Plastic Packaging division will also shift some of its production to Asia because of increasing competition in China. Apart from that, there are plans to step up the level of automation. In Europe and Brazil, on the other hand, Rexam intends to invest in other growth areas such as make-up and dispensing systems.