The orders index for textile machinery compiled by ACIMIT, the Association Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, for the period from October to December 2016 rose by 5%, compared to the same period for the previous year.

This growth affected both the foreign markets, where the index registered an absolute value of 5% and Italy. In this case, the increase compared to the period from October to December 2015 was 16%.

On an annual basis, and compared to 2015, the index registered an average increase of 4%. Domestic sales were up significantly, rising by fully 14%, confirming the vigour of the Italian market. Foreign markets recorded a more contained increase in orders of 3%.

Positive year

“The data for the index for the last quarter of 2016 confirm a year we can certainly define as positive, with an overall growing orders index,” commented Raffaella Carabelli, the president of ACIMIT. Data for Italian exports, updated to the first nine months of 2016, confirm a positive trend, with a 3% increase compared to the same period of 2015.

“In spite of our far from brilliant export performance in the world's three major markets, China, Turkey and India, our sales are nonetheless growing in Bangladesh and Pakistan, as well as in North America and Europe,” stated Ms Carabelli.

Dynamic outlook

The outlook for 2017 appears to be dynamic, despite the current geopolitical uncertainties. For its part, with the support of the MISE and ICE-Agency, over the course of the year ACIMIT will continue to push forward in promoting internationalisation, as over 20 country/markets will be the object of promotional initiatives aimed at the penetration of Italy’s textile machinery sector.

Among these initiatives are projects laid out for Sub-Saharan Africa and Iran, both areas in which ACIMIT is insistently promoting its activities for growth.

ACIMIT represents an industrial sector comprising around 300 manufacturers, employing close to 12,000 people and producing machinery for an overall value of about EUR 2.6 billion, with exports amounting to more than 85% of total sales.

www.acimit.it