FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tracy Cullen
(202) 974-5282
Email: tcullen@plasticsindustry.org

SPI RELEASES THIRD QUARTER PLASTICS MACHINERY SHIPMENT STATISTICS

Total Value of Plastics Machinery Shipments Rises Three Percent from Second Quarter; Extrusion Machinery Shipment Value Up 19 Percent for Year-to-Date

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 5, 2006) – U.S. manufacturers and importers of primary plastics machinery and equipment shipped $254 million worth of primary machinery (excluding components and auxiliary equipment) in the third quarter 2006, according to the latest equipment statistics released today by the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. (SPI) Committee on Equipment Statistics. This is 3 percent higher than the $246 million shipped in the second quarter of this year.

For the year to date, shipments of primary plastics equipment by U.S. manufacturers and importers have totaled $746 million, a 2 percent decrease when compared with the same period in 2005. However, economist Bill Wood, who provided the analysis for SPI's report, forecasts a modest increase for the coming year. "Overall, there has not been much change in the 2006 data when compared with last year—it has held steady. But conditions will start to rebound sometime in the first half of 2007, and I am sticking to my forecast of "steady-to-modest rise' for next year."

The quarterly machinery shipment statistics report serves as an important tool for examining and understanding the U.S. plastics machinery and equipment industry, as well as the economic trends that impact it. Using monthly data supplied by CES participating companies, the report was compiled by VERIS Consulting, LLC. The analysis of the aggregate data was completed by Mountaintop Economics & Research, Inc., a supplier of market analyses and forecasts for decision makers in the plastics industry.

Other data included in the report:

• The shipments value of extrusion machinery in the third quarter jumped 15 percent when compared with the same quarter last year, and is up 19 percent for the year-to-date.
• The value of injection molding machinery shipments in the third quarter is 3 percent lower than the same quarter last year, but it is 3 percent more than the second quarter of 2006. For the year to date, the shipments value of injection molding machinery is down modestly (3 percent) from last year's pace.
• The plastics components sector saw a decrease of 8 percent when compared with the second quarter of this year. (It is not possible to compare this figure to data from the previous year because the number of reporting companies changed from 2005 to 2006.)
• The shipments value of blow molding machinery in the third quarter of 2006 is 10 percent lower than the value registered in the third quarter of last year, but it is up 130 percent from the second quarter of 2006.

SPI's CES is the only provider of timely and reliable plastics equipment statistics in the country. The report can be found online at SPI's Plastics Industry Store. The third quarter 2006 report is free for members and costs $250 for non-members.

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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 members represent the entire plastics industry supply chain, including processors, machinery and equipment manufacturers and raw materials suppliers. The U.S. plastics industry employs 1.3 million workers and provides nearly $345 billion in annual shipments.

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