BRIC for two

The comparison between the Italian and the German export of plastics and rubber machinery in the decade 2000-2009 towards Brasil-India-Russia-China confirms a somehow similar trend for the two main manufacturers. As regards Brasil, first of all it shall be remarked that the starting point is almost the same, with a slight advantage for Italy over Germany (69.5 million euro versus 62.6). In the following years, the difference got more considerable in favour of Germany, that in 2005 exceeded 87 million whilst Italy stopped below 50 million. Another negative peak was recorded in 2006 but along the two following years the two suppliers recovered quotas and Germany exceeded 117 million euro whilst Italy 74. A further downturn in 2009: -30% the Italian sales to Brasil (projections on January-October data) and -42% those of Germany.
As for Russia, the trend of the Italian export is fundamentally growing with a sinusoidal shape, i.e. from just below 40 million euro in 2000 to some 105 in 2004 to 206.7 in 2007, with falls in between. However, in the latest two years a strong inversion occurred, down to the minimum level at 103 million. Contrariwise, Germany's sales grew constantly - from 60 million in 2000 to over 320 in 2008 - with double-digit growth year-on-year; just the comparison 2009/2008 shows a 38% decrease. India is the only one stable market for the Italian and the German sectoral export, even as regards 2009: as a matter of fact, Italy's sales recorded a mere 4% shrink whilst Germany attained a surprising +25%, up to 167 million (just over 32 in 2000).
Even as regards China the Italian export had opposite peaks from one year to another - with a maximum of 183 million in 2001, after the minimum of 91 recorded in 2000 - but the curve remained fundamentally growing and then essentially stable until 2007, inverting itself in 2008 and 2009. Contrariwise, the German export was strongly and constantly growing, up to 675 million in 2004, and then fell to 385 million in 2005 and 360 in 2006; the further two years were positive again whilst a new stop in 2009 (-24%).