German manufacturers of plastics and rubber machinery expect sales to increase 2 percent in 2016, from about $7.7 billion the prior year, and an additional 2 percent in 2017, according to the German Plastics Machinery and Rubber Association, Frankfurt. The association said Germany still leads the global industry in exports, with the U.S. being its top market, followed by China, Poland and Mexico.
However, Germany's share of the growing world trade in plastics and rubber machinery declined to 22.2 percent, with China catching up and now supplying 15 percent of world exports, said association Chairman Ulrich Reifenhäuser.
