PLASTICS’ Committee on Equipment Statistics: Empowering plastics machinery manufacturers
In a competitive and ever-shifting marketplace, access to timely, reliable data is essential for manufacturers making capital equipment decisions. For companies in the plastics machinery sector, the Plastics Industry Association’s (PLASTICS) Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES) is a vital source of market intelligence, delivering insight that helps manufacturers benchmark performance, forecast demand and plan strategically for the future.
The CES is a program that collects and analyzes data, such as net bookings and shipments from participating plastics equipment manufacturers. This data is aggregated into comprehensive reports that track key metrics across product categories such as primary machinery (injection molding, extrusion, blow molding) and auxiliary equipment. By contributing to and receiving these reports, companies gain a competitive advantage through improved visibility into market cycles and emerging trends.
PLASTICS Chief Economist Perc Pineda plays a key role in contextualizing CES data within the broader economic landscape. Following each quarterly report release, Pineda provides a macroeconomic overview that links plastics machinery trends with broader manufacturing indicators, capital investment activity and end-market demand. In addition to the industry reports, CES participants have exclusive access to Pineda’s quarterly Cross Sector Analysis (CSA), which correlates CES data with general macroeconomic data.
“The data generated by the CES program reflects machinery market activity over time,” Pineda said. “When analyzed alongside broader economic indicators — such as capital spending, capacity utilization, manufacturing output and business sentiment — it provides a clearer view of where the sector is heading. This analysis supports more informed business decisions for CES program participants.”
The CES isn’t just a data exchange — it’s a community of peers committed to advancing the plastics machinery sector. The committee meets regularly to discuss the latest equipment trends, share insights and ensure that reporting protocols evolve alongside the industry’s needs.
“Knowing our market share informs our decisions about product development, staffing, marketing tactics and sales. We also appreciate that CES kindles industry relationships and advances advocacy efforts for our industry,” said Chad Root, vice chairman of CES and managing partner at Spark Industries.
The CES reports allow participating companies to compare their activity with overall industry patterns, helping identify growth opportunities, respond to slowdowns and allocate resources with confidence.
These insights are especially critical in today’s economic environment, where machinery manufacturers must navigate variables such as interest rate fluctuations, supply chain volatility and shifting global demand. CES reporting gives businesses a view of how these factors translate into real-world equipment orders and shipments, resulting in data that can guide both short-term tactics and long-term investments.
In addition to monthly and quarterly trends, the CES also tracks year-over-year comparisons and seasonal patterns, offering a longer-term perspective that helps smooth out volatility and spot structural changes in the marketplace. Participants often use this intelligence to support budgeting, sales strategy and capital expenditure planning.
Participation in the CES is open to all qualified machinery manufacturers. All submitted participant data is kept strictly confidential with the use of a secure data portal managed by a third-party fiduciary. This trusted, collaborative model empowers participants with valuable industry insights while protecting proprietary information — supporting data-driven decision-making, growth and innovation across the machinery sector.
By combining peer-driven data sharing with expert economic analysis, the CES exemplifies PLASTICS’ mission to support the full plastics supply chain. For machinery manufacturers, the CES is more than a reporting tool — it’s a strategic asset that empowers smarter decisions, stronger performance and sustained growth.
For more information on the CES, please click here.
