It is closing positively the year 2011 for the Italian industry of machine tools, robots and automation recording a double digit growth in all major economic indicators. It consolidates, therefore, the recovery started in 2010 but the positive trend is likely to wane in 2012, aided by the international situation still very unstable.
This is what has emerged this morning during a year-end press conference of Ucimu-Sistemi per Produrre, the association of Italian manufacturers of machine tools, robots, automation and ancillary products, with the intervention of Giancarlo Losma, president of Ucimu, and Alfredo Mariotti, general director of the association.
As shown from preliminary data prepared by the Centre for Studies & Culture of Ucimu, in 2011, the Italian production industry has grown to 5.019 billion euros, with an increase of 19.6 percent over the previous year.
The result was determined by the excellent performance of exports which grew by 29.3 percent and have risen to 3,367 billion euros. According to the elaboration of the Study Centre of Ucimu on Istat data, in the first eight months of the year, countries of destination for Italian exports of machine tools were: China, Germany, Usa, Brazil, France, India, Russia, Turkey, Poland, Spain. During the year, monthly monitoring updates, we highlight the heads-up between Germany and China contending for the top of the list of areas of opportunity.
In particular, according to the latest survey, increased sales in Germany (+62.9%) to 228 million, United States (+99.4%) to 170 million, Brazil (+84.1%) to 115 million, France (+23.2%) to 105 million, India (+19.7%), Russia (+15%), Turkey (+85.1%), Poland (+55.3%), Spain (+ 14%). In contrast sales in China (-0.4%) which, with 240 million euros, is the first market for the acquisition of made in Italy industry.
Different is the trend observed in the domestic market. Consumption, while an increase of 11.9 per cent, stood at 2,761 billion euros, a value that indicates the weakness of demand expressed by Italian users. The modest increase of domestic demand is reflected in the slight recovery in deliveries of manufacturers on the domestic market, grew by 3.8 percent, did not go over 1,652 million share.
More marked the increase in imports (+26.7%) whose absolute value is still just above the 1,100 millions. On the other hand, the analysis for the period 2008-2011, shows that the share of imports of consumption increases less than one percentage point, from 39.9 percent to 40.2 percent. In contrast, the ratio of production and exports earn ten percentage points, from 57 percent in 2008 to 67.1 percent in 2011. While not directly related, the two indicators show the ability of manufacturers to maintain the garrison of the internal market while enhancing, firmly the activities abroad.
The 2012 forecasts, while a positive sign, show a “slow growth”. In particular, production, expected to grow by 3.4 per cent share to fall to 5.19 billion euros. Given the good performance of the foreign market, as evidenced by the data of exports will grow, by 4.8 percent, to 3.53 billion euros, the market will slow his run: consumption will rise to 2.82 billion euros, 2 , 1 percent more than in 2011. Manufacturers of stationary deliveries on the domestic front that will stop at 1,660 million euros (+0.5%). To counter the weakness in domestic demand, more manufacturers will intensify the activity of Italian exports further
