Processing machinery export markets reflect global economy

Based on statistics recently provided by the plastics and rubber machinery association within German trade group VDMA, the past 10 years have produced one significant winner in the global processing machinery market in terms of export market share gained—China—while the loss of export market share has been shared by a number of countries but felt most harshly in absolute terms in Japan. 

From this chart (click to view detailed data in Excel, or see the graphic below), it is clear that the greatest gains in share of export market for processing machinery have been made by Chinese manufacturers. Losing the greatest share in absolute terms have been their peers in Japan, but this is due to Japan's position as a major processing machinery manufacturer. In fact, in percentage terms the shares dropped significantly in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Austria. Germany's manufacturers remain the export leaders, while Italian and Taiwanese manufacturers have seen little absolute change. German processing machinery manufacturers in 2009 accounted for just under 24% of all machines purchased in 2009 in Asia, passing Japan's manufacturers for the first time in the region.

Though most economists agree the world hasn't yet fully shaken its post-recession hangover, Germany's plastics processing machinery manufacturers are doing well, according to the VDMA. "Developments turned out much better than expected at the beginning of the year," said Thorsten Kühmann, managing director of the association. "The Association's members are also optimistic regarding the outlook for incoming orders in all customer regions in the second half of the year." —[email protected]