Italian exports hold firm

The analysis by Assocomaplast (the Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery and moulds manufacturers' Association) of the Istat (the Italian Institute of statistics) figures for Italian foreign trade of plastics and rubber processing machinery reveal that exports have held firm: despite the still-difficult economic climate, their value over the first five months of this year is in line with that recorded over the same period in 2012.
This result - which Assocomaplast to some degree expected, given the upturn in equipment manufacturers' order books revealed by the latest business surveys conducted among its members - comes at the end of a three-month period characterized by fluctuating export performance. In fact, marked increases in January and February were followed by a slowdown in March, which was, however, immediately compensated by a +1.5% rise at the end of April.
Foreign sales continue to be a key factor sustaining the sector's overall performance, since on the domestic front there are no signs in the near future of any increase in production output that would renew processors' propensity to invest in equipment. In fact, Italian machinery imports continued to decline also in May, for the fourth consecutive month.
An important opportunity for Italian rubber and plastic machinery manufacturers to take stock and regroup will be the K trade show in Duesseldorf, from 16 to 23 October 2013 (where Assocomaplast will exhibit at the stand A56, in the hall 16); Italy's presence there will in fact be second only to that of the Germans, and will amply showcase the technological innovations developed by Italian manufacturers.