Packaging machinery manufacturers in Germany have expanded their worldwide machine sales $601 million in the last two years, catapulting the nation into the number two spot in the global market.
U.S. machinery manufacturers, on the other hand, have seen their share slip almost four points in that period, according to figures from the Confederation of Packaging Machinery Associations (COPAMA), a consortium of 13 international trade groups. U.S. firms still account for 27.6 percent of the worldwide market, but total sales of $5.85 billion in 2002 are $351 million lower than 2000 levels.