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NEWS VDMA: 2024 was a “year to forget”
Orders and sales of German plastics machinery fell again last year, says the VDMA trade association. Order intake slumped by 21% while sales fell 19% com- pared with the previous year. “We have had three years in which hardly any new orders were placed, and companies were pushed to their limits,” said Ulrich Reifenhäuser (right), chairman of VDMA’s plastics and rubber division. Short-time work was used to cushion the effects of the lower demand, and layoffs
were also commonplace in the industry. Reifenhäuser sees a
“glimmer of hope” – as the first quarter of 2025 saw a 5% increase in orders compared to Q1 2024, though sales are down 17% in the same period. Thorsten Kühmann, managing director of the association, added: “We assume that the bottom has been reached in terms of order intake. The industry will work its way up from here in small steps over the next few months.”
therefore be more of a transition year, but one with a positive outlook, he said. Despite last year’s poor performance, VDMA says the positive signs up increas- ing orders means “that K2025 in October is coming at just the right time”. “Companies will be able
VDMA expects 2025
sales to remain flat – if new orders can be generated in a short period of time – or to decline by a further 5% if sales only take effect next year. The year 2025 will
to present their solution expertise and innovations to a hopefully investment- friendly crowd of custom- ers,” he added. n See page 35 for our visitor guide to K2025. �
https://vdma.org
Visitors up at Chinaplas
This year’s Chinaplas – held in Shenzhen in April – saw a rise in both exhibitors and visitors. Visitors rose 13% to exceed 281,000, while the number of exhibitors was up 18% to more than 4,600. Overseas visitors, including those from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, exceeded 68,000 – 141% higher than the previous event in Shenzhen. This showed the event’s “significance in fostering international trade cooperation” said the organiser, Adsale. Next year’s event takes place in Shanghai on 21-24 April. �
www.chinaplasonline.com
IMAGE: ADSALE
IMAGE: LOU READE
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