German Packaging Machinery Production Increased Again in 2019
2019 marked the ninth consecutive year of growth for the German packaging machinery industry. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, approximately 250 primarily medium-sized companies produced packaging machines worth a total of 7.3 billion euros, an increase of 2.2%.
Filling and sealing machines accounted for about one-third of total production, approximately 2 billion euros, growing by 3% year-on-year. This figure includes beverage filling machines, which grew by 5% to 461 million euros. Form, fill, and seal machine production increased by 3% to 1.23 billion euros.
Palletizers (up 23.5%), case packers and transport packaging machines (up 7.3%), other packaging machines (up 9.2%), and packaging machine parts (up 3.1%) all achieved positive growth. In contrast, labeling and decorating machines (-9.2%), packaging machines (-17.2%), and packaging cleaning machines (-22.7%) experienced declining production.
German Packaging Machinery Exports in 2019 - A Pillar of Success
German packaging machinery manufacturers supply their machines and equipment to over 100 countries worldwide, with overseas sales accounting for more than 80% of their turnover. Exports grew by 2.3%, reaching a record high of nearly 6 billion euros in 2019.
Half of the machinery was delivered to European markets, with 36% going to Western European countries. France remained the largest single sales market. Demand increased by nearly 5% to 315 million euros. Manufacturers exported machinery and equipment worth 923 million euros to Eastern Europe, growing by nearly 4%. Poland was the region's largest single sales market with exports totaling 300 million euros, followed by Russia. Exports to Russia were worth 203 million euros, increasing by 5%.
Asia accounted for 20% of German packaging machinery exports, becoming the second-largest sales region. Deliveries grew by nearly 16% to 1.14 billion euros. China remained the largest customer country in the region. After three years of sluggishness, demand rebounded in 2019, with the country purchasing machinery and equipment worth 450 million euros, a 23% increase. India, Indonesia, and Thailand further drove growth.
Third-largest sales region North American exports grew by nearly 8% to 886 million euros. Among these, packaging machines worth 785 million euros were sold to the United States, which has been the world's largest single sales market for manufacturers for many years.
Deliveries to African packaging machinery manufacturers showed slight growth, accounting for almost 6% of total exports. Here, more goods were shipped to Nigeria and Ghana.
Demand from Latin America fell by 30% year-on-year, particularly due to Mexico's economic downturn. After two years of high project deliveries, exports dropped by nearly 70% in 2019.
Exports to the Near East and Middle East also declined by double digits (negative 17%). Deliveries to Iran dropped by over 60%, while Saudi Arabia's deliveries fell by 17%. Conversely, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Israel stimulated demand.
The 10 largest individual sales countries for German packaging machinery manufacturers in 2019 were: United States, China, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherlands, Russia, Switzerland, and Belgium.
International Trade in German Packaging Machinery in 2019
International trade in packaging machinery grew by 4% in 2019 to 22.4 billion euros, with Germany and Italy maintaining dominance for many years. Germany maintained its position as the number one exporter in 2019 with a 27% market share. Since 2015, exports had stagnated, and this was the first time since then, when exports declined by nearly 2%, as China's share in international trade continued to expand, slightly decreasing from the 2010 level of less than 4% to 7% in 2019. The country's exports grew significantly in 2019 to 1.51 billion euros, up 26% from the previous year. The Netherlands ranked fourth among the world's largest packaging machinery exporters, accounting for 5% of global trade.
Source: Automated Packaging Line
