Foreign demand remains subdued amid global uncertainties.
The second quarter of 2025 brought mixed results for Italy’s textile machinery sector, according to the latest data from ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers). The index of orders registered a marginal 1 per cent decline compared to Q2 2024, standing at 47.1 points (base year 2021 = 100).
This overall dip was largely offset by a robust recovery in domestic orders, which surged by 38 per cent year-on-year, reaching 70.9 points. Conversely, foreign orders fell by 7 per cent, with the index at 43.8 points.
The average order backlog for the quarter improved slightly to 3.9 months of confirmed production, up from 3.6 months in Q1. However, capacity utilization remained low, with companies operating at 55 per cent in the first half of the year. This figure is projected to rise to 60 per cent in the second half.
Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, commented, “The signs from the domestic market are encouraging, yet we remain cautious. Despite the uptick between April and June, demand in Italy is still fragile and needs consistent momentum throughout the year.â€
On the international front, Salvadè noted, “Uncertainty continues to weigh on exports. US tariffs on EU goods, coupled with the euro’s depreciation against the dollar, could negatively affect our competitiveness—especially compared to suppliers from countries with more favourable trade terms. The US remains an important market, ranking fourth in 2024 with over €112 million in value and showing 3 per cent growth in the first four months of 2025.â€
Meanwhile, sales to key markets China and Turkey dropped significantly. From January to April 2025, exports to China declined by 32 per cent, and by 47 per cent to Turkey.