EUROMAP Press Release at K 2025

Despite phased-shifted demand, European manufacturers stick to transformation towards circular economy and digitalisation/AI

• Europe still no 1 supplier for plastics and rubber machinery 
• EUROMAP advocats open markets and fair competition 
• Internationally recognized standards drive competitiveness and sustainability 
• Energy, time and cost efficiency through OPC UA and Asset Administration Shell AAS 

Duesseldorf, 11 October 2025 – The demand for plastics and rubber machinery from Europe and worldwide has been declining over the last two years. The reason for this was the reluctance of customer industries to make purchases due to uncertainties in the relevant markets, including Europe and Germany. For 2025, we had expected demand to pick up, especially from the USA. This expectation has not been met due to the delivery tariffs to the USA and the associated uncertainties. Nevertheless, the forecast remains that demand from the USA will pick up in phases and thus, the buying mood worldwide will pick up again.
 

• Europe still no 1 supplier for plastics and rubber machinery

Europe continues to lead the world in the production of plastics and rubber machinery, accounting for over 40 percent of global output by value – followed by China, the USA, and Japan. While recent years have seen a shift in favor of China, Europe maintains its strong position. Within Europe, Germany contributes half of the total production, with Italy and Austria also playing key roles. 

EUROMAP, the association representing the European plastics and rubber machinery industry, speaks for around 500 companies. We are committed to strengthening their global competitiveness and actively contributing to the development of the international plastics industry. 

“Our sector is inherently global with tightly connected international supply chains. This is not so much about the levels of import or export shares – this interdependence reflects a global division of labor that benefits all participants.” Alessandro Grassi, CEO of FRIGOSYSTEM S.R.L. and EUROMAP Vice President, is convinced. 
 

• EUROMAP advocats open markets and fair competition 

To thrive, our industry depends on open markets. As a European association, EUROMAP supports its members in navigating this landscape and advocates for fair competition and a level playing field. 

One of our core missions is to establish internationally recognized standards, increasingly based on digital frameworks, to facilitate global cooperation and innovation. 

We maintain close relationships with international plastics industry associations and actively support major trade fairs worldwide, because collaboration and visibility are key to shaping the future of our industry. 
 

• Internationally recognized standards drive competitiveness and sustainability 

For technical standards to be effective, they need to be applied by the industry. This is what EUROMAP as an independent, international standardization body does for plastics and rubber machinery, having developed technical recommendations for more than 40 years now. About 10 
years ago, the portfolio was expanded to include digital standards. At that time, the digitalization of production lines had become increasingly important for future development, competitiveness and sustainability within companies. 

And still, machine data and data communication enable higher efficiency, extended functionality and new business models, provided that the data is consistent. Standards are an essential part of this. Only if all machines speak the same language, data can be used efficiently and comprehensively. Standardization lowers cost, shortens time-to-value, and makes results repeatable across sites. 
 

• Energy, time and cost efficiency through OPC UA and Asset Administration Shell 

Today, EUROMAP’s Technical Recommendations focus on digitalization and Industry 4.0. OPC UA has been established as the Global Production Language and EUROMAP has extended its work to the Asset Administration Shell (AAS) as the standard for the Digital Twin. Together, OPC UA and AAS provide a common language and a durable data model. This is the foundation for plug-and-produce integration, trustworthy sustainability data, and long-term compatibility. 

Tobias Baur, CSO of ARBURG GmbH & Co KG and EUROMAP president, confirms: “Our customers’ benefits are immediately apparent to users and customers: less complexity, fewer interfaces, and quicker setup. Teams solve problems faster, lines run with less downtime, and planning tools can schedule smarter and align production with energy availability and cost. Energy and material flows become transparent, enabling higher efficiency, better recycling, and reliable reporting of the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF).”

Your contact:

Thorsten Kühmann
Secretary General of EUROMAP
EUROMAP
c/o VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery
Lyoner Straße 18, 60528 Frankfurt, Germany

Phone: +49 69 6603-1831
e-Mail: thorsten.kuehmann@vdma.eu