Positive trend

January-July data for Italian imports and exports of plastics and rubber machinery evidenced a slackening recovery, although the performance is better when August is included. Imports were up by 23.1% with respect to January-August 2009 and exports had increased by +3.5%. If we consider only machinery (excluding parts, components and moulds), the trend in exports is even better (+8.7%), the highest level recorded by Italian manufacturers since the beginning of the current year. Flexographic printing machines, extruders and injection moulding machines showed the most encouraging results.