Netstal Group (Näfels, Switzerland), manufacturer of injection molding machinery including the well-known Synergy, PET-Line, and Elion brands, saw both sales and orders fall by almost 6% in its last fiscal year (ended Sept. 30) compared to FY05. FY06 sales were Swiss CHF 296.7 million ($239.6 million). The company notes that a rising global economy has done little good for the plastics industry’s machine manufacturers, as processors’ investment plans were limited in light of high prices for plastics and energy.
Netstal reports its market share actually increased in a number of areas, including the hard-hit optical-disc molding machine market, where global demand was halved in 2005 and dropped another 40% in 2006. Netstal’s fully electric Elion machine range, launched in 2004, has established itself well with sales in FY06 more than doubling those of the previous period. Sales of PET preform units also increased.
Almost 68% of Netstal’s output was sold in Europe, with sales in the Americas and Asia holding steady while those in the Near and Middle East nearly doubled. Netstal says it will introduce new machinery this year in all three of its product ranges.—[email protected]
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