The performance of the Italian industry of printing and converting machinery shows overall stability. This was revealed by the quarterly qualitative survey carried out by ACIMGA, the Confindustria association of companies operating in the industry. The analysis registered members’ sentiment in the third quarter of 2013 and outlines forecasts for the year’s end. On the domestic revenues front 50% of companies sampled for the survey stated that the quarter under analysis closed off with a generally stable performance, in line with the expectations produced by the previous quarterly study. The

The analysis by Assocomaplast, the Italian trade association, belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 160 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery) of the latest ISTAT, the Italian National Institute of Statistics, figures for Italian foreign trade shows that, in the first half of 2013, imports in the sector were somewhat weak compared to the same period in 2012 whereas exports held relatively firm, as summarized in Table 1. The downturn in imports is a symptom of a domestic market that still struggles to recover. However, a potentially promising sign, on this

After a still-positive trend in January and February (in the wake of the +5.9% result at the end of 2012), the first quarter of 2013 instead closed with a downturn for Italian exports of plastics and rubber processing machinery, according the Italian National Institute of Statistics - ISTAT figures processed by Assocomaplast (the Italian trade association belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 165 manufacturers). In fact, foreign sales in this sector fell 4% compared to January-March 2012, set against a 9-point drop in imports. The result is on the whole not surprising, given

On 6 June 2013, at Verdellino-Zingonia, CESAP hosted the annual meeting of Assocomaplast (the Italian trade association belonging to Confindustria, which groups together some 160 manufacturers of machinery, moulds and equipment for plastics and rubber). The association's president, Giorgio Colombo, opened his presentation by confirming the dates of the upcoming PLAST trade show, which is organised by Promaplast srl, Assocomaplast's commercial company, and will be held in Milan May 5-9 2015. This means that the three-yearly international plastics and rubber industry event will be opening its

Assocomaplast (the Italian trade association belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 165 makers of machinery, molds and equipment for plastics and rubber) has issued its report on the sector's performance in 2012 – based also on the Italian National Institute of Statistics - ISTAT foreign trade statistics. Even more than in the past – and more markedly than in other Italian mechanical equipment sectors – production output was driven by exports, with an upward trend that, despite levelling off over the year, enabled Italian equipment manufacturers offset extremely weak domestic

Following the application of the limitations written into Euro VI for trucks, the construction machinery sector is also preparing for new measures for reducing polluting emissions. The European Commission is getting ready to revise Emissions Directive 97/68EU for such non-road mobile machinery as front loaders, excavators, backhoe loaders and other construction machinery with the aim of drastically reducing fine particles. The manufacturers representative for the sector, Comamoter, in the Unacoma association under the Confindustria National Manufacturers Federation, is lined up with the

Some good news, at last, though long awaited, for the Italian production of machinery and technology to process wood and wood-based materials. According to the Acimall trend survey for the first quarter 2010, we are seeing a consolidation of recovery that started in the last three months of 2009. It’s mainly good news from foreign markets that are bringing cautious optimism also for the near future, still considering that these figures compare to the first quarter 2009 that was the most difficult period of the crisis. According to the statistic sample interviewed by the analysts of the