USA to maintain its position as global leader in packaging machinery turnover

United States of America will maintain its position as the global leader in packaging machinery turnover, as per a report by PMMI. Sales of North American-based packaging machinery supplier solutions reached US$6.11 bln in 2006 and are forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 3.1% through 2009, to reach US$6.689 bln. Globally, total packaging machinery sales reached US$31 bln in 2006. North American manufacturers provided 20% of the packaging solutions sold worldwide. In parallel, U.S. demand for packaging machinery solutions reached US$6.6 bln in 2006, with North American-based manufacturers providing 77% of the packaging solutions sold. Recent PMMI studies indicate that the competitive advantages of North American packaging machinery manufacturers and the benefits of the weaker US dollar abroad is expected to further boost U.S. exports. Exports reached US$707 mln from October 2006 through October 2007, and are expected to eclipse US$1 bln for 2007. "North American packaging machinery manufacturers have a history of providing the marketplace with cutting-edge packaging solutions that increase operational efficiency and productivity and help brand owners get products to market faster," said Charles D. Yuska, President and CEO, PMMI. "This value coupled with the cost advantages resulting from the currency exchange, make a compelling case for purchasing North American machinery." A number of trends have been driving packaging machinery demand in the United States. For example, 45% of respondents planning to purchase in 2007 said that the most important reason for investing in machinery was to improve efficiency and productivity of their existing packaging operations. In addition to a strong need for additional flexibility to meet a widening range of packaging requirements, the increasing use of packaging as a competitive differentiator is also fueling demand for new packaging equipment. According to PMMI's Robotics Study for the Packaging Industry, 77% of packagers said they are expecting to use more robotics in the next 5 years. Packagers will look to robotics to help reduce costs, increase flexibility and to realize greater efficiency. Currently, robotics are more commonly used in the food and beverage sectors. However, 100 percent of pharmaceutical/medical device, chemical, and durable goods industry respondents expect to see an increased use in robotics. Reinforcing the strength of the US market, US Census Bureau data for Packaging Machinery and Parts shows that US packaging machinery imports totaled US$1.774 bln as of October 2007, an 11% increase over 2006, while exports rose from US$702 mln to $707 mln between October 2006 and October 2007. US Census Bureau data was provided to PMMI by the Department of Commerce. US packaging machinery shipments are projected to increase from an estimated US$6.110 bln in 2006 to US$6.689 bln by 2009, following a 6% increase in shipments between 2005 and 2006. This growth is reflected in 17 out of 18 machinery categories, demonstrating the all-around quality, performance and reliability of North American packaging machinery.