In the fourth quarter of 2024, Italy's textile machinery industry experienced a 19 per cent decline in order intake, according to the ACIMIT index, compiled by the Economics Department of the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT). The index reached 49.6 points (base 2021=100), reflecting a contrast between a modest increase in domestic orders and a significant drop in foreign demand.

Domestic orders saw a slight growth of 6 per cent, while international orders fell sharply by 22 per cent. In absolute terms, the foreign market index stood at 48.3 points, and Italy's index reached 58.5 points. Despite the downturn, the order backlog was sufficient to cover 3.3 months of production.

For the full year of 2024, the index showed a 16 per cent decrease compared to 2023, with a 10 per cent rise in domestic orders, but a notable 19 per cent drop in international orders. The decline in orders is attributed to ongoing weakness in global demand, particularly in key markets outside of China.

Marco Salvade, President of ACIMIT, noted that the negative trend in machinery demand is most pronounced abroad, with exports to major markets such as Turkey, India, the United States, and Germany all declining. This trend, confirmed by data through October 2024, underscores the challenging global conditions facing Italy's textile machinery sector.