Demand is forecasted to grow 8.6% annually to 35.9 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion) by 2009.
In its study, Packaging Machinery in China, Freedonia reports that labeling and coding equipment will outpace sales of other machinery, “spurred by the growing need for shippers to accurately identify and track items. In addition, increased use of radio-frequency identification tags will bolster demand for associated labeling equipment. Demand for filling and form/fill/seal equipment will also climb at an above-average rate through 2009, maintaining its position as the most widely used types of packaging machinery in China.”
The study also notes that the food industry represents the largest end-user market for packaging machinery. Above-average demand for equipment to pack medical, pharmaceutical, and personal care products is also projected through 2009.
The 206-page report, which sells for $4꼀, examines six regions in China whose size, growth, and composition of packaging machinery demand vary considerably. —Jim Butschli