Italian woodworking machinery exports declined by 13% last year compared with 2002.
Acimall (the Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers’ association) said figures published by the Italian Statistics Institute show overall exports in 2003 were worth €1.1bn.
The industry saw a 21% decline in sales within the European Union – its biggest market worth €441m last year. Countries most affected by the negative trend were France (-24.9%), Germany (-17.2%), Portugal (-37.5%), UK (-25%) and Spain (-14.9%).
However, exports to extra-EU countries experienced a 6% growth, with Turkey recording a 72.2% improvement and Poland a 14.2% boost. The US remains the top ranking destination for Italian woodworking machinery but exports were down 13.7% to €118m.
Exports to South America were characterised by “remarkable decline”, while the Far East saw a drop of 23.9%. More encouraging signs came from the Middle East, which recorded a 4.8% rise in Italian imports.
