Plastics industry suppliers are seeing signs of economic recovery in Mexico.

Arburg GmbH + Co KG believes between 500-600 injection molding machines of small and medium clamping force will be sold in Mexico this year.

Last year the market saw sales of fewer than 500 presses with clamping forces between 12.5 and 500 tons, Torsten Haas, the company’s director of sales for Mexico, Venezuela and Central America, said in an interview at Plastimagen México 2010.

“This year I think the market will be between 500 and 600 machines,” said Haas, who declined to speculate on Arburg’s share.

Haas described Brazil as Lossburg, Germany-based Arburg’s strongest market in Latin America. Mexico is the second strongest, and he explained that Venezuela is among the most difficult, “because of the political situation. There are dollar [supply] restrictions and big problems with energy. They can’t produce the energy they need.”

A regional manager for Sabic Innovative Plastics also sees signs of recovery in Mexico.

“We are seeing [sales] for appliances and electronics showing a positive trend,” said Juan Signoret, regional manager for Mexico and Central America. He said Sabic has seen signs of an economic recovery in Mexico in the first quarter.

Sabic also supplies Mexico’s automotive, construction and aerospace sectors, among others.

“Mexico is the emerging market of the Americas,” Signoret said. “The country is rapidly becoming a strong industry player, with a broad range of core and emerging markets.”