2015-2017 Exhibitions
Global sales of plastics and rubber machinery will increase by an average of 3% a year in the period from 2014 to 2016 according to a trend report commissioned for the first time by the German VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association.
A forecast was also made for the first time for manufacturers in the EU. As the year draws to a close, it predicts that sales will be 2% down in 2014 but, starting from that lower base, envisages growth, also of 2%, for 2015.
Back in October, the industry’s sales in Germany were forecast to show a slight decline of 1% in the current year. For 2015 manufacturers are expecting growth of 4%.
The European manufacturing countries and China account for almost three quarters of global production. The main sales markets are China and the US, which together take nearly a quarter of world deliveries of plastics and rubber machinery. If the EU is included, that takes the figure to 47% of world exports.
The outlook for 2015 is for a positive trend in sales to China and the US and a further recovery of European markets.
(PRA)
