ROME: In 2014, the Italian woodworking machinery and tools industry recorded an 8.6% increase from the previous year, reaching a production value of 1,669 million euro.
Accordin to Acimall (the Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tool Manufacturers Association), the year under scrutiny closed with moderate satisfaction, as results were definitely more “interesting” in the second half. An excellent trend was recorded both in Italy and in several international markets, with few exceptions due to the significant shrinkage of important destination markets for “made in Italy” (and not only) like Russia and Brazil.
It is hardly necessary to stress that, once again, Italian wood technology is strongly oriented to export, with a 75 percent share of sales across the borders on total production, with many companies well beyond 90 percent. Italy shipped technology for a total value of 1,255 million euro all over the world, further growing by 2.7 percent compared to 2013.
Conversely, the Studies Office of Acimall – the Confindustria member association that represents the industry – indicates that the domestic market is “attracted” by the rich and leading-edge technology offered by Italian manufacturers; as a result,import from abroad dropped by 13.3 percent versus 2013, amounting to 124 million euro. We remind you that import in 2013 had recorded a positive trend, which was not repeated last year: a small benefit for Italian production.
Apparent consumption in 2014 topped 500 million euro, with a 9.1 increase over the previous year.
Industry dimensions are currently estimated at 270 significant enterprises with approximately 9 thousand employees. The market has three major industrial districts in Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.
