Engel leads injection machine exports to US

Injection molding machines imports in the United States have been growing since 2012 according to market observer Plastics Insight, although growth reported tapered off in 2016 when imports were roughly the same in terms of number of units. According to the Plastics Insight’s findings based on customs data, Engel shipped 951 injection machines to the US in 2016.

Second-ranked in 2016 was The Japan Steel Works (JSW) with 568 units shipped, while small machine supplier Arburg shipped 404 presses to the US, followed by Japan’s Nissei Plastic Industrial with 391 units.

Interestingly, a Chinese firmed called Riyue Heavy Industrial is ranked fifth in injection molding machine shipments to the US in the customs statistics. It turns out that this company manufactures platens and oil cylinders for injection molding machines, meaning it is likely that the company is supplying these components for local manufacture of injection molding machines in the US.

Other leading exporters to the US in 2016 included China’s Haitian (269 units), Japan’s Ube Machinery (224 units; U-MHI Platech since January 2017 when Ube Machinery combined its injection molding machine business with that of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Plastic Technology), China’s Borch Machinery (202 units). and Ferromatik Milacron India (201 units).