U.S. Packaging Machinery Shipments Grow 19%
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The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), Reston, Va., USA, reported this past week that shipments of U.S. packaging machinery grew 19% in 2011, reaching $7.7 billion. PMMI's 2012 Shipments Study also shows total consumption in the U.S. climbing by 23% to $8.8 billion.
"Positive growth is always good news," said Jorge Izquierdo, VP, market development, PMMI. "And within that 19% jump in U.S. packaging machinery shipments, we saw 20% growth domestically and 16% in exports." Imported packaging machinery sales also increased, by about $500 million, Izquierdo pointed out, noting that: "U.S. companies spent 35% more on imported packaging machinery in 2011."
The distribution of sales among market segments, however, did not shift much, if at all. Food (36%) and beverage (24%) accounted for the vast majority of sales, as they have since PMMI began conducting this study in the mid-1990s. In 2011, the two categories combined to account for 60% percent of shipments.
Converting machines — container/material manufacturing had the greatest dollar sales in 2011, according to PMMI's Shipments Study, with $760 million, about 10% of the total market. "Coding, printing, marking, stamping, and imprinting (not on a label)" followed, with $520 million (7% of the market).
As of December 31, 2011, the backlog on orders was $2.3 billion, PMMI reports. While the dollar figure for backlogs increased by 28% from 2010 ($1.8 billion), it was actually a smaller share of the total shipments figure — 30% in 2011 versus 33% in 2010.
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