According to the Economics Department of ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, the index of orders for Italian textile machines in the fourth quarter of 2024 decreased by 19% from the same period in 2023. The index was 49.6 points in absolute terms (base 2021=100).
This outcome is the consequence of a minor rise in domestic market orders, while international market orders have decreased. While orders overseas fell by 22%, orders in Italy increased by 6%. In international markets, the index’s absolute value was 48.3 points; in Italy, it was 58.5 points. The order backlog guaranteed 3.3 months of output in the fourth quarter.
In comparison to the average for 2023, the index had a 16% decline overall in 2024. The index increased by 10% at home while declining by 19% outside.
“The order index for the October–December 2024 period confirms a still weak order intake,” said Marco Salvadè, president of ACIMIT. Demand for machinery is still declining, particularly overseas. Data as of October 2024 shows that over the first ten months of the year, our shipments decreased in all of our main target areas. In comparison to the same period in 2023, Turkey, India, the United States, and Germany have all seen declines, with the exception of the Chinese market.