The Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry experienced a mix of highs and lows in 2024, as shown in the year-end report prepared by the Mecs Study Centre based on foreign trade data gathered by ISTAT.
According to direct surveys conducted by the secretariat of Amaplast, the roughly 160 member companies closed 2024 with a turnover drop of just less than two percentage points compared to 2023. These results follow a vigorous post-pandemic rebound, where steady growth marked the 2021-2023 period after a relatively mild contraction (-3%) recorded in the difficult year of 2020.
On a more positive note, by the end of 2024, there was a slight yet steady increase (+1%) in the number of employees in Amaplast member companies, reaffirming the industry’s ongoing commitment to renewing and strengthening its structure to cope with the increasingly complex challenges in a rapidly evolving global context. This includes the development of cutting-edge technologies using Artificial Intelligence and the implementation of servitisation-based systems.
The performance of Amaplast members once again shows that the Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry is resilient and able to overcome challenges arising at various levels.
Based on these results, Amaplast forecasts an overall three-point contraction in turnover for the whole sector, compared to 2023. More detailed findings - broken down by geographic position, company , machinery type, and application sectors - will be presented in the National Statistical Survey, which will be published at the end of June following the members’ assembly.
Despite the well-known and increasingly numerous geopolitical factors threatening global economic stability, this key segment of Italian industrial machinery has once again managed to limit losses, thanks to the quality of its exports. As a matter of fact, exports increased for the fourth consecutive year, posting +1.5%, reaching a total value of 3.62 billion euros.
Moreover, a surge in foreign sales registered during the final quarter of the year, particularly in December, prompted an upward revision of previous estimates, which had been based on trends observed up until September.
The solid performance of exports, which account for approximately three-quarters of total production, helps to offset a domestic market that is clearly struggling. This is further confirmed by a nearly seven-point decline in imports, which barely exceeded one billion euros - a sharper drop than that recorded the previous year. Italian companies are facing difficulties in planning and implementing the structural investments necessary to acquire the technological innovations needed to improve the competitiveness of their production system. Although this situation is exacerbated by the delays in the implementation of Industria 5.0 decrees, the recently announced simplification measures are expected to ease access to funding and facilitate the application of new policies
At a macro level, exports appeared weaker in the European quadrant, especially within the EU, and revealed stagnation across the Americas. More positive results were observed in Asia.
Focusing on the most important individual markets, supplies to Germany declined by around 2% - a relatively modest drop considering the severe economic and industrial crisis the country has been facing. Nonetheless, Germany remains the top destination for Italian exports in this sector. This trend appears even more encouraging when compared to the results of German manufacturers, who suffered a dramatic 30% collapse in domestic sales and order intake in 2024.
Other major European markets that had performed well in recent years, such as Spain and Romania, experienced a slowdown ( 6% and 20%, respectively), while Poland registered a further decline ( 19%). Conversely, demand from Turkey continued to grow (+15%), despite the ongoing expansion of its domestic manufacturing industry.
equipment and moulds exports (January-December 2024; million euros - Δ% 2024/2023)
Mixed signals were observed in overseas markets, compounded by the recent turmoil caused by tariffs and other protectionist measures threatened, implemented, suspended, and reinstated by the Trump Administration. Compared to 2023, Italian exports of plastics and rubber machinery to the United Stated, the sector’s second-largest destination, fell by 4%; however, it will take several more months to fully assess the impact any potential new tariff measures may have. On the other hand, further growth was recorded in Mexico, adding to the far more significant expansion seen in previous years. Even so, Mexico remains closely tied to its overbearing northern neighbour, whose policies directly affect Mexican investment plans.
Further South, Italy’s exports to Brazil showed excellent performance, with an 86% increase compared to 2023 and a gain of over 120 million euros - an all-time record driven by strong demand for high-tech machinery.
In Asia, Italy’s two main markets delivered highly satisfactory results, as exports to both China and India increased by 15% compared to 2023.
As for the types of primary processing machinery that contribute most to Italian exports, there was a 7% decline in injection and extrusion machines, counterbalanced by the remarkable performance of blow moulding machines, increasingly demanded by and delivered to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, and Poland.
Positive trends were also observed for flexographic printing machines, which grew by 5% and account for 5% of total exports, and presses, which also hold a 5% market share and recorded an impressive 59% rise. On the contrary, moulds, which represent a fifth of total export value, ended the year with a less than satisfactory 5%.
In anticipation of 2025, Italian manufacturers have already noted some encouraging signs, even from the domestic market, in the early weeks of the year, despite rising global tensions. However, a real turnaround - or a more pronounced stabilisation of indicators at least – may not be possible until the second half of the year.
