Italian packaging sector records growth of 3.6% during 2014

The Italian packaging industry has continued to expand during 2014, recording growth of 3.6%, according to the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association (Ucima).

Overall turnover reached more than €6.22bn while exports rose by 1.2% to more than €5bn, meaning that 81.2% of the sector’s sales were generated from international markets, the Modena-headquartered organisation said. The European Union was the top export region for Italian technologies in 2014 with nearly one third of the total, followed by Asia in second and non-EU European countries in third.

Food industry machinery accounted for 31.8% of total turnover and beverage industry machinery 29.5%, meaning that the combined sectors were by far the largest purchaser of Italian packaging and packaging equipment.

Ucima chairman Giuseppe Lesce is optimistic about this year’s results.

Companies with turnovers above €25m made up just 7.4% of the total but generated the largest share of total turnover, with two thirds. Most of the Italian packaging companies were located in Emilia Romagna – in the north of Italy – accounting for 54.6% of total turnover, Ucima’s third National Statistical Survey showed.

Ucima chairman Giuseppe Lesce said: “During the initial months of the year we saw a slowdown in orders in the main markets, although this trend appears to have bottomed out. We are therefore optimistic about this year’s results.”