German-made machinery orders increase

FRANKFURT, Germany (Sept. 19)—Orders for rubber and plastics machinery produced by German companies grew 24 percent during the first half of the year compared with the same period of 1999, according to a new report. German customers boosted purchases by 38 percent, according to the nation´s Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association, while foreign customer´s orders rose 19 percent. The trade group cited the growth in demand for rubber and plastics products worldwide as a prime reason for the increase in machinery orders.