The order index for textile machinery elaborated by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, for the period from January to March 2018 dropped 12 per cent compared to the same period for 2017. The value of the index came in at 104.8 points (basis: 2015=100).
This decline mainly affected orders for the domestic market. Indeed, in Italy the index came in at an absolute value of 94.1 points, that is, 22 per cent less than the first quarter for 2017. In foreign markets, the drop was more contained (-9 per cent) and the absolute value of the index registered 107.2 points.
ACIMIT President Alessandro Zucchi does not appear to be too worried by these results for the first three months of the year: “In Italy, we had a rebound effect following the heavy investments made during 2017. The first three months of this year were characterised by a physiological slowdown that doesn’t concern our manufacturers who are used to processing an order portfolio of over four months.†Even abroad, the situation is still considered positive. "Last year, orders were satisfactory abroad as well,†continues ACIMIT’s President. “For 2018, conditions remain for consolidating the growth trend, as evidenced by the good results obtained at recent trade fairs held in different Countries, at which many of our manufacturers participated."
ACIMIT represents an industrial sector comprising around 300 manufacturers (employing close to 12,000 people) and producing machinery for an overall value of about 2.9 billion euros, with exports amounting to more than 84 per cent of total sales. Creativity, sustainable technology, reliability and quality are the characteristics which have made Italy a global leader in the manufacturing of textile machinery.