The statistical analysis performed by Assocomaplast (Italian trade association, part of CONFINDUSTRIA, representing over 160 companies) on foreign trade data provided by ISTAT regarding the first six months of this year , reveals – in comparison to January-June 2014 – a markedly positive performance for Italy's exports and imports of plastics and rubber machinery, equipment and moulds. The growth recorded since the first months of 2014 has continued this year and actually has increased: by the end of June 2015, the rise in purchases from abroad approached 17%. This provides further reassurance

December 18th, 20914 (Milan, Italy): Assocomaplast (the Italian trade association, belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups to-gether some 170 machinery manufacturers) has compared ISTAT foreign trade data for January-September of the current year with data for the same period in 2013 and confirms further growth in both imports and exports. Exports rose by over 4% while purchases from abroad grew by over 7%. This has also led to a consolidation (+3%) of an already strong balance of trade. However, we must underscore that the positive trend in exports, traditional driver for Italian

Italy's INglass Srl recently broke ground on its first facility in the US, which will be located in Byron Center, Michigan. INglass Srl, an Italian maker of molds for the plastics industry is investing $17.6 million in the West Michigan project and plans to employ 109 people over the next four years. Facility highlights The 45,000-square-foot facility, located at 920 74th St. SW in Byron Center, will house INglass’s HRSflow division, which manufactures hot runner systems for plastic injection molding. The facility will feature significant roof windows and natural daylight, and will also

For the second quarter of 2014, the textile machinery orders index elaborated by the research department at ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), recorded a 6% increase compared to the previous quarter, for an absolute value of 86 points (basis: 2010=100). (See Graph) This growth in orders came entirely from the foreign markets, for which an increase of 8% was recorded for the period from April to June, with the industry index of 92.1 points. For its part, the domestic market showed a decline in order intake for the second quarter (-9% over the previous quarter)

The national Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers' association ACIMALL recently published its Annual Report for 2013. The report provides an overview of the Italian woodworking machinery industry and analyzing in a a wider contex - both import and export figures of all major global competitors (Germany, the United States, China, Austria and Taiwan). The report – produced by ACIMALL's Studies and Promotion Office in Italian and English version – will become widely available to major organizations within the industry worldwide and available to anyone individaul who wishes to

Recovery in exports, which gained momentum particularly in the last quarter of 2013, with a last minute surge in December, allowed the Italian manufacturers to compensate for the lasting weakness in the domestic market which can be seen in Exhibit 1. The very slight decline in demand from abroad, which represents over 65% of total production, kept revenue losses within 2.5% with respect to 2012 and further improved an already very positive balance of trade. In terms of revenues and exports in 2013, Assocomaplast member companies performed better than the average for the sector, with a positive

ASSOCOMAPLAST, tthe Italian trade association belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 165 makers of machinery, moulds and equipment for plastics and rubber, has produced its 2013 full-year forecast for the industry on the basis of foreign trade data for the first nine months of the year provided by ISTAT, Italy's National Institute of Statistics. The slight dip in exports (-2.8% with respect to January-September 2012) could be recovered in the fourth quarter thanks to the expected economic recovery, early signals of which have been noted recently by the CONFINDUSTRIA Research

During a recent exclusive interview with Dr. Giorgio Colombo, President of Italy's ASSOCOMAPLAST, the national association for plastics and rubber processing machinery and mold manufacturers' association, he shared his thoughts and insights on the industry's transitional period experienced in 2013, current and future challenges faced by manufacturers and a clear outlook for 2014. President, do you feel that 2013 may be considered a year with more light or more shadow for the Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry? I think that 2013 is a year of transition after strong growth in 2011

The first edition of MECHA-TRONIKA, the fair of intelligence for the industrial production recently completed its successful run October 23-26 at the Fiera Milano trade show center in Milan, Italy. MECHA-TRONIKA is a premier show dedicated to the systems and technologies able to optimize the machines, processes and systems management. Organised by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE and FIERA MILANO, MECHA-TRONIKA is promoted by the official representatives of the sectors on display: AIDAM, Italian association of automation and mechatronics; ASSODEL, national association of electronic suppliers