German textile care, fabric, and leather technology manufacturers saw sales increase 20% in real terms in the first eight months of 2023, with sales from Germany up 61% year-on-year and from abroad up 9%. However, new orders fell 17% short of the previous year's result in the same period, with orders from within Germany down 7% and orders from abroad down 20%.
German suppliers of laundry and dry-cleaning technology increased their exports by 2% to €239 million in the first seven months of 2023, with Poland, France, and the USA the most important export markets. German sewing and garment technology also saw exports rise by 3% to €247 million in the same period, with the most important customer markets being Italy, the USA, and France.
Manufacturers of shoes and leather technology in Germany even recorded an increase of 19% to €37 million in the period January to July 2023, with the main customer countries being the USA, Mexico, and France.
Italian technology suppliers also reported growth in exports in all three sectors in 2022. Italian exports in the laundry and dry-cleaning technology sector increased by 2% to €442 million in 2022 and were primarily shipped to Turkey, Poland, and Bangladesh.
Exports by Italian sewing and garment technology manufacturers also increased by 17% to €317 million in 2022. The main customer countries were Turkey, the USA, and Bangladesh. Italian shoes and leather technology suppliers increased their exports by 9% to €309 million in 2022, with the main customer countries being China, France, and Spain.
The mood among European textile care, fabric, and leather technology manufacturers is currently subdued, with the outlook uncertain, due to the tense geopolitical situation, ongoing labor shortage, and rising energy and primary product costs.
However, the steady increase in customer demands for automation, digitization, and sustainability gives hope for a surge in investment and thus an improvement in the order situation.
