The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) reports that overall industry orders (bookings) for the first 6 months of 2018 increased 43.2% compared to the same period in 2017, with total orders of $8.85 billion. CEMA estimates industry billed sales (shipments) for the first 6 months of 2018 increased 22.29% compared to the same period in 2017, with total shipments of $8.36 billion.

Unit Handling orders were up 58.88% and shipments were up 24.2%. In the Bulk Conveying area, orders were up 8.98% and shipments were up 16.9%.

CEMA tracks new orders and shipped sales volume in nine classes of unit handling equipment and four classes of bulk handling equipment. CEMA President, Ned Thompson announced the results at the Association’s Fall Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.

The executives representing CEMA member companies who attended the Fall Meeting expressed optimism for the remainder of 2018. As a result, the forecast for shipments for 2018 changed from March 2018 forecast of a 9.0% increase to an increase of 22.0% for 2018.

CEMA, the industry leader in safety and technical standards and founded in 1933, makes available to member and nonmember companies safety labels for all types of conveyor equipment as well as useful technical information, standards, and manuals.

For further information on CEMA, “The Voice of the Conveyor Industry of the Americas” or its member companies, or to order safety labels or CEMA publications, visit our website at www.cemanet.org.