The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) has reported a 12% rise in US packaging machinery shipments in 2010 to $5.5bn from $4.9bn in 2009.

PMMI’s annual US Packaging Machinery Shipments Report also indicates that exports increased by 9% to $975m in 2010 from $891m in 2009, while imports rose by 13% to $1.32bn.

Charles Yuska, PMMI president and CEO, said shipments in 2008 were generally flat from 2007, and 2009 shipments declined by 16.3%.

The report noted food, beverage and pharmaceutical/medical devices accounted for 70% of monies spent on packaging machinery.

The shipments for 2010 were calculated by combining responses from 178 PMMI member packaging machinery manufacturers with projected non-member shipments.