Packaging machinery sees further turnover growth

The Italian packaging industry has shown a strong bill of health once again in 2012. According to preliminary year-end figures collected by the Ucima Studies Centre (Italian Automatic Packaging Machinery Manufacturers’ Association), 2012 is expected to end with further revenue growth. The sector’s turnover is expected to reach 4.4 billion euro, 1.6% up on the already excellent results of 2011. The sector thus confirms its position as one of the most dynamic areas of Italian industry and one of the very few segments to have continued to improve its performance over the last twelve months. A major contribution to these outstanding results came from exports, which now account for 90% of total turnover. Exports are expected to total around 4 billion euro, 2.7% up on 2011.  Domestic sales fell slightly to 415 million euro, 7.8% down on 2011. However, the outlook for the coming year is less optimistic. “Given the slowdown of world growth reported in recent months and the cautious forecasts for 2013 made by the leading world economic agencies, the companies in our sector are also adopting a prudent outlook”, commented Ucima Chairman Giuseppe Lesce. “Even the world’s largest manufacturing countries, first and foremost China, are seeing their growth rates slow,” continued Lesce. “This is naturally causing a certain amount of alarm in a sector like ours that is strongly dependent on exports”. The preliminary figures reveal a 13% fall in Italian exports to Asia, offset by excellent performances in North America (+21.3%) and Central and South America (+17.6%). Europe remains the leading export destination, accounting for 35.4% of the total (up by 9.6%).