Rome, Italy: Exports of Italian machine tools were down by 4.3 percent for the first three months of 2016 according to data from ISTAT-National Institute for Statistics—processed by UCIMU.

With the mid-year reports of positive conditions and optimistic prospects by machine tool manufacturers of the European Union (EU), the European Association of the Machine Tool Industries (CECIMO) expects a three percent growth for 2015.

Italy: The Italian industry manufacturing machine tools, robots and automation systems have ended 2014 on a positive note. Luigi Galdabini, president of UCIMU-Sistemi Per Produrre, said: “The recovery, which had started at the end of 2013, materialised in 2014. Among all indicators, the most relevant datum is that of domestic consumption which has finally come back to a positive sign, showing the new willingness to invest of the Italian users.”

According to the preliminary figures processed by the Studies Department of UCIMU, production in 2014 achieved €4.695 billion (US$5.572 billion), a 4.6 percent growth compared to the value of the previous year.

Part of this improvement can be attributed to the growing domestic market. The association says production is growing and Italian consumption are starting up again, registering a double-figure increase and driving the manufacturers' deliveries and import. All in all, Italian consumption added up to €2.420 billion, an 18.2 percent increase compared to numbers in 2013, highlighting the recovery of investments made by the Italian manufacturing industry in production systems. 

Manufacturers have taken advantage of this trend that resulted in deliveries in the domestic market growing by 21.1 percent, to €1.335 billion. On the other hand, imports recorded a lower increase (+14.9 percent), amounting to €1.085 billion.

On the export front, the figures are described as “stable” by UCIMU. The numbers are confirmed to remain on the level of 2013, reaching €3.360 billion (-0.7 percent). This is due to the general slowdown of the world trade and, in particular, by the decision of the European Union to limit exports of machine tools to Russia, as a consequence of the tension between the Federation and Ukraine.

The association says in the first nine months of the year, the main destination countries of ‘Made in Italy’ machines are China, (-18.6 percent) €264 million, the US (-8.4 percent) 258 million, Germany (+0.2 percent) 231 million, Russia (-16 percent) 110 million, France (+0.8 percent) 102 million, Turkey (+0.6 percent) 81 million, Poland (+17.1 percent) 71 million, India (-35.5 percent) 62 million, Mexico (+11 percent) 61 million, Brazil (-37.3 percent) 60 million.

Leaving 2014 behind, the forecasts for 2015 are positive, says the organisation. Manufacturers' deliveries are expected to keep on growing, achieving €1.390 billion, marking a +4.1 percent, driven by the positive trend of domestic consumption which will reach €2.530 billion, ie: +4.5 percent compared to 2014. Imports will also benefit from the bright demand expressed by the Italian users, increasing to €1.140 billion, +5.1 percent versus 2014. 

Not satisfied with their endeavours in China, Italian machine builders are now casting their sights on Southeast Asia. By Joson Ng

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.