Extrusion International USA 2-2020

27 Extrusion International 2/2020 The valueof primaryplasticsmachinery (injectionmoldingand extrusion) shipments in North America increased in the fourth quarter according to the statistics compiled and reported by the Plastics Industry Association’s (PLASTICS) Committee on Equip- ment Statistics (CES). The preliminary estimate of shipments value from reporting companies in the fourth quarter totaled $316 million – a 7.7% increase from the previous quarter. While the shipments of injectionmolding rose 9.6% in the fourthquar- ter, single- and twin-screwextruders shipments decreased 0.9% and 7.7%, respectively. Although fourth quarter value of primary plastics machinery shipments improved, from a year ago shipments were 16.2% lower. The shipments value of twin-screw extruders fell signifi- cantly by 35.2% and 12.3% for single-screw extruders. Injection molding machinery shipments value was down 14.9% from the fourth quarter of 2018. “The fourth quarter numbers confirmweaker 2019 plastics ma- chinery shipments compared to 2018. Weaker business invest- ment spending in 2019 due to uncertainties from trade and tar- iffs and overall weaker manufacturing activity explains the low numbers of plastics machinery shipments,” according to Perc Pineda, PhD, chief economist of PLASTICS. “Our projection of a 2.3%GDP growth in 2019 was on point based on the advanced estimates of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. We expect another year of moderate U.S. economic growth. However, if business confidence turns optimistic this year now that there have beenpositive developments on trade and tariffs, and inter- est rates are expected to stay low, we could see better numbers for plastics machinery shipments,” Pineda added. PLASTICS Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES) Katie Hanczaryk, khanczaryk@plasticsindustry.org The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS), formerly SPI plasticsindustry.org The CES also conducts a quarterly survey of plastics machinery suppliers that asks about present market conditions and expec- tations for the future. In the coming quarter, 69.4% of respon- dents expect conditions to either improve or hold steady – a re- versal of the 39% that felt similarly in the previous quarter. As for the next 12 months, 73.5% expect market conditions to be steady-to-better, which is up from63% in the previous quarter’s survey. Trade and tariffs issues in 2019 negatively affected the plastics machinery trade. Exports of plastics machinery totaled $352.8 million in the final quarter of 2019 – a 6.8% decrease from the third quarter. Mexico, Canada, andGermany remained the larg- est U.S. export markets. The combined exports to these coun- tries in the fourth quarter totaled $157.0 million. China was the fourth-largestmarket in the fourthquarterwithplasticsmachin- ery exports totaling $22.7 million. Imports of plastics machinery fell 5.4% Lower exports and imports have caused the plastics machinery tradedeficit todecreaseby 4.2%fromthe thirdquar- ter. Plastics Machinery Shipments Stayed Low in 2019 – Despite Fourth Quarter Uptick NewMaterial Solutions at 2020 SHOT Show in Las Vegas Conventus Polymers LLC, a leading supplier of specialty poly- mers for firearms applications, showcased new material so- lutions for the firearms industry at the 2020 SHOT Show ® , in January in Las Vegas. Conventus also featured new mold flow capabilities for molders and designers who develop plastic parts for a broad range of firearm applications including stocks, mag- azines, receivers, rails, and a variety of other parts. Conventus differentiates itself from competing material suppli- ers with a strong focus on addressing challenging performance and aesthetics requirements such as highmechanical properties and cosmetics, while offering a range of unique formulations that utilize carbon fiber, long glass fiber, and other modifica- tion packages. Conventus also introduced anew clear glass-filled polymer made of nylon for high-strength transparency. This material of- fers a range of advantages over other compounds because of high dimensional stability, high strength, and transparency. It would allow accessory manufacturers to offer parts that have the strength of traditional glass-filled nylon 66, but with trans- parency. Polymers have grown in popularity in the firearms market. In addition to lightweighting, they offer reduced recoil, corrosion resistance, serviceability, cost benefits, and design freedom. To create solutions for firearm customers, Conventus Polymers utilizes its expertise in other high-performance markets such as downhole oil and gas, where temperatures and pressures can be very high. The company’s primary product categories are spe- cialty nylons, high-temperaturepolymers, glass fiber and carbon fiber reinforced compounds, and long glass and long carbon fi- ber reinforced compounds. Conventus Polymers LLC www.conventuspolymers.com