Backward overview

MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT - Set against the estimates issued at the start of the year by Assocomaplast (the Italian association of plastics and rubber machinery and equipment), the performance of the sector in 2008, relative to its unquestionably brilliant results of 2007, proved to be better than expected in terms of turnover and output, but decidedly worse for exports, which have always been the driving force of this industry. The worldwide recession, which began to be felt in the fourth quarter of last year, significantly compromised exports in this sector. For what concerns the prospects for 2009, any attempt to formulate predictions that are at least somewhat realistic - though still inevitably undermined by the serious difficulties of the global economic context - will require waiting a few more months, also to better “confirm” the positive signals of PLAST’09 (Milan, March 24-28) trade show, which seemed to foretoken trend changes in the medium term and, possibly, a recovery of technology investments on the part of domestic and foreign processors.