Italian textile machinery orders fell by 19 per cent for period April-June 2019 compared to same period in 2018, according to Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT). The index orders value came in at 84 basis points. ACIMIT represents an industrial sector that comprises roughly 300 manufacturers producing machinery worth €2.5 billion. Orders for Italian machinery manufacturers were negative in foreign markets, with a 21 per cent decline and an absolute index value of 78.6 basis points. On the domestic front, orders remained stationary compared to the second quarter 2018. The absolute index value came in at 140.1 basis points, said ACIMIT in a press release. “The orders index as compiled by our economics department perfectly reflects the situation that we as entrepreneurs have found in many markets in this first part of the year. The uncertainty due to a tension-laden geopolitical situation was further weighed down for our sector by the awaiting of ITMA, the world’s premier textile machinery fair, which took place in Barcelona last June,” said ACIMIT president Alessandro Zucchi. “ITMA is our industry’s main showcase, held every four years to present the most innovative textile technology solutions,” added Zucchi. “Many of our customers have postponed investments to await news presented at the fair.”
