2014 preliminary results for Italian woodworking machines

From the meeting of 16 December 2014 with the Italian sector press organized by Acimall - the Confindustria association that brings together the major national companies in the sector - it emerged that the sector of technologies for wood and its derivatives is still in the midst of a rather difficult season. No overwhelming change of course, although many expect it. And the situation certainly remains critical in Italy compared to many foreign countries, even if there are no regions in the world that offer extraordinary performances. on a stimulating national market. A market in which Italian ingenuity stands out, even in this sector, for the production of bespoke, "custom-made" machinery to the detriment of standard or serial production that is of little interest to foreign customers who are always looking for "made" inspiration. in Italy "to produce cutting-edge systems designed for the customer. During the meeting, we also mentioned the dates of the next edition of Xylexpo, the international biennial of woodworking technologies and supplies for furniture industry, which will take place in the Fieramilano-Rho exhibition center from Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28 May 2016: a stimulating opportunity for the sector.

The picture relating to Italian woodworking machinery was however portrayed with extreme clarity from the pre-final data on the trend in 2014 of Italian technologies for wood and its derivatives elaborated by the Acimall Research Department, data that reaffirm how the sector has lost about 30 percent of its turnover in the last seven, interminable years. Production therefore settled at 1,545 million euros, with a slight increase compared to the previous year. Exports, although a strong point of our industry, lost 2 per cent, which is however comforting if we think at least 3.6 per cent in 2013 or at least 8 per cent in 2012. Imports - which, physiologically, represent slightly less of a quarter of the Italian market - stop at 118 million euros, 17.5 per cent less than in 2013. Property, albeit at decidedly important levels, the trade balance, which the Acimall Research Department expects to be attested at same value as in 2013. Encouraging 9.1 per cent growth in sales on the domestic market (it was 2.9 per cent in 2013), the sum of government investment incentives (Sabatini law in primis) and the impossibility of freezing any expenditure for too much time, if you want to keep your fleet efficient. The data, in contrast to the decline in imports, seems to indicate that the market in 2014 favored "made in Italy" technologies. "We are always rather reluctant to look into the crystal ball to get information on the future", commented Dario Corbetta, director of Acimall, from the height of his long experience as head of the study office of the association that he directs today. “History, especially the most recent, has taught us that there are many factors that can suddenly change a data or a trend that was believed to be certain. However, we can venture that, according to the data in our possession and the forecasts on the trend of the most relevant markets for “made in Italy”, Italian exports in 2015 could increase by a few percentage points ”. "We do not hide - continued Corbetta - that there are elements that lead us to look at the next twelve months as a period in which many indicators could show an upward trend, but we are not sure that we will be able to speak of a real, decisive reversal of the trend. In fact, the trends in the various geographical areas will be decisive. According to the data presented at the Assago (Milan) office, Acimall analysts believe that the situation will be stationary in the European Union, in Africa and in China. The fate of Italian wood technologies in South America and Russia is more difficult due to the well-known and dramatic political events. More optimistic forecasts for the Italian market, after many years of stagnation, for North America and Asia in general.