Packaging machinery sector sees modest growth

The packaging and wrapping machinery sector is affected by the geoplitical situation. In the first nine months of the year, turnover recorded a modest +0.9%. Sales in Italy grew by 11.8%, while foreign sales remained essentially stable (-0.6%).

This is what emerges from the economic survey carried out by the MECS Research Centre for UCIMA.

The quarterly result combines an excellent performance on the domestic market, with sales up 10.5%, and a decline in exports of 4.2%.

The main cause for concern is order intake, which stands at -4.7% over the first nine months, with orders on the Italian market up 2.3% and foreign orders down 5.4%. The order backlog, meanwhile, remains at 7.4 months. After-sales services account for 20.9% of total turnover.

“While confirming the solidity of our sector in an international phase that is still uncertain,” said Maurizio Bertocco, President of UCIMA, “the performance over the first nine months and the slowdown in order intake are cause for concern. The Italian market is benefiting, especially in the last two quarters, from the hyper-depreciation scheme as well, while foreign markets are suffering from the difficult international situation and from our customers’ difficulty in planning investments in new technologies in this climate of uncertainty.”