Once again, the import and export volumes of machinery for plastics and rubber processing in Italy have dropped (see Plasteurope.com of 11.01.2019). In the first half of 2019, imports fell 17% and exports decreased 5%. These figures were reported by industry association Amaplast (Milan / Italy; www.amaplast.org), from its analysis of trade data published by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat, Rome; www.istat.it). Germany, the most important export destination for Italian companies, saw a drastic fall in numbers – exports to Germany slumped 26%. In the other direction, German companies exported 33% less to Italy compared to one year ago.

Amaplast attributes this development to the German economic slowdown. As Germany is Europe’s largest economy, it is also the driving force behind the continent’s economic development. The German plastics and rubber machinery association VDMA Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen (KuG, Frankfurt; http://kug.vdma.org) has predicted that for the German mechanical engineering industry, hard times are soon to begin, at least compared to recent economic growth (see Plasteurope.com of 21.06.2019). Machinery manufacturers from both countries are impacted by the automotive crisis and difficulties linked to the public's image of plastics, as well as the effects of trade disputes.

Another factor is Italian processors’ tendency to order more machinery from Asia, especially China, which in turn pushes down demand for German, Austrian and Swiss machines. There is some uplifting news though. Exports of Italian extruders rose compared to the first half of 2018, and the decline in the export volume of PU processing machines slowed down too.