Plastics machinery shipments decline in first quarter

The shipments value of primary plastics machinery in North America declined in the first quarter of 2019, according to the statistics compiled and reported by the Plastics Industry Association’s Committee on Equipment Statistics.

While 2018 ended with strong plastics machinery shipments, 2019 has started soft, with the preliminary estimate of the shipments value from reporting companies totalling $273 million, 27.6 per cent lower than the fourth quarter of 2018.

Injection moulding shipments fell 26.3 per cent and single and twin extrusion shipments decreased 24.8 per cent and 46.2 per cent respectively.

Year over year, the value of shipments for single and twin screw extrusion equipment rose 19.8 per cent and 8.3 per cent respectively.

Perc Pineda, Chief Economist of the Plastic Industry Association, said: “First quarter data usually comes in soft, but the declines reflect the expectation of weaker US and global economic growth.”

“Price effects were also at play in the first quarter. The producer price index on industrial machinery manufacturing has been on a decline from its peak in the third quarter last year.”

“Demand in the plastics industry is expected to remain positive against the backdrop of slower economic growth this year. However, plastics machinery makers should also consider that weaker global economic conditions will have knock-on effects on the industry.”