Contact: Bonnie Limbach
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPI COMMITTEE ON EQUIPMENT STATISTICS RELEASES FIRST QUARTER 2002 REPORT ON PLASTICS MACHINERY SHIPMENTS

WASHINGTON (August 12, 2002) - The Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES) of The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) has released its "First Quarter 2002 Report."

The new publication provides an overview of plastics equipment shipments from Second Quarter 2001 through First Quarter 2002. The CES report also includes an analysis of the U.S. economy and the plastics industry, looking at such factors as general economic indicators and durable goods shipments to provide perspective for trends in plastics equipment sales and shipments.

The report, compiled by VERIS Consulting, LLC, using data supplied by CES participating companies, was created to provide a beneficial and important tool for examining and understanding the vital U.S. plastics machinery and equipment industry.

• U.S. plastics industry shipments totaled $973 million of product starting with Second Quarter 2001 through First Quarter 2002 (excluding components and extrusion, which are not published in dollar terms.)
• Combined U.S. shipment dollars of injection, blow molding and auxiliary equipment saw a 23.3-percent decline in First Quarter 2002, when compared to First Quarter 2001.
• Units of injection molding equipment shipped in First Quarter 2002 were down 28.1 percent when compared to First Quarter 2001, while shipment dollars were down 32.4 percent over the same timeframe.
• Extrusion machinery units shipped in First Quarter 2002 were up 3.1 percent compared to First Quarter 2001, while auxiliary equipment shipment dollars declined 11.3 percent during the same timeframe.
• The plastics components sector saw a decline in shipments of 30.8 percent in First Quarter 2002, when compared to First Quarter 2001.
• Shipments of blow molding equipment also are reported in the publication. However, the manner in which companies submitted data in this category changed for this report period, resulting in more accurate data but making direct comparisons to the previous year's numbers more difficult.

The CES collects monthly order and shipment data from manufacturers of plastic injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, auxiliary and component equipment manufacturers. The monthly data, compiled by a confidential third-party fiduciary, is aggregated and disseminated to participating companies, making the SPI program the only provider of timely and reliable plastics equipment statistics in the country.

Credit card orders for the Committee's publications can be placed by calling (800) 541-0736. The cost of the CES Annual Report (Reference No. AB-151) is $145 for SPI members, $290 for non-members. For a one-year subscription, which includes the Committee's Annual Report plus the quarterly reports (AB-152), the cost is $295 for members and $590 for non-members.

Founded in 1937, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., is the trade association representing one of the largest manufacturing industries in the United States. SPI's 1,500 members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw material suppliers. For more information, visit SPI on the Web at www.plasticsindustry.org.

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