Printing and converting machines
In 2019, turnover slightly down: a drop in exports is offset by the stability of the internal market.
A slight drop in turnover for the Italian printing machinery sector is reported for converting and packaging in 2019. According to the preliminary data of Acimga (the confindustria association of the sector), machinery manufacturers have invoiced 2.4% less than in 2018, for a total of 2 billion and 810 million euros.
The turnaround, after years of growth, is aboveall due to the drop in exports (-9.3%, for a total of one billion and 680 million euros). Indeed Italy is the world’s second largest exporter of printing, packaging and converting machines and owes approximately 60% of its revenues to foreign sales. Imports also fell (-14.5%), while sales of Italian manufacturers on the domestic market increased (+ 9.9%), with apparent consumption slightly increasing to + 1.1%.
As explained by the president of Acimga, Aldo Peretti: «2019 started fairly well, but already from the second quarter we saw a drop in orders. We were penalized above all by international uncertainty, what with Brexit and the tariff war between China and the United States, in addition to the slowdown in the German economy. Also internally, the plastic tax was certainly not a stimulus to investments. As a trade association we will continue to invest in training 4.0, in assisting the internationalization of companies and in teaming up with the other associations in the supply chain (Assocarta and Assografici) with which we have joined in the Italian Paper and Graphics Federation. In this way we will continue to offer cutting-edge machines, in Italy and abroad, and to satisfy the requests of printers and converters when the market starts to grow again».Million euros
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019* | 18/17 | 19*/18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | 2,727 | 2,880 | 2,810 | 5.6% | -2.4% |
| Exports | 1,715 | 1,853 | 1,680 | 8.0% | -9.3% |
| Deliveries | 1,012 | 1,028 | 1,130 | 1.6% | 9.9% |
| Imports | 538 | 585 | 500 | 8.6% | -14.5% |
| Consumption | 1,550 | 1,612 | 1,630 | 4.0% | 1.1% |
| *preliminary data | |||||
| Source: Acimga |
ACTIVITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION
Acimga (association of Italian machine manufacturers for the graphics, papermaking, converting and related industries) has been active since 1947 in promoting Italian printing technologies, both those in which the Belpaese has historically established itself, such as flexography and rotogravure (the latter having special groups within Acimga), as well as those in which Italy is evermore showing niches of excellence, such as digital industrial printing. In collaboration with ITA - the Italian association for the promotion of foreign trade and for the internationalisation of Italian companies, Acimga organizes collectives at sector fairs as well as roadshows in the most interesting markets.
In addition, to support companies in the internationalization process, Acimga provides its partners with studies on the markets of 152 countries with 4-year sector projections. In Italy, in addition to annual events such as Roto4All (March 27 2020 Florence) on rotogravure and the Print4All Conference (18-19 May Milan) on the future of printing, it organizes the triennial Print4All fair, part of the Innovation Alliance, the next edition of which will be held from 4 to 7 May 2021 in Rho Fiera, Milan.
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