In the fourth quarter 2022, the index of machine tool orders processed by
Ucimu-Sistemi per Produrre — the Italian machine tool manufacturers’ association — marked a 3.5% increase compared with Q4 2021. The absolute value of the index stood at 133.6 (base year 2015=100) — a ‘new record value for a Q4, and a result of high levels of orders from abroad, as well as from the domestic market.
Orders from overseas grew by 2.4% compared with Q4 2021. The absolute value of the index was 103.9. On the domestic front, orders registered a 5.4% upturn, resulting in an absolute value of the index of 257 — a new all-time high.
Barbara Colombo, Ucimu’s president (pictured), said: “This performance is particularly satisfactory, as it is compared with the result of the fourth quarter 2021, which had already been exceptional. The excellent outcome was mostly due to the accelerated purchasing decisions by manufacturers who completed their investment processes by the end of 2022 to take advantage of the tax credit at 40%, being aware that — as announced by the Government — from January 2023 the tax rate would be halved.”
On an annual basis, however, the index of orders shows a 7.8% downturn, for an absolute value of 120.1. The decrease was due to the reduction in the orders from the Italian market (-20.8%) for an absolute value of 144.7; orders from abroad were up (+2.8%) for an absolute value of 115.9.
Ms Colombo added: “If we consider the performance of order collection over the entire year, it is clear that the ‘blaze’ in the fourth quarter could not counterbalance the fall reported in the previous quarters — a fall mostly due to the reduction in domestic orders and comparison with the boom recorded in the four quarters of 2021.
“We expected this trend, both for the annual index and for the last quarter; and regarding the 12-month period, the downturn in the domestic market is not surprising, as we cannot expect the Italian market to keep growing at the pace registered in the last two years. That said, domestic demand remains dynamic because the process of digital transformation is in full swing.”