Italian packaging machinery industry turnover tops €6.6bn

Published: 29-Jun-2017

According to data collected by the research department of UCIMA, the Italian packaging machinery industry is bursting with health with all the sector’s main indicators showing strong growth at the end of 2016

The total turnover in 2016 exceeded €6.6 billion euros, 6.6% up on 2015. Exports generated 80% of turnover and climbed by 5.8% to €5.3bn, while the Italian market surged to €1.3bn (up 9.8% year on year) according to the research department of UCIMA (the sector’s Confindustria-affiliated trade association).

The number of companies operating in the sector also increased, reaching 601 compared to the 588 of 2015, and employment rose by 1738 (+6.2%) to a total of 29644 people.

Results in international markets

The Italian industry maintains an extensive presence in international markets and is contending the leadership in innovation and market presence with German companies. One machine out of every five sold worldwide is made in Italy.

The European Union remains the most important market, accounting for 37.2% of total turnover (€1969.8 million). Asia is second with a value of €1236m and a 23.4% share of turnover.

The important North American market ranks third with €593.4m (11.2%). Next come South America (€507.6m; 9.6%), non-EU Europe (€495.6m; 9.4%) and Africa and Oceania (€490.9m; 9.2%).

The US, France and Germany remain the top three individual countries, followed by Poland, UK, Spain, China, Turkey, Mexico and Russia.

The domestic market

Italian domestic sales are continuing the positive performance of recent years, with a further boost provided by the government’s Industry 4.0 incentive scheme launched in the second half of last year. The 9.8% growth in 2016 was followed by a further 6.5% upturn in the first quarter of the current year.

Client sectors

As for the breakdown of turnover among the various client sectors, food and beverage maintained its dominant position in 2016 accounting for 57.4% of total turnover.

Even taken individually, the two sub-sectors head the rankings. Food was the largest client sector in 2016, making up 29.8% of total turnover (€1970m) and with an export share of 75%.

The Beverage industry was second with 27.6% of total turnover, with exports making up 85% of the segment’s sales.

At the bottom of the rankings are the cosmetics and chemicals segments with turnovers of respectively €271m and €268m and among the lowest export percentages, 74% and 77%.

The structure of the sector

The Italian packaging machinery sector reflects the structure of Italian industry in general.

Sixty four percent of companies have revenues of below €6m and account for just 9.7% of the sector’s total turnover.

The 51 largest companies (with turnovers above 25 million euros) account for 68% of the sector’s total turnover.

Most companies are located in the Emilia Romagna region (36.9%), accounting for 62.1% of total turnover. Next come Lombardy (28.5% of companies and 17.6% of turnover), Veneto (11.6% of companies and 9.1% of turnover) and Piedmont (10.1% of companies and 5.7% of turnover).

2017 forecasts

Enrico Aureli, Chairman at UCIMA, said: “We are very confident that in 2017 our sector will maintain the growth trend that has been under way for several years. The initial data available for the first quarter of the year reveal 13% growth in the sector’s turnover. We are very pleased with the contribution made by Italian domestic sales.

"Thanks to the Industry 4.0 incentive scheme we have seen 6.5% growth in the domestic market. Moreover, the forecasts of our Research Department point to average annual growth in packaging machinery sales of 4.8% over the three-year period 2017-2019.”

UCIMA: www.ucima.it

You may also like