Better than expected

Generally speaking, 2011 was a greatly satisfying year for the Italian manufacturing industry of plastics & rubber processing machinery, equipment and moulds: after the deep crisis of 2009 (which actually erupted in late 2008 with the world financial crisis) and the slow recovery in 2010, heartening figures were finally witnessed again this past year.
Awaiting the consolidated figures, estimates developed by Assocomaplast (the national association representing the above industry) show revenues in the sector of over 4 billion euro, an increase of 11% over 2010, with exports especially providing encouragement at +19% for sales worth an overall 2.4 billion euro.
Although we are not quite at pre-crisis levels (2007, the best year ever, recorded production valued at 4.25 billion and exports at 2.75 billion), only a minimal amount of ground still remains to be regained. As is clear from the above figures, production is driven mainly by sales abroad and certainly not by the domestic market.