Markets Machinery

Revamped service and sales presence in Thailand / 10% regional market share / Area record revenues of EUR 135m

Construction of moulding machine factory in Thailand complete / New subsidiary aims to expand sales in Southeast Asia

Mold-Masters acquisition is wrapped up

Improving exports continue to drive production output / Overall manufacturing levels remain static / Germany is largest market / US shows good growth

Exports to China fall in 2012 / Germany remains largest exporter and increases dominance over Japanese competitors

Production capacity doubles in South Korea / Machine manufacturer continues to increase Asian market share

Exports climb by 2.3% in 2012 / Sales to China fall 16%

Larger plant commissioned in China / More capacity for bigger blowmoulding machines

Industry associations welcome revised EC regulations on market surveillance / Call for larger role in ensuring compliance and harmonised penalties

Merger with Mold-Masters will create leading global solutions provider / Canadian hot-runner specialist acquired from 3i in CAD 975m deal

VDMA industry association finds sales rose by 6% in 2012 / Member poll suggests further growth in 2013 / Doubtful about western European market

Plastics industry grows strongly again in 2012 / Processing business expands by around 9% / Nevertheless, margins under increasing pressure and investment activity declines / Highly dependent on international raw material markets

Exports and production in 2012 will come close to record set in 2007 / Non-EU Europe sees highest gains, led by Russia

Major shift from west to east takes China to top position / Fragmented industry producing cheap and simple machines / Imports can cost up to 30 times more than domestic output / Germany and Japan are leading exporters / STM Stieler research

Global exports to Russia rise by almost 50% year-on-year in 2011 / Germany is top machinery supplier

Machinery manufacturer doubles output in Slovakia / Broader portfolio on offer in Sucany

Exports to Gulf countries increase to EUR 101m in 2011 / Saudi Arabia accounts for 55% of sales

US-based Hillenbrand buys global compounding and extrusion equipment leader / Diversification strategy

Hot-runner technology specialist opens sales office in Turkey

Italy's imports and exports rise in H1 / Imports growth constrained by weak economy / Assocomaplast report

New plant in China to meet rising demand from Asia-Pacific

Establishment of Chinese subsidiary to meet rising local “MuCell” demand

Takeover of hot runner systems producer Synventive

Manufacturing facility to be established in Suzhou

Contract awarded by Petronas for world scale cracker project / License and engineering design of five petrochemical units in Malaysia