17 Mar 2006
London--ERJ is currently seeking information about companies that make machinery for the rubber industry. Each year, ERJ reports on the global rubber machinery business. Part of the research is a survey of the world's main rubber machinery manufacturers.
The 2006 survey will be published in the next issue of European Rubber Journal, which goes to press in the next few days. Machinery makers are requested to download the form (see link below), fill it in and return it by Friday 17 March.
Early analysis of the reults shows that 2005 was a super-boom year for the tyre industry, up 15 - 20 percent on 2004, which was itself an excellent year. Sales in non-tyre were more or less flat, but those numbers were hit hard by a significant decline on injection moulding machine sales from all the main western manufacturers, while Chinese IM suppliers are still growing. So outside IM, non-tyre sales were reasonably healthy.
The tyre sector is growing thanks to a one-time bulge in volumes as Michelin, Goodyear and Conti switch away from their captive suppliers and divert purchasing into open market suppliers. Combine that with huge investments around the world and you have the recipe for a superb 2005.
2006 does not look so good (how could, it really, after two such bouyant years). But the industry is responding to higher silica fractions with higher added value coatings and materials on flow paths and such like.
More analysis will appear in the coming issue of ERJ and extra informatino will be available on this website as soon as the results are all properly compiled.
This year we have prepared the form in Microsoft Word, so that it can be filled in by computer and emailed back to ERJ for added speed and convenience.
There is no charge to companies for appearing in this survey, and all those who return a completed form are guaranteed a free entry in the finished report. All we ask is a little of your time to complete the form. Some companies will not want to answer every question, but the more you can answer, the more detail we can print about your company.
ERJ's annual machinery survey has become a standard reference work for all those looking to buy new or reconditioned machinery in the rubber industry. Please return the form and ensure that your company has its entry in this standard reference work.
Just a final reminder, I need completed forms by Friday 17 March to guarantee entry in the 2006 machinery survey.
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