For the second quarter of 2014 the machine tool index of orders, issued by the Studies Department of the Italian Machine Tools, Robots and Automation Manufacturers' Association (UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE), shows a 14.4% increase year-on-year.

The overall result is due to the positive performance of manufacturers both in the domestic and the export markets, the association explained.

In particular, the absolute index of domestic orders went up by 38.2%, for an absolute value of 91.2, supported by the introduction of the New Sabatini Law.

As far as exports, the index of orders grew by 11.5%, for an absolute value of 96.6, confirming the recovery in the consumption of Italian machine tools in the main foreign markets, already highlighted, after the slow down of 2013, by the export results for the first quarter of 2014 (+2.1%).

In spite of this, the level of investments planned for the Italian market remains low. The absolute index value of machinery trading reached 96, still under the average set at 2010 = 100.

Following the UCIMU analysis of the ISTAT data, the most active countries in pursuit of Italian machinery appear to be those of the EU; on the increase are in fact sales to Germany (+17.6%), France (+30.2%), Poland (+0.8%), the UK (+42%), Spain (+12.9%).

Down are sales to China (-16.3%), the US (-11%), Russia (-5.8%), India (-35.3%), Brazil (-37.8%), Turkey (-7.5%).

On a six-monthly basis, the 2014 index shows a 14.9% increase due to the growth in the index for domestic (+59.5%) and export (+7.8%) orders.

"The results are certainly positive, however, it has to be considered that the increase appears consistent because it compares with 2013, one of the worst years of the Italian industry of the sector," says Luigi Galdabini, President of UCIMU.

The rise of domestic orders is the direct result of the introduction of the New Sabatini Law which, in force since last March, has up to now resulted in financing at favorable conditions for 1.5 billion euros of investments of capital goods, according to Mr. Galdabini.

"On the other hand, we estimate that the next edition of BI-MU, the two-yearly event planned for next October at Fiera Milano, will give a further push to purchases by Italian end users," he notes.