USA back on top of plastics machinery market

Global – ‘The US market for plastics and rubber machinery has grown appreciably since 2009,’ according to the German machinery manufacturers association VDMA. Besides, the Mexican market has experienced a ‘strong growth rate’.

‘After bottoming out in 2009, deliveries of German plastics and rubber machinery to the US have recovered steadily, reaching a record 719 million euro in 2015: an almost threefold increase,’ VDMA Association Chairman Ulrich Reifenhäuser is pleased to report.

This means that after a period of seven years the US has overtaken China to regain first place among the most important markets for German machines.

‘In the wake of this trend, German deliveries to Mexico also rose sharply,’ VDMA states. In 2015 alone, exports of German plastics and rubber machinery were up 50% compared to the previous year, putting Mexico in fourth place among the most important markets. The association argues that the Mexico’s ‘strong growth’ rate is partly thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has dismantled trade barriers in the region.

‘Owing to the high level of demand for plastics, plastic packaging in particular, German plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers expect sales to the US and Mexico to remain strong,’ comments VDMA managing director Thorsten Kühmann.

‘Existing free trade agreements are of fundamental importance for this; any form of protectionism on the other hand will be damaging to the business activities of all concerned,’ he adds.