Plastics and rubber processing machinery towards K at full speed

A growing order book characterizes the Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery manufacturing industry: the first half of the year closed with an increase of 10% compared to the same period in 2021, and forecasts for the third quarter are still positive, above all thanks to sales and orders from abroad.

Moreover, the Italian performance appears to be better than that of the German competitors: in a report released prior to the summer break, VDMA Sector Association predicted a downturn for the ongoing year, especially in light of the slowdown in orders, and are expecting a turnover in line with 2021 - or a few points greater at best.

Even in terms of exports, Germany closed the first half of the year with a growth of 1%, whereas Italy registered an increase of 3%.

In terms of Italian sales abroad - historically absorbing over 70% of production - an intensification of flows to non-EU European, South American, and Asian markets can be observed. On the other hand, European Union and North America have registered a slight slowdown.

With regard to the most important markets, specifically the top ten by value, an increase in sales is recorded for Germany, Poland, Mexico, and Spain, as well as in India and the UK. On the contrary, deliveries to the USA, China, France, and Turkey decreased.

As far as product categories are concerned, there has been a remarkable increase in the extrusion market, with plants for mono- and multifilament registering export growth of 64%, now accounting for 6% of the total, with extruders generally closing at +25%.

However, the current state of economy is rather concerning: the drastic rises in energy prices have worsened in the past weeks, exacerbating components and raw materials shortages recorded in previous months.

Powering through these ups and downs, companies of the industry are finalizing arrangements to present their technological innovations at the 2022 K exhibition, which will take place in Düsseldorf 19-26 October.

Over 250 Italian machinery suppliers have enlisted in the upcoming German fair - half of them Amaplast members. Alongside more than 150 companies in the plastics and rubber supply chain (which accounts for more than 5% of the entire national manufacturing industry), they form the Italian team in Düsseldorf, outnumbered only by the host.

The key element that sets the Italian proposal apart at the fair is sustainability: it lies at the heart of ecological transition, and it represents a vital factor for the industrial development of the country.

Unsurprisingly, one of the points emerging from “The circularity of plastics: industrial opportunities, innovation and economic-occupational benefits for Italy”, the Strategic Report by The European House-Ambrosetti, concerns the plastics recovery segment, worth more than double the European average in Italy. Moreover, no other component has showcased such dynamism in the past 5 years - dynamism that is also fuelled by mechanical recycling plants, which have reached a very high level of sophistication.

In parallel, Italian machinery manufacturers are able to provide solutions aimed at improving the environmental sustainability of the transformation processes: machines with low energy consumption that will make it possible to produce items that are increasingly lighter yet just as technically sophisticated.

Amaplast will support the Italian exhibitors at K from the institutional stand (A56, hall 16), while also providing visitors with details about the industry and handing out MacPlas magazines.

The German exhibition will be officially attended by Plast 2023 (Milan, 5-8 September), organized by Promaplast, the Amaplast service company. Applications are now being accepted from new exhibitors and 30,000 square metres have already been reconfirmed by the approximately 600 exhibitors previously enlisted in Plast 2021, postponed to 2023 due to the pandemic.