The world export volume for high-pressure and low-pressure die casting machinery rose by 6.4 % to € 925 million from 2017 to 2018. There was above-average growth in the sales of the CEMAFON countries at 11 %. In contrast, China, Japan and the USA recorded a fall in sales in the single-digit range. As in the previous years, the world’s largest exporter of die casting machinery was Italy, followed by Japan, China, Switzerland and Germany.

The world market share of the CEMAFON member states – Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland - grew by one percentage point compared with the previous year, reaching 43 % of the world market. The value of equipment produced by the CEMAFON high-pressure and low-pressure die-casting machinery manufacturers amounted to € 395 million in 2018.

Growth in share of exports to Europe and Asia.

The regional distribution of exports by the CEMAFON member states changed more markedly in 2018 than in previous years. Continuity was evident in further growth in export shares to European markets, reaching 53 % (plus 7 %). All in all, deliveries rose by 27 % to € 210 million.

Compared with 2017, there was also a slight increase in the share of exports to Asia (up 3 % to 30 %). This development was largely due to higher deliveries from Italy and Switzerland to India.

The percentage of deliveries to the Americas fell sharply from 24 to 11 %. The main reason was the worldwide slump in die casting machinery exports to the USA. Such a marked fall (45 %) had not been recorded since 2009. CEMAFON deliveries decreased even more drastically, by 65 %, while there was a positive development in trade with some countries in Latin America. Deliveries from Italy to Brazil rose by 138 % and exports from Germany to Mexico grew by almost 65 %.

There was also a slight fall of 4 % in worldwide die casting machinery exports to China, which continued at the high level of € 190 million. Nevertheless, there were significant increases in exports to China from Germany and Italy of 58 % and 32 % respectively.

“The growing number of technology and business model options, not only in the automotive sector, and the downturn in investment dynamics in Europe and China are having a marked impact on international demand for die casting machinery. The situation of the market players has reached a new dimension of complexity. On the one hand, the impact of decisions may be enormous; on the other hand, extremely fast reactions are called for. The solution of equations with a growing number of unknowns with respect to technological transformation, business models and market developments poses new, Herculean tasks for companies in the casting machinery sector,” said Dr. Timo Würz, General Secretary CEMAFON.

Source: CEMAFON (The European Foundry Equipment Suppliers Association)