Several overseas markets have reported an increase in machinery sales that beat expectations for 2015.
The Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association, which represents more than 200 companies as part of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), has reported 5 percent growth in sales in 2015 for plastics and rubber machinery manufacturing.
"Twelve months ago we predicted 4 percent growth in industry sales, but with an actual rise of 5 percent the forecast was in fact exceeded," says Ulrich Reifenhauser, chairman of the VDMA. "We now believe the trend will continue at the same high level in the year ahead."
VDMA expects that sales in 2016 will be above $7.7 billion. Sales to its domestic market saw a decline, which was attributed to cyclical factors. However, euro-area countries and the rest of the world had sales growth rates of 12 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
Separately, an Italian trade association for plastic and rubber processing equipment makers reported its members saw exports increase in 2015. Assocomaplast says that its members should see sales reach more than $4.5 billion for 2015. As of late December, the association was reporting a 6.2 percent increase in exports. In the first nine months of 2015, export sales almost had reached the same level as full-year 2014, Assocomaplast says.
In December alone, the overall value of purchases from abroad was between $765 million and $820 million.
