2005 growth year for ceramic machinery

Jun 07, 2006

07/06/06 - “The results achieved in 2005, particularly in Asian markets where we are under greatest threat from Chinese competition, confirm our world leadership position as suppliers of the best technologies for the ceramic industry.”
These were the immediate conclusions expressed by Acimac chairman Pierluigi Ponzoni during the press conference presenting the 14th national statistical survey of the ceramic plant and machinery sector.

In 2005, the sector’s companies reported a turnover of 1,777 million euro, 11.5% up on 2004. A crucial factor in achieving this result was the sector’s performance in foreign markets, which accounted for 74.3% of total turnover at 1,320 million euro.
The Italian market also showed a good recovery (+2%), indicating a return to investments in research and development on the part of ceramic companies.

2005 also confirms the breakdown of sales into the ceramic industry client sectors. The tile machinery sector continues to dominate with almost 80% of turnover, followed by machinery for heavy clay (9.3%), sanitaryware (5.2%), tableware (3.3%), refractories (3.2%) and lastly various ceramic products, which remains at 0.1%.

Specifically, the value of sales of tile production machinery increased to 1,403.3 million euro (+6.3%). This was mainly due to exports, which alone accounted for more than 1000 million euro (+8.4%,). There was a smaller increase in sales in Italy (+0.9%) bringing turnover to 365.1 million euro. Machinery for heavy clay generated a turnover of 165.4 million euro (33.8 million euro higher than in 2004).

Recovering from the difficulties of 2004, tableware machinery regained share with a turnover of 58 million euro (an increase of 26.8 million euro). After considerable growth in 2004, sanitaryware machinery sales stabilised at a value of 92.2 million euro (an increase of 1.1 million euro).
Refractory machinery also saw a significant increase in sales with a turnover of 57.6 million euro, largely generated by exports. Sales of machinery for various ceramic products continued to fall, reaching about a million euro.

At the end of 2005 there were 156 producer companies, 19 few than the previous year as a result of company mergers and diversification of activities.