Italy’s plastics machinery sales held steady in 2013

The Italian plastic and rubber machinery market held study in 2013, according to new data from Assocomaplast, Italy’s plastics trade association.

“Recovery in exports, which gained momentum particularly in the last quarter of 2013, with a last minute surge in December, allowed the Italian manufacturers to compensate for the lasting weakness in the domestic market,” the group said in a statement. “The very slight decline in demand from abroad, which reached 2.55 billion euros and represents over 65% of total production, which topped 3.9 billion euros, kept revenue losses within 2.5% with respect to 2012 and further improved an already very positive balance of trade.”

According to Assocomaplast, the stability in the industry was attributable to strong growth in injection molding machines, where sales grew by 32% to over 126 million euros

Sales fell for extruders and blow molding equipment, the group added.

Production revenue in the industry dropped by 2.5% between 2012 and 2013, falling from 4 billion euros to 3.9 billion euros – a decline that Assocomaplast attributed to a slight fall in demand from abroad.

The organization ranked the top five export markets for Italian machinery: Germany, France, the U.S., Poland, and China. Exports to Poland grew by 5% in 2013, Assocomaplast said, while the remaining export markets saw drops ranging from 3% to Germany and 17% to France.

Milan-based Assocomaplast represents approximately 160 Italian plastics and rubber machinery, ancillary equipment, and molds manufacturers.