According to Luciano Anceschi, Vice President of the EUROMAP Association, in 2007, EUROMAP member countries saw a year-on-year increase of 9.4% in the manufacturing of main machines (such as injection molding, blow molding, extrusion, etc.), while auxiliary and peripheral equipment grew by 8.8%. The total export volume of equipment manufacturers in member countries increased by 11.4%, with the main machines growing by 16.8%. In terms of the global export development of major equipment types according to EUROMAP, its share rose to 54.9%, with Germany's share remaining unchanged and Italy's share higher than the previous year.
A low point for the plastic machinery industry may emerge in 2009.
Bernhard Merki, President of EUROMAP, pointed out at the conference that it is estimated that Europe's production will grow by about 5% in 2008, with the total output value increasing to 18.2 billion euros, and the share in the global market likely still exceeding 50%. This favorable situation benefits from orders received in 2007 and early 2008. The largest share of main machines (62.8%) is expected to increase by 6%, molds and dies will remain at last year's level, and auxiliary/peripheral equipment will grow by about 8%.
Since the spring of 2008, signs of declining orders have appeared in multiple细分 industries. According to ASSOCOMAPLAST and VDMA (the Italian and German plastic and rubber machinery associations, whose combined output accounts for 70% of EUROMAP's total output), in 2009, the production of main machines is likely to decline by 3%-5%.
Merki emphasized that the forecast of instability for next year is based on cyclical declines after years of growth and does not include possible turbulence in the financial sector. "The consequences of the turbulence in the financial sector are almost unpredictable, but the downturn in the financial sector will certainly affect our rubber and plastic industry."
Despite this, Merki believes that European manufacturers in the industry can still succeed relying on their strengths. One strength is cutting-edge technology and a focus on high quality, and the ability to manufacture the most energy-efficient rubber and plastic machinery is the strongest strength of European suppliers. For this reason, the association has established multiple technical committees, hoping to establish authoritative and accurate energy measurement methods for individual machine types, so that the energy-saving performance of machines under different conditions can be objectively evaluated by outsiders.
The prospects are still promising
Although it is predicted that next year will be more difficult for EUROMAP members, Anceschi believes that from a long-term perspective, the good momentum of EUROMAP will continue for several years. Although the international financial situation may worsen and the amount of funds available for investment in the short term may decrease, EUROMAP firmly believes that the financial market will eventually stabilize and return to normal, thereby providing new business opportunities. Secondly, the costs in low-cost competitive countries are also rising due to increases in wages and environmental governance costs. This is most evident in China, especially in the eastern coastal areas, where an increasing number of environmental regulations issued by the government exacerbate this situation. Meanwhile, China's punishment for intellectual property rights infringement is also increasing. Thirdly, the global plastics industry will continue to grow. For end users, the quality advantages of plastic products will become increasingly significant, especially their lighter weight which helps save fuel, which is the main reason why the automotive industry has a large demand for plastic components. At the same time, due to the insulating properties of plastics, this is also the key to achieving energy savings in construction.