Machinery sales revive

6 October 2014


The value of the European woodworking machinery and tool industry fell by 7.5% in 2013, however, latest figures from Italy show a strong revival in orders as the economy in Europe improves.

The European federation of woodworking machinery manufacturers Eumabois said in its annual report that there were more than 1,000 companies in Europe with a total employment of 35,000. Revenues across the board fell by 7.5% to €5,359m from 2012 with the biggest shares held by Germany at 42% and Italy at 29%.

Latest figures from Acimall, the Italian woodworking machinery association, revealed a strong increase in orders among its members during the spring. Orders in the Italian market grew almost 33% in the second quarter of 2014, compared with the same three months in 2013. Sales abroad were up 25.8%.

Acimall warned that the increase was seen against a “remarkably depressed” period at the start of the year, however, forward orders had increased to almost three months from 2.5 and prices were up 0.8%.

The European sector is characterised by a very strong exporting trend - about 30% is sold abroad, Eumabois said. Last year the purchase of machinery from abroad, however, increased about fourteen percentage points to €616m.