Although 2022 has in many ways been a difficult year, the Italian ceramic technology and machinery industry has succeeded in increasing its sales revenues. According to estimates based on preliminary figures drawn up by the MECS – Acimac Research Centre, the industry is set to report a year-end turnover of EUR 2,164 million, an increase of 5.2% over 2021.
Exports and domestic sales have both increased year-on-year. Exports, which have always been the industry’s main source of revenue, rose to EUR 1,618 million (+5% compared to last year), while Italian domestic sales grew by 6% to EUR 546 million.
“While we reported positive results overall, this would have been a far more successful year if our industry’s performance had not been hampered by the twofold challenge of high energy prices and delays in component supplies,” said Acimac’s chairman Paolo Lamberti (pictured). “We had already seen the warning signs a year ago. We are currently in a state of overall good health, but in a supply chain environment where everyone is running a fever. We hope that in 2023 the raw materials supply chain will be back to normal, and that energy prices will have stabilised. In general, however, the outlook for 2023 is not positive.”
This year’s energy emergency, further aggravated by the Russia-Ukraine war, has made it more urgent than ever for client companies to adopt energy-efficient technologies. The industry is ready to play its part and offers a wide range of solutions for more sustainable production, as was much in evidence at the exhibition Tecna. At least on a national level, however, Acimac is calling on the government for new incentives to help companies adopt Industry 4.0 technologies and facilitate the energy transition.
The sector has already received orders covering 4 months of production in 2023.
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