Italian ceramic machinery production falls by 24% in 2024

According to preliminary figures compiled by Mecs - Acimac Research Centre, Italian ceramic technology sector sales fell by 24% in 2024. Chairman Paolo Lamberti commented: “This result had been entirely expected and was caused by multiple factors. We are looking ahead to a recovery in 2026.”

According to preliminary figures compiled by the Mecs-Acimac Research Centre, the Italian ceramic machinery and equipment sector represented by Acimac is set to close 2024 with total sales of €1.80 billion. This marks a 24% reduction in output following three years of steady growth and a return to the levels of 2019, the final year before global trade was disrupted by a series of events including the Covid-19 pandemic, the raw materials crisis, inflation and wars.

The slowdown has impacted both exports and the domestic market. The domestic market generated €480 million, a 26% contraction compared to last year, while exports fell to €1.32 billion, down 23.4% from 2023. The decline affected all geographical regions, with significant losses in the Americas and Europe, although there were some positive signs in individual markets such as Algeria and Vietnam.

But the real impetus for the coming years could come from the recovery of the construction industry, with global investments projected to reach €1 trillion over the next four years, including €700 billion in Asia alone. As a result, global tile production is expected to continue to grow through to 2028.

“We’re going through a very challenging period, there’s simply no denying it and it was entirely expected,” commented Acimac Chairman Paolo Lamberti. “While part of this crisis is cyclical, other factors are at play, such as increasingly aggressive international competition, particularly from China, a natural slowdown following the large-scale investments made by our customers in recent years, and the increase in our production costs. As regards the domestic market, we are currently unhappy with the new Industry 5.0 incentives as the measure has not yet been effectively adopted due to the significant limitations introduced for sectors subject to ETS regulations, such as the ceramic industry. And while the recent changes currently undergoing approval may broaden the scope of application, companies may still not be able to fully utilise the incentives given the limited time remaining to access them. The government’s planned restriction on Industry 4.0 incentives for 2025 is yet another hurdle. As for exports, we are closely monitoring the growing demand for tiles, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, driven by the significant investments expected over the next four years. However, our sector is bracing for a difficult 2025 with the hope that we will see a return to growth in 2026. In the meantime, I would like to emphasise the value of our industry, which continues to evolve through the development of advanced digital solutions and ever more efficient technologies, as demonstrated by the success of our trade fair Tecna and the recently organised conference Ceramica di Valore.”