ACIMIT, a trade body representing Italian textile machinery manufacturers says that new orders in the third quarter of 2104 rose sequentially by 4 percent or from the previous quarter.
However, Italian textile machinery producers reported a 9% hike in export orders from the second quarter of 2014, while domestic market orders remained flat.
Pointing to the rise in export orders, ACIMIT President - Raffaella Carabelli said, the results achieved in foreign markets are evidence of a strengthened competitiveness of Italian companies.
“However, this does not hide the great concern felt by the entire sector for the downward trend in the domestic Italian market”, he added.
A sure sign of the difficulties the Italian textile and garments industry is experiencing at home lies in the import data for textile machinery.
For the first half of the year, textile machinery imported from abroad dropped 3% compared to the same period last year.
“2014 will close on a positive note solely thanks to foreign demand,” Carabelli informed.
ITMA 2015, the industry’s premier trade show, will be held in Milan from November 12-19, 2014.
“We’re hoping that this major event will act as a catalyst for renewed investments in Italy as well,” the ACIMIT President noted.
More than one year away from ITMA 2015, a sign of confidence on the part of Italian businesses in the positive market trend is demonstrated by the increased number of Italian exhibitors.
Number of Italian textile machinery exhibitors showcasing at ITMA 2015 has risen to 358, up 11% from ITMA 2011 held in Barcelona.
Exhibition space reserved by Italian companies has also grown massively by 40%, when compared to the space they occupied in Barcelona. (AR)
