Italian imports and exports of plastics and rubber processing machinery has increased in the first six months of 2014 compared with the same period last year, according to industry association Assocomaplast (Milan / Italy; www.assocomaplast.org) – see Plasteurope.com of 21.07.2014.

In its analysis of figures from Italy’s National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT, Rome; www.istat.it), Assocomaplast, which represents 160 plastic and rubber equipment manufacturers, said imports were up in the first half by 8%. In particular, imports of flexographic printers and injection moulding machines rose by twenty percentage points. The organisation was hopeful that the rise could be partly attributed to the (albeit limited) stimulus measures enacted by the Italian government.

Exports were still positive, but slowed down slightly in June compared with the three preceding months. June exports rose by 6.4% while May was 8.6%, April was 8.3% and March was 8.9%.

With regard to specific equipment categories, exports of blow moulding machines increased by 16% and extruders by 6%. Assocomaplast said flexographic printers also continued to account for a considerable share of Italian exports. It noted too that more than EUR 95m worth of moulds, which account for the largest volume of the country’s exports, went to Germany.

There were no major changes in the ranking of top export destinations versus last year. Europe, which makes up 60% of the total, saw a rise in exports of 4.6%. A recovery of sales to NAFTA countries boosted exports to America by 3.7%, counterbalancing a slowdown in South America from falling sales to Brazil.

Exports to Asia were up by 24.7%, led by China although India and Indonesia also performed well. This area also includes the Middle East where sales to Saudi Arabia saw a positive performance. Africa, however, after a phase of relative expansion, is now slowing, worsened particularly by a decline in sales to the Sub-Saharan region.