Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Slow growth in packaging mirrors economy

Modest growth was recorded in U.S. packaging machinery shipments in 2000, but short-term caution and long-term optimism show up in PMMI’s Shipment Forecast.

Pw 16670 Pmm Iship1

Wait till next year!” is practically the motto for the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and manufacturers seem to be taking a similar approach to buying packaging machinery. So reports the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (Arlington, VA) in its 7th Annual Packaging Machinery Shipments & Outlook Study. Packaging World reports from an executive summary it received late last year.

Year 2000 shipments of new packaging machinery only (excluding used and rebuilt equipment, services, and spare parts) were up a modest 2.2% to just under $5 billion. Domestic shipments carried the water, increasing by 3.1%, while exports fell 1.6%. Even overlooking the effects of Sept. 11, year 2001 machinery business was already suffering, not only from the economic downturns in the United States and elsewhere, but also from the strong U.S. currency that inhibits exports.

PMMI charted the “pattern” of packaging machinery shipments from ‘95 through 2000 (see Chart). The three even-numbered years showed increases averaging just 1.7%, while the odd-numbered years averaged shipment increases of 8.7%. The report says this pattern is attributable to our country’s “long-running prosperity” and fiscal policy to mitigate the extremes of the “traditional business cycle.”

Nowhere is it hinted that the alternating high- and low-growth years could be attributable to the effects of Pack Expo Intl., PMMI’s every-other-year show in Chicago. If machinery builders typically postpone new machine introductions until Pack Expo, it seems likely that buyers might similarly wait until the show before investing heavily. Those machine purchases aren’t likely to be shipped until the following year.

Coding, Marking, and Labeling Innovations Report
Explore our editor-curated report featuring cutting-edge coding, labeling, and RFID innovations from PACK EXPO 2024. Discover high-speed digital printing, sustainable label materials, automated labeling systems, and advanced traceability solutions that are transforming packaging operations across industries.
Access Report
Coding, Marking, and Labeling Innovations Report
Researched List: Engineering Services Firms
Looking for engineering services? Our curated list features 100+ companies specializing in civil, process, structural, and electrical engineering. Many also offer construction, design, and architecture services. Download to access company names, markets served, key services, contact information, and more!
Download Now
Researched List: Engineering Services Firms