In the first quarter of 2019, the UCIMU index of machine tool orders showed an 8.5% decrease compared with the first quarter of 2018.

The absolute value of the index was 127.7 (the base being 100, established in 2015). Orders from foreign markets were down by 8.2%, while orders from the domestic market were down by 9.8%.

Massimo Carboniero, president of UCIMU-Sistemi per Produrre (www.ucimu.it), said: “The order downturn in the domestic market was expected. Indeed, when assessing the results of 2018 and the first part of 2019, we can confirm that they are back to the typical levels of the Italian market.

“Some years ago, the Italian manufacturing industry, as well as the whole country, started a long-term process of renewal and transformation aimed at improving the competitiveness of the ‘Made in Italy’ product offering.

“It would be risky to interrupt this path halfway, particularly when considering the employment situation. Italy needs to strengthen and increase the value of its manufacturing production, safeguarding its companies, its know-how and employment.

“To do this, we need tools that can incentivise investments in technology.”

“The atmosphere of political instability, the concurrence with the European elections, the stagnation of some markets, such as Germany, and of some sectors that are particularly relevant for Italian machine tools, such as the automotive — plus protectionist measures by some important markets — make the export activities of Italian manufacturers certainly less easy.

“For this reason, we ask the Government authorities to consider an increase in tax incentives for Italian companies that take part in leading sector exhibitions held in non-EU countries.”