According to statistics reported by SPI (Society of the Plastics Industry), US production of primary plastics equipment (injection molding, extrusion, blow molding and thermoforming equipment) grazed, in the second quarter of 2014, 300 million dollars, gaining about a 10% when compared with the total from second quarter of 2013 (even if it registered a slight decrease of 0,3% in comparison to the first quarter of the current year).

A closer look shows that the shipments value of injection molding machinery increased 9% and value of shipments of twin-screw extruders jumped to a relevant 63%, while single-screw extruders, as blow molding machines, edged down 2%. Auxiliary equipment segment (robots, temperature control, materials handling etc.) reached a spike upward of 21% when compared with the total from second quarter of 2013.

Plastics machinery suppliers are optimistic, according to a recent survey conducted by SPI about expectations for future market conditions. The 90% of the respondents expect conditions to stay the same or even improve in the coming quarter, and 88% expect them to hold steady or get better during the next 12 months. There is a solid consensus that the United States and Canada are the regions where the strongest gains are expected. Expectations for Latin America and Mexico declined when compared with the responses from last quarter. Expectations for Asia and Europe improved. As for the major end-markets, the respondents expect that automotive and medical will remain strong in terms of demand for plastics products and equipment. Expectations for the other major end-markets call for mostly steady conditions in the coming year.