The figures of the first quarter 2018 are clear: it will be a positive year for technologies dedicated to the furniture industry and to wood and wood-based materials. Such trend is confirmed by the quarterly survey of Acimall, the Confindustria-member industry association, that depicts a first quarter in line with the excellent results of 2017; last year, as known, closed with a production value growth by 10.5 percent compared to the previous year, achieving a historical record of 2.27 billion euro. Now, the January-March period feeds optimism, recording 19.2 percent growth compared to the first three months of 2017. Export remains the key driver (up by 22.1 percent from the first quarter of last year), while the domestic market increased by only 3.7 percent.
Talking about export, we only need to remind the solid vocation of Italian companies to respond to the needs of users all around the world, while the Italian market is falling back into a “pondering” phase, after a few months of booming investments supported by the measures and incentives of the Industria 4.0 plan. The survey by the association also indicates that the orders book has gone down to 3.4 months (from 3.6 in the previous quarter), while prices as of January 1st have slightly increased (0.6 percent).
QUALITY SURVEY
The quality survey for the quarter under scrutiny indicates that, according to 65 percent of the sample, the production trend is positive (stationary according to 29 percent, decreasing according to 6 percent). Employment is stable according to 35 percent of the sample, increasing for 53 percent and decreasing for 12 percent. Available stocks are stable according to 65 percent of the interviewees, decreasing for 29 percent and increasing for 6 percent.
FORECAST SURVEY
Looking at the short-term outlook, 41 percent of the interviewees expect an expansion of export orders, while 47 percent predict a stationary trend; 12 percent fear a reduction (the balance is positive by 29 points). 23 percent of the sample is confident about the domestic market; 65 percent expect stable sales trends within the national borders, while 12 percent believes they will decrease (positive balance by 11 points).
