Acimac: 10% fall in turnover in 2008
After the excellent results of 2007, when annual growth of 13.8% rang up
a record turnover of
1 937.5 million €, Italian manufacturers of machinery for the ceramics industry are facing a contraction of around 10% when results for 2008 are finalized, with
a turnover of roughly
1 700 million €. This estimate is based on statistics from the year’s first ten months, but may have to be adjusted downwards on account of the financial downturn in autumn, which has led to the cancellation or suspension of some orders that had already been registered. The sector’s export ratio for 2008 will again account for over 70% of turnover.
In terms of employment, no immediate repercussions are foreseen for the sector’s 7 500 employees, thanks in part to a flexible labour system already in place and to a constant quest for internal efficiency.
Acimac confirms that economic revival is not just around the corner: the feeling is that 2009 will see a further reduction of around 10% in sales. The hope is that by the second half of the year signals of more positive trends in the macro-economic situation will be emerging. The revival of the building industry in numerous countries, probable financial measures that offer precise guarantees on access to credit, and a climate of greater general business confidence that regenerates investment in equipment and machinery – these are the premises for relaunching a sector that will use these months to concentrate still further on innovation in processes and in products. Italy’s manufacturers of machinery for the ceramics industry will only remain a dominant force at international level by offering innovative technical solutions, including ever greater efficiency, automation and improvement in energy consumption – namely solutions capable of elevating final product value in terms of both aesthetics and performance levels.
