UK plastics machinery sales strongest since 2004 says PMMDA

Sales of capital injection moulding equipment in the UK market represent the strongest numbers since 2004, according to figures released today.

According to the Polymer Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMMDA) members survey for 2015, 643 injection-moulding machines were imported into the country last year.

UK sales figures for ancillary equipment and robots were also included in the survey and showed a significant rise in trade during 2015.

“The trend for UK injection moulding capital equipment sales remained very strong in 2015,” commented Nigel Flowers, PMMDA Chairman.

“Interestingly enough, if we ignore the large machine imports, which distort the data, the average machine value in 2015 is lower than in 2005 when adjusted for inflation. In fact, since 2010 the UK market has grown in unit numbers by a staggering 36 percent.”

Flowers said that although the growth in the numbers could be partly attributed to continued investment in the automotive industry, this was only reflected in the sales of larger machinery (36 units over 1000 or 5.6 percent) and that “significant investment” has been seen across all sectors, including traditional trade moulding.

“There is a similar story on the automation side,” Flowers added, “with 41 percent of machines supplied with automation last year, compared with just 32 percent 10 years ago.”

The PMMDA survey also polled members confidentially on their voting intentions in the EU Referendum, due to take place in the UK on 23rd June 2016.

Those who took part voted unanimously to remain in the EU (70 percent), with 30 percent of members pledging to vote to leave. 

The association plans to carry out a further poll to nearer to the date of the referendum.