Exports buoy Italian machinery sector

Milan - Exports of plastics and rubber machinery from Italy increased 5 percent during 2014, and look set to grow further this year, Assocomaplast has reported.

The rise in overseas purchases helped sustain Italian machinery manufacturers “in a period where the domestic market showed only timid signs of recovery in the very recent months,” the trade body commented.

Output from the machinery sector “again touched the threshold of €4 billion," the association estimated. This, it added, further tilted the Italian trade balance in a positive direction, taking it “well beyond the €2-billion mark".

Looking forward, Assocomaplast noted a “generally optimistic outlook” among member companies. In a survey, about a third expected further increases in orders and turnover in the current half year, and higher exports.

In a regional analysis, Assocomaplast said Europe, particularly the EU, strengthened as a market for Italian machinery in 2014, as did NAFTA due to increased exports to the US.

Trade with ‘extra-EU countries’ was, however, dragged down by the negative performance in Russia, partially as a result of the sanctions applied in response to the Ukraine crisis and the collapse of the ruble.

Elsewhere, the trade group noted a “lacklustre trend” in sales to Brazil, while an upswing in supplies to converters in China, Vietnam, Indonesia and India helped compensate for slowdowns in South Korea, Japan and Thailand.

(Image source: Marangoni)