Markets Regions and Countries German-speaking Countries

First five months of 2014 see solid growth / Economy stable / Rising pressure on margins / IK industry association posts detailed figures for 2013

Plastics industry continues its decline in 2013 / Drop in volume of material processed / Companies report stable operations / Construction and packaging sectors hope for economic improvement

VDMA revises down 2014 sales prediction / Orders in Germany boosted by investment in plant and equipment / Foreign export growth to slow

More than 10% of plastics consumption goes into PU / Rigid foams are the most important segment

Production volumes recover in 2013 / Automotive, building and foreign trade drive sales / PlasticsEurope Deutschland president sees dark clouds

Economic mood surprisingly positive in H2 2013 / All indicators point up / High expectations for the coming months / Energy costs pressure converters and recyclers

Sales bounce back to 2012 half-year level / Seasonal peak shifts into April / Packaging and technical parts see gains / Export trade picks up again / Improved outlook for full year

Orders for German machinery manufacturers on the rebound / Exports show upward trend

Business development in H1 2013 slightly weaker than expected / Industry more optimistic about H2 / Export turnaround may be in the offing / Energy efficiency a major concern

Showing modest growth / Demand boosted by pickup in automotive industry / AMI report

South German ethylene pipeline dedicated in Munich

Imports from outside the EU on the rise / Main supplier Italy suffers considerable setback / Poland continues to make inroads

Bvse recyclers have much too worry about / Inclement weather affecting demand / EEG tariffs are strong barriers

Swiss plastics industry sees sales fall to CHF 15 bn last year / Pressure from euro crisis and strong Swiss franc / Processed volume amounts to 812,000 t / Productivity declines / Packaging industry also weak / Recovery expected during 2013

Full-year 2012 output sinks 3.4% after especially dismal Q4 / Outlook clouded by economic weakness / US shale gas competition worries the sector / Germany leads Europe in recycling

Germany's IK sees little change in 2012 revenues from previous year / Production at 4.2m shows slight drop / Optimism remains for 2013

IK general manager Ulf Kelterborn: The mood within the industry segment has improved

Mixed plastics recyclers complain about dramatic dearth of sorted material / Call on industry to restructure itself

Business weakens more than expected in the second half of 2012 / Export trade deteriorates / Capital spending and employment still on a high level / Industry's expectations now higher

Production rise in 2009-2011 / Industry still robust / Demand up 5% annually / Technical applications show the strongest growth / Consultic study

South German ethylene pipeline in trial / All disputes settled / 240,000 t/y of C2 in first phase

Plastics industry holds its own in H1 2012 market turbulence / Expectations of slackening business going forward / Raw materials and euro crisis continue to bite

Plastics industry sales recede slightly in 2011 / Employee numbers down / Economy pressured by Swiss franc and European debt crisis

German manufacturers still in a good position / Exports expected to decline / Pressure from electricity costs / Latest data from German packaging producers' association

Sector posts core machinery production record in 2011 / Asia is leading export destination / Domestic market strong / 2012 expected to see slight decline / Renewed growth in 2013