In the third quarter of 2024, Italy’s machine tool industry showed a positive shift, with a 7.9% increase in orders compared to the same period in 2023. The index, compiled by the Italian machine tool manufacturers’ association Ucimu-Sistemi per Produrre, reached a value of 52.7 (base year 2021 = 100).

A notable contributor to this growth was the overseas market, which saw a 10.7% rise in orders, bringing the index for international orders to 94.4. Domestic orders also grew by 4.3%, reaching an index value of 13.7.

Ucimu President Riccardo Rosa welcomed the positive trend, marking the first increase after six consecutive quarters of decline. However, he pointed out that this growth is largely due to a comparison with Q3 2023, a period that had one of the weakest order intakes ever recorded, barely surpassing the levels seen in the pandemic-impacted 2020.

Rosa also highlighted a growing divide within the sector, with sheet metal forming and processing machines performing well across various markets, while metal-cutting machines face ongoing challenges. These challenges include fierce competition, particularly from Asia, and uncertainty in the automotive industry, which has slowed investment in new production technologies.

Rosa emphasized the need for government support to address these challenges, particularly in the automotive sector, and called for policies that can aid the industrial transition, ensuring European manufacturing remains competitive and sustainable in a rapidly evolving global market.