According to the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT), the order index for textile machinery for the period from January to March 2018 declined by 12 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. The value of the index was registered at 104.8 points.
This decline mainly affected orders for the domestic market. In Italy the index recorded an absolute value of 94.1 points, around 22 per cent less than the first quarter for 2017. The foreign markets recorded a decline of around 9 per cent with the absolute value of the index registering 107.2 points.
Alessandro Zucchi, President, ACIMIT President does not appear to be too worried by these results for the first three months of the year: “In Italy, we had a rebound effect following the heavy investments made during 2017.
The first three months of this year were characterised by a physiological slowdown that doesn’t concern our manufacturers who are used to processing an order portfolio of over four months.”
Even abroad, the situation is still considered positive. "Last year, orders were satisfactory abroad as well,” he continues. “For 2018, conditions remain for consolidating the growth trend, as evidenced by the good results obtained at recent trade fairs held in different countries, at which many of our manufacturers participated."
