The value of most categories of plastics machinery shipped by North American suppliers has grown in this year's second quarter, compared to the same period last year.
According to statistics reported to SPI, shipments of primary plastics equipment for reporting companies totaled $303.5 million during the second quarter of this year, a 5.5 percent gain over the first quarter and a 6.7 percent increase over the same time last year.
For the year-to-date, the value of primary plastics equipment shipments is up 3.9 percent over last year. The value of auxiliary equipment shipments was up 12.4 percent over last year.
Among primary equipment suppliers, demand for blow molding machines saw the biggest gains, as the value of shipments of the machines jumped 66.4 percent over last year. Meanwhile, the value of shipments of extruders showed little difference from last year; it fell 1.5 percent for single-screw machines and rose 1 percent for twin-screw machines.
Mountaintop Economics & Research Inc. compiled the analysis and data cited by SPI. The Greenfield, Mass., market research firm believes that North America and Mexico will provide the most promising market conditions for machinery suppliers over the next year. It forecasts steady market conditions in Latin America and steady-to-weaker conditions in Europe and Asia.
