The analysis by Assocomaplast, the Italian trade association, belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 160 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery) of the latest ISTAT, the Italian National Institute of Statistics, figures for Italian foreign trade shows that, in the first half of 2013, imports in the sector were somewhat weak compared to the same period in 2012 whereas exports held relatively firm, as summarized in Table 1. The downturn in imports is a symptom of a domestic market that still struggles to recover. However, a potentially promising sign, on this

During the second quarter of 2013, new orders for textile machinery, as elaborated by ACIMIT’s economics and press department, showed signs of growth compared to the same period for 2012 (+12%). The absolute index stood at 92.2 points (basis 2010=100). These figures are the result of a growing rate of new orders abroad (+14%), and a stable domestic market (-1%). Compared to the previous economic quarter, the orders index appears to have improved both domestically and abroad. ACIMIT President Raffaella Carabelli confirms, “Overall figures show a definite improvement with respect to the previous

Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) and RONCHI America, LLC. announced Monday that RONCHI Mario, S.p.A of Milan, Italy, one of the world's leading manufacturers of high speed flow meter based liquid filling and automated packaging machinery for the personal care, house hold cleaner and pharmaceutical industries has selected Paulding County for its new U.S. headquarters location. The facility will include RONCHI America's administrative, sales, spare parts, service, assembly, warehouse and shipping/receiving operations. Michele Falsini, Director of U.S. Operations for RONCHI America

THE BIOTECH SECTOR IN ITALY: A GROWING AND PROMISING REALITY Vigorous growth and an excellent innovation capacity. These are the principal characteristics of the Italian biotech sector. In view of the tender age of this industry such characteristics are, in some respects, very surprising. Thanks to them, Italy has managed to meet a challenge that would have been unthinkable a few years ago: to finally appear on the radar screens of the major biopharmaceutical and biotechnological companies and venture capital operators. There are tangible facts behind this phenomenon: new enterprises emerging

Italian exports of graphic, paper and converting machinery have increased by 4.82% in the first quarter of 2012. Imports are also showing an impressive + 9.94%. Such are the figures published by the Research Center of trade association ACIMGA based on Istat data. The same source reveals that the USA remains the first buyer of Italian machinery with a 68.8 % increase, followed by Germany and China – over the last quarter, the latter has doubled its orders. “We are relieved to see the plus sign in front of these figures, in sharp contrast with the general economic scenario, especially in

For Italian textile machinery, 2012 begins with greater stability than the previous year. In fact, in the first quarter of the year, orders are up by a modest 2% compared to the last three months of 2011. According to joint surveys conducted by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, the overall orders index for the January- March 2012 period shows an increase of 2% over the previous quarter with a value of 91.2 points. Nevertheless, there is a different trend between orders in Italy and those in foreign markets. In the Italian market, the index increased 34%