According to statistics provided by the association, Assocomaplast, Italian imports and exports for the sector recorded new gains in the first half of 2012 with respect to the same period in 2011. Italian exports for the sector, marked a substantial increase (+11%) exceeding 1.23 billion euros overall. This has produced measurable improvement in the balance of trade, which has reached figures well in excess of 900 million euros. Regarding the principal types of machinery exported, extruders, accounting for roughly 12% of the total, continue to record double-digit growth, approaching twenty

For the italian woodworking machinery manufacturers, 2011 was characterized as reflecting a significant recovery. According to the preliminary figures processed by the Italian woodworking machinery manufacturers' association, ACIMALL, production amounted to 1,699 million euros - a stark increase of 10.2 % compared to the previous year. Italian exports in 2011 amounted to 1,278 million euros, i.e. 75 percent of the sector's total production. ACIMALL's analysts estimate that, in 2011, Italian machinery export accounted for 18 percent of the total global offer, confirming the international

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%

If we can believe the numbers, as would usually be the case, for Italy's machine producing industry, the year 2011 ended on a rather pleasant note. It's true that the beating we all took in 2008/2009 has taken a long time to heal, but growth over the last two year is turning out to be much more than a flash in the pan. Overall production rose by 13.2% in 2010 over 2009, and another 12.2% in 2011. As we know, most of the credit goes to exports, which shot up by 15.8% in 2010 and 16.4% in 2011, while domestic consumption, even though it posted a promising +8% in 2010, slowed to a trickle last

According to recent statistics from Istat, the Italian Statistical Agency, elaborated by Unacea, a newly formed association representing the Italian construction equipment industry, Italian exports of construction machinery and equipment grew by a stunning 23% with respect to the previous year. For 2011, the total value of the Italian export of construction machinery and equipment worldwide surpassed 2,226 million Euros. The biggest growth was registered within the earthmoving machinery sector (+42%), followed by tower cranes (+23%), drilling and boring machines (20%), on-road construction

According to the preliminary figures processed by the Studies Office of Acimall, 2011 should have closed with 5.8 percent growth compared to 2010. This is a positive figure, though definitely far from the results expected based on the trend of the first semester. Good news for exports, up by more than 10 percent, with France and Germany as top destination countries. 2011 saw a significant reduction of imports into Italy, which clearly indicates a standstill in woodworking technology investments within the country. In the high end of the market especially (apparent consumption decreased by 9.5