Milan, Italy -- Italy's plastics and rubber machinery sector is picking up. As least, that's the case according to Italian polymer machinery association Assocomaplast. A recent survey of its members showed that 70 percent of respondents saw an improvement in orders recently compared with the situation in May 2009, the group said, after its 9 June general assembly.
More importantly, Assocomplast notes, 45 percent of participants recorded growth over orders in April 2010. As regards turnover in the period January-June 2010, compared with the previous half year, it grew for 45 percent of respondents, was steady for 46 percent and decreased for just 9 percent, the association said.
Assocomplast noted here a discrepancy between these reports and the trade statistics for plastics and rubber machinery released by ISTAT (Italy's official national statistics group), for the first quarter 2010 over the same period of 2009.
ISTAT data show that imports decreased by some 10 percent while exports declined by 7 percent, a considerable downturn although not so remarkable in comparison with the 31 percent fall recorded by export in March 2009 on 2008, said Assocomplast.
Assocomaplast represents about 160 manufacturers of plastics and rubber machinery, equipment and moulds. At its assembly the association elected as chairman for 2010-2012 Giorgio Colombo, general manager of Icma San Giorgio spa (manufacturer of extrusion lines). He nominated Alessandro Grassi - general sales manager of Frigosystem srl (manufacturer of chiller and thermoregulators) - as vice-chairman of the association.
Mario Maggiani was nominated as Assocomaplast secretary general, replacing Claudio Celata.
Assocomplast issued the data shown below.
Assocomplast data: Italian market for polymer machinery and moulds (million euro)
2007 2008 2009
Production 4250 4200 3300
Exports 2753 2523 1853
Imports 634 607 472
Domestic market 2132 2284 1919
Trade balance 2118 1916 1381
(surplus)"
