September 19, 2024 14:35

Amaplast, the association of Italian makers of rubber and plastic processing machinery, reports a decline in the sector's import-export performance in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

For imports, an indicator of domestic market sales trends, there has been a gradual deterioration. Overall, from January to June, imports amounted to 483 million euros, down 12% from 2023, with significant drops from the three main supplying countries: Germany, China, and Austria. Amaplast attributes this to a reduced investment propensity, set against a backdrop of a general economic slowdown and a contraction in industrial production.

Exports, on the other hand, remain in positive territory, with a 2.5% growth in the first half, reaching 1.73 billion euros, although this has been gradually slowing due to decreased demand for various types of machinery and molds.
The difficulties faced by German manufacturing and sales in the United States, Italy's main trading partners, weigh on the overall performance. The German figure is confirmed by the VDMA, with a 20-point drop in order intake and a 9-point drop in turnover, with the domestic market suffering more than exports.

Among the top 10 destinations for Italian sector production, the trend is not homogeneous. Supplies to other EU markets, namely Spain, Poland, and France, show declines of 13%, 32%, and a stable performance, respectively. Exports to non-EU countries, however, saw double-digit increases: up 26% to Mexico, 36% to China, 50% to Turkey, 22% to India, and 24% to the UK.

Italian manufacturers of rubber and plastic machinery, according to Amaplast, are concerned about the industry's outlook, with cautious expectations for the coming months given macroeconomic indicators, market turmoil, and uncertainties affecting the industrial sector, particularly regarding the energy transition.

Order collection in Italy remains generally negative, although there are substantial differences between technologies. After a tough first quarter, some weak signs of recovery were observed in the following three months.

In this complex scenario, Amaplast forecasts a year-end revenue contraction compared to 2023, which had closed with record figures: revenue increased by 2.8% to 4.8 billion euros, with exports growing by 10.8% to 3.59 billion euros.

Amaplast, the national trade association affiliated with Confindustria, represents approximately 170 manufacturers of machinery, equipment, and molds for plastics and rubber.

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