Record purchases of new packaging machinery by food and beverage processors in 2002 rescued U.S. equipment suppliers from a second consecutive annual decline in shipments and enabled them to keep pace with 2001's $4.8 billion sales pace.
The food and beverage industry's $2.9 billion in new equipment purchases was a record and reversed declines in 2000 and 2001. Processors accounted for 60.2 percent of all machinery purchases.