According to the statistics of the American Plastics Industry Association's Equipment Statistics Committee (CES), the shipments of North American presses in the first quarter of 2018 increased year-on-year, which is the fourth consecutive quarter of North American presses.
Plastic machine shipments increased by 15.1% year-on-year and 11.7% quarter-on-quarter.
In the first quarter of 2018, the total amount of plastic presses (mainly injection molding machines and extruders) was US$333.7 million, which was 15.1% higher than the sales volume of US$290 million in the first quarter of 2017, but compared with 2017. In the fourth quarter of the year, the shipment of plastic presses decreased by 11.7% from $378 million. According to the product breakdown, the shipment volume of injection molding machines increased by 22.9% in the first quarter of 2018, and the shipment amount of single-screw extruders was compared. Decreased by 14.6%. The shipments of twin-screw extruders (both in the same direction and in the opposite direction) decreased by 27.1%. 'For seasonal reasons, the amount of presses shipped in the first quarter of each year is usually higher than other quarters. Low', Perc Pineda, chief economist at the American Plastics Industry Association, said. 'However, the US economy made a good start in the first quarter. Last year, corporate tax law reforms boosted corporate confidence. In manufacturing (including plastics processing), presses Shipment data is synchronized with robust corporate profits.
The trade deficit was US$425.7 million, a decrease of 17% from the previous quarter and a 4.6% increase from the same period last year.
US total exports of plastics in the first quarter of 2018 were $404 million, a decrease of 7.7% from the previous quarter ($437.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2017), but an increase of 6.9% year-on-year ($377.7 million in the first quarter of 2017). In the first quarter of 2018, the import volume of plastic presses decreased by 12.8% to US$829.7 million. From the first quarter of 2017, the import volume of US presses was US$784.6 million, an increase of 5.7%. The US still trades in presses. There was a trade deficit, which was $425.7 million in the first quarter of 2018, down 17% from the fourth quarter of 2017, but up 4.6% from the same period last year. The deficit was $469 million last year.
Plastic machine shipment results are in line with expectations
In the early quarters, the American Plastics Industry Association will provide estimates of machinery shipments to members of the Equipment Statistics Committee. For the first quarter of 2018, current statistics are very close to previous estimates. For example, 2018 In the first quarter, a total of 984 injection molding machines were shipped from North America, compared with 992 units previously estimated by the American Plastics Industry Association. The American Plastics Industry Association estimated that 42 twin-screw extruders will be shipped, with a final actual shipment of 41 units.
Respondents are optimistic about the three major markets of construction, home appliances and packaging
Respondents surveyed in the first quarter of 2018 expect that construction, home appliances and packaging will become strong end markets in the next 12 months. These market prospects remain stable, with most respondents saying that the US economy is in a better employment situation. They expect the market conditions to remain unchanged this year.