US packaging machinery export grew 19% in 2011 to US7.7 billion

According to Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI)'s annual research, shipments of US packaging machinery grew 19% in 2011, reaching US$7.7 billion. Meanwhile, total consumption in the country also climbed by 23% to US$8.8 billion.

"Positive growth is always good news," says Jorge Izquierdo, Vice President, Market Development, PMMI. "And within that 19% jump in US packaging machinery shipments, we saw 20% growth domestically and 16% in exports."

Imports of packaging machinery to the US also increased by about US$500 million. Mr Izquierdo points out, "US companies spent 35% more on imported packaging machinery in 2011."

The distribution of sales among market segments did not change much, however. Food and beverage, at 36% and 24% respectively, accounted for the majority of sales, a trend that has been consistence since mid-1990s.

By machinery types, PMMI found that the only category that didn't lead sales in food or beverage was Blister, Skin/Vacuum packaging machines, in which 59% of its sales were to the pharmaceutical and medical device sector. "But even then, foods accounted for 41% of category sales," Mr Izquierdo notes. "The foods market led 16 of the 25 total categories, and beverages led in eight."

Converting machines, in particular container/material manufacturing had the greatest dollar sales in 2011, the Shipments Study says, with US$760 million, about 10% of the total market. "Coding, Printing, Marking Stamping and Imprinting (Not on a Label)" followed, with US$520 million (7%) of the market.

As of December 31, 2011, the backlog on orders was US$2.3 billion, PMMI reports. While the dollar value for backlogs increased by 28%, from US$1.8 billion in 2010, it was actually a smaller share of the total shipments figure, only 30% in 2011 vs. 33% in 2010.