MILAN — February 2012 — In spite of an increase in production for 2011 by Italian textile machinery
manufacturers, forecasts remain cautious for the current year.
Provisional figures for 2011 for Italy’s textile machinery sector show a further increase in
manufacturing production and exports, following a good recovery in 2010 — this, after a 2009 during
which machinery manufacturers were hit hard by the recession.
The value of Italian textile machinery production for 2011 registered a 9% increase compared
to 2010, from 2.4 to 2.6 billion euros. A similar increase was recorded for exports (+10%), which
reached a value of just over 2.1 billion euros.
Exports remain the driving force behind the sector growth in Italy. The dynamism of major
textile markets combined with the ability of Italian machinery manufacturers to assert themselves
on a global scale, has contributed to sustaining Italian exports. Fully 25% of the sector’s sales
abroad are directed to China, with Asian markets generally accounting for 50% of all foreign
sales.
The latest National Institute of Statistic data on Italian exports for the first 10 months
of 2011 show significant growth in all markets, whether European (France +44%, Germany +56%); non-
European (Russia +88%, Turkey +83%); American (United States +81%, Brazil +15%, Peru +15%); and
Asian (Bangladesh +49%, China +11%, South Korea +53%, Japan+30%, India +22%, Indonesia +58%). These
are all countries towards which Italian exports had already experienced strong growth in 2010 as
well.
On the other hand, demand has remained especially weak from the domestic market. In Italy,
as throughout the European Union in general, current economic uncertainty is hindering a recovery
in investments, even in the textile industry.
In spite of the growth experienced in 2011, Italian machinery manufacturers remain extremely
cautious for the current year. “Global demand for textile machinery began slowing last summer. The
latter months of 2011 and the beginning of this year have confirmed a setbac k in new
orders for many producers. This is a consequence of the current difficult
economic conditions,” affirms Sandro Salmoiraghi, president of ACIMIT.
“The positive outcome of ITMA Barcelona, the industry’s primary trade fair held last
September, provided us with some reasons to be optimistic. However, many deals which had been
initiated at the trade fair have not yet been finalized, given the state of uncertainty hovering
over the future outlook of the markets. Let’s just say 2012 hasn’t started off with the best of
prospects. The evolution of the economy over the course of the next quarter will provide a more
accurate description of what the future holds for us: whether to expect a recovery or renewed
stagnation.”
“The economic slowdown has also affected and currently affects developing Countries as well,
including their textile sectors. The drop in consumer spending in developed markets has penalized
major garment exporting countries — above all China. In 2012 it will be difficult to find markets
capable of significantly increasing their installed production capacity,” predicts Salmoiraghi.
In hard times such as these, institutions must be as supportive as ever. “Roughly 80% of
production in our sector is directed at foreign markets,” attests Salmoiraghi. “This high
propensity towards exports, combined with the comparatively small size of our manufacturers, means
that they absolutely must be supported in order to face up to international competition.”
Salmoiraghi’s appraisal for the reconstruction of the ICE – Italian institute for
foreign trade, is accompanied by the hope that the agency will rapidly return to full scale
operations. He concludes, “The ICE is an essential element in a mosaic that must be completed with
a greater level of support from the banking system, which many Italian SMEs have called upon to
ease access to credit during these difficult times.”
Posted on February 6, 2012
Source: ACIMIT
