More than half the 85,532 visitors at this year’s Xylexpo/Sasmil exhibition in Milan were from outside Italy, according to the organisers.
Visitor numbers were below the 90,000-mark reported in 2000, but the 1,442 exhibitors detected a quickening in the market. And although exports to some international markets remain sluggish, the second half of the year is giving rise to a degree of cautious optimism.
Xylexpo, the woodworking machinery exhibition, covered a display area of 96,000m2 while Sasmil accounted for 26,000m2 of space for semi-finished products and supplies exhibits.
The organisers say that in 2001 Italian manufacturing turnover amounted to Euro5.5-1.9bn from machinery and technology sales, and Euro3.5bn from panels, semi-finished products and componentry for the furniture industry.
Export sales accounted for much of the total, which was reflected in the substantial number of overseas visitors to Xylexpo, especially from Russia, Spain and France.
