At $6.765 billion, the U.S. also ranked first in order of national
consumption of packaging machinery, followed by China ($3.984 B), Japan ($3.221 B), Germany ($1.697 B), and Spain ($1.012 B). The figures were reported by the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (www.pmmi.org). The association noted that PMMI members control 75.6% of the U.S. marketplace and 25% of the global marketplace.
Separately, PMMI released figures showing that Pack Expo International, held in Chicago in November, drew 71걑 in total attendance. Visitor attendance of 45꼞 trailed 2002’s by less than 1ꯠ. Exhibitor personnel reached 25곻, 115 more than 2002. The largest disparity between the two Pack Expo shows was in the number of conference
participants, where the latest event’s 1깞 figure nearly doubled that of 2002’s.