Italian ceramic machinery sales up 5.2% in 2022

According to the Acimac-MECS preliminary figures, the Italian ceramic machinery and technology sector is set to record a turnover of € 2.16 billion in 2022 (up 5.2% on 2021) and has already received orders amounting to four months of production in 2023.

Although 2022 has in many ways been a difficult year, the Italian ceramic technology and machinery sector has seen an increase in sales revenues. According to preliminary estimates drawn up by the MECS - Acimac Research Centre, the industry is set to report a year-end turnover of €2,164 million, an increase of 5.2% over 2021.

Exports and domestic sales have both increased year-on-year. Exports, which have always been the industry’s main source of revenue accounting for 75% of total turnover, rose to €1,618 million (+5%), while Italian domestic sales grew by 6% to €546 million. The industry is approaching the end of the year with a sufficient level of orders to guarantee production for the first four months of 2023.

«While we reported positive results overall, this would have been a far more successful year if our industry’s performance had not been hampered by the twofold challenge of high energy prices and delays in component supplies,» said Acimac’s chairman Paolo Lamberti. «We had already seen the warning signs a year ago. We are currently in a state of overall good health, but in a supply chain environment where everyone is running a fever. We hope that in 2023 the raw materials supply chain will be back to normal, and that energy prices will have stabilised. In general, however, our outlook for 2023 is not very positive.»

This year’s energy emergency, further aggravated by the Russia-Ukraine war, has made it more urgent than ever for client companies to adopt energy-efficient technologies. The industry is ready to play its part and offers a wide range of solutions for more sustainable production, as was clearly seen at the exhibition Tecna. At least on a national level, however, Acimac is calling on the government for new incentives to help companies adopt Industry 4.0 technologies as this is the only way to facilitate the energy transition.