In the second quarter of 2024, the order index for Italian textile machinery, as reported by the Economics Department of ACIMIT – the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, showed a decline compared to the period 2023 April-June (-17%). In value terms, the index stood at 49.8 points (base 2021=100).
This result is completely due to the decrease recorded in foreign markets (-22%), where orders represent 86% of the total. Conversely, there was a 25% recovery in Italy compared to the second quarter of 2023.
The absolute value of the index in foreign markets was 48.8 points, while in Italy it was 57.3 points. The order backlog reached 4.3 months of assured production in the second quarter. Additionally, ACIMIT’s survey shows that in the first 6 months of 2024, Italian manufacturers’ utilisation rate of production capacity was 61%. This percentage is expected to rise to 64% in the year’s second half.
During the Association General Assembly last July 9, Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, emphasised the industry’s commitment to innovation amidst current global uncertainties.
To highlight the opportunities that the European green transition opens up for technology suppliers, the public section of the ACIMIT General Assembly addressed a very current issue: textile recycling.
The EU’s legislative guidelines aim to accelerate the green and circular transition of the textile sector through various actions, from eco-design to EPR, from waste export regulation to green claims.
Meanwhile, there is a growing demand for recycled textile fibres, driven by brands’ sustainable policies, which should not be underestimated.
Thus, technologies are essential in providing solutions to companies engaged in the new circularity supply chain, from sorting and selecting garments to preparation phases and recycling processes. This means that machinery manufacturers have a number of new markets.
