By MPW Staff

Published: February 25th, 2010

Italy's plastics processing machinery manufacturers expect an upturn in the first half of 2010, and it's one they could certainly use after last year's slide. In figures provided by Assocomoplast, the trade group representing about 160 of the country's leading suppliers of processing machinery and molds, total production fell last year by about 25% compared to 2008, with the drop in sales also hitting about 25% for both the export and domestic markets. The country's domestic sales in 2009 were about €1.85 billion, and machinery/mold exports amounted to about €1.8 billion.

Assocomoplast's latest survey of its member companies revealed that 81% of respondents expect an increase in turnover in the first half of 2010, in comparison with the second half of 2009, thanks to an uptick in recent orders.

Better prospects are seen in particular in other European Union countries, in South America and in Asia except China, where the recovery of sales is somehow weaker. The group's members hope to counter that last trend with an Italian pavilion at April's Chinaplas trade show, with 50 exhibitors filling the 1200m2 pavilion. —mpweditorial@cancom.com

Source:  PlasticsToday.com