Cinisello Balsamo, Italy: Forecasts by the UCIMU Studies Department say that the Italian machine tools industry will find its way back to growth in 2014.
According to forecasts, 2014 production will go up 4.4 percent to 4,685 million euro (US$6,372 million). Exports will increase by 4.7 percent reaching 3,545 million. Italian consumption will be back on a growth path with a 3.3 percent increase to 2,115 million euro, thus providing Italian manufacturers' deliveries with much needed stimulus expected to result in a 3.4 percent growth to 1,140 million euro. Imports are expected to grow (+3.3 percent), with the import/consumption ratio set to remain stable. The export/production ratio will continue increasing to 75.7 percent.
As to export figures, in 2013 China confirmed its position as the first and most important end market for the Made in Italy of the sector, followed by the USA, Germany, Russia, France and Brazil. The latest figures available, concerning the period going from January to March 2014, highlight a recovery of foreign sales, up 2.1 percent compared to the first quarter of 2013. Germany is back leading the ranking as the biggest end market, following a 17.6 percent year-on-year increase in the purchases of Italian machine tools, followed by China (-16.3 percent) and the USA (-11 percent), both suffering big slackening. Good performance for France (+30.2 percent). Russia (-5.8 percent) and India (-35.3 percent) close the top positions of the ranking.
"Against an unflattering European backdrop, Italy is experiencing a particularly tough stage that doesn't seem to be completely over yet," said UCIMU president Luigi Galdabini. "The Italian economy is still too static and stuck, thus risking to further damage the manufacturing industry in the country which basically stopped investing in production machinery in 2008."
This across-the-board crisis has indeed long blocked all investment in production technology. Obsolete machinery not being replaced (in 2005, when the last survey was carried out, 25 percent of machines in Italy had been operated for more than 20 years) as well as recent purchases of innovative systems by companies in emerging markets foster fears that our industry might not be able to keep up with foreign competitors.
