<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THE SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  UNAUDITED  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  FOR TREDEGAR
INDUSTRIES,  INC.  AND  SUBSIDIARIES  EXTRACTED  FROM THE BALANCE  SHEET FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED SEPTEMBER  30, 1998 AND THE STATEMENT OF INCOME FOR THE NINE MONTHS
ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998 AND IS QUALIFIED  IN ITS  ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000
       
                                            
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                  9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1998
<CASH>                                          23,287
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   98,490
<ALLOWANCES>                                     3,726
<INVENTORY>                                     32,526
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               162,825
<PP&E>                                         349,391
<DEPRECIATION>                                 195,612
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 443,668
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                           91,482
<BONDS>                                         25,000
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<COMMON>                                        93,875
<OTHER-SE>                                     197,619
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   443,668
<SALES>                                        513,244
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               516,299
<CGS>                                          405,880
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  405,880
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                38,160
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                   264
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 952
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 71,043
<INCOME-TAX>                                    22,626
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             48,417
<DISCONTINUED>                                   3,421
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    51,838
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     1.42
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     1.33