Positive outcome for the Italian machine tool industry in 2014
The Italian enterprises are again investing in production systems.
In 2014 the Italian machine tool, robot and automation industry recorded a positive outcome, showing a production growth driven by the recovery of domestic consumption. The resumption of Italian domestic demand benefitted mostly the deliveries of Italian manufacturers, registering a strong increase.
Thanks to its positive performance, the Italian industry strengthened its fourth position in the world ranking of manufacturers and confirmed its third place in the ranking of exporters.
In particular, in 2014, the production grew by 7.9%, reaching 4,840 million euro: it was driven by the recovery of domestic consumption that increased by 33.8% to 2,738 million euro, favouring both the deliveries of Italian manufacturers, – up by 44%, to 1,587 million – and imports – grown by 21.9%, to 1,151 million euro.
An opposite sign was highlighted by exports, down by 3.9% to 3,253 million euro: this outcome was due, at least partly, to the choice of manufacturers to readdress their offer to the domestic market, where consumption started again.
This is in short the account of the 2014 situation, given by President Luigi Galdabini, this morning, on the occasion of the annual Members’ Meeting of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, in which Giorgio Squinzi, President of CONFINDUSTRIA (Italian Industrial Federation) also took part. The meeting, hosted by fieramilano, was attended by about 300 people, among entrepreneurs, institutions and media representatives.
The recovery of the Italian industry of the sector will be confirmed also in 2015, as emerged from the forecast data processed by the Studies Dept. & Business Culture of UCIMU. In particular, in 2015, all main indicators will show an increase: production will grow by 5.2%, to 5,090 million euro, consumption will reach 2,895 million euro, 5.7% more compared with last year, driving both the deliveries of manufacturers, expected to rise by 4.3% to 1,655 million, and imports (+7.7%). Back to a positive sign, exports will also grow by 5.6%, achieving the amount of 3,435 million euro. The export/production ratio, decreased in 2014 as a consequence of Italian demand, will remain stable at 67.5%.
With regard to exports, in 2014, the United States turned out to be the first destination market for the “Made in Italy” of the sector, followed by China, Germany, Russia and France. The last available survey, concerning the period January-March 2015, highlights a recovery of sales to foreign markets, which materialized with a 2.1% increase versus the first quarter of 2014. China came back to the top position in the ranking of outlet countries, thanks to a 9.3% rise in the purchases of Italian machine tools. Germany (-9.4%) and the United States (-3%) followed in the ranking. Good performances were registered in Russia (+40%). The last of the top positions in the ranking belonged to the United Kingdom (+155.7%).
Luigi Galdabini, President of UCIMU stated: “After a year 2013 to be forgotten, in 2014, the Italian industry of the sector is growing again, starting off a positive trend that has already been confirmed by the 2015 data. However, last year – went on Galdabini – will be remembered for the recovery of Italian demand which seems to have awaken from its torpor”.
“The increased investments in production machines are certainly good news for the whole country, because they testify a general restart of manufacturing activity in many production fields, for example in the automotive and the aerospace sectors. Nevertheless, if it is true that optimism is necessary to support this newly started trend, it is also true that it is not enough, mainly because, in reality, the growth we are experiencing is still weak and not sufficient to completely recover the ground lost in the 2009 crisis”.
“We should also say that, even if sometimes in a fragmentary way, our government authorities proved to be “willing to give a shake to our country”. The reduction of IRAP (regional tax on production activity), the Jobs Act, the tax credit for research: these are all measures to be intended in that direction. An excellent measure was also the re-financing for the whole year 2015 of the New Sabatini Law that allowed to activate loans for around 2 billion euro between March 2014 and May 2015, and the machinery bonus, which unfortunately has not been extended”.
“These two measures – affirmed Luigi Galdabini – have favoured the recovery of Italian consumption in a significant way, but, most of all, their merit was their contribution to maintaining the competitiveness of the Italian manufacturing industry, by stimulating the acquisition of new production means that are essential to grant the “Made in Italy” the necessary standards to fight foreign competition”.
“For this reason – went on the President of UCIMU – we ask President Squinzi that CONFINDUSTRIA may support the proposal of extension of the Machinery Bonus, a measure enabling tax deduction of investments in high-technology machinery, as well as that of an incentive programme to support the replacement of obsolete machinery installed in Italy, so that the production systems may meet the new requirements of productivity, energy saving and compliance with the current work safety EC regulations”.
“This said – concluded Luigi Galdabini – however, it is necessary to stress again the need for specific measures capable of supporting, in a structured way, the relaunch of the domestic market and of the Italian manufacturing sector. A complementary action to these measures should be the liberalization of depreciation on purchased capital equipment and the revision of coefficients for its calculation, dating back to 1988″.
