In Italy, there are approximately 300 companies that produce textile machines and related accessories, for a total of about 12,900 employees. In 2021, the value of Italian production was 2.4 billion euro, with exports worth 2 billion euro.
According to the ACIMIT Report, the production of the Italian textile industry in 2022 is expected to grow by 11% for a total value of 2.6 billion euros.
In the first ten months of 2022, the main destination of Italian exports of textile machines was Asia (44%), followed by Europe extra EU (18%) and European Union (17%). The biggest contribution to the Italian exports of textile machinery came from China. In January-October 2022 period Italian sales toward the Chinese market amounted to a value of 244 million euro. Others main markets are Turkey, India and the United States of America.
The supply of Italian manufacturers covers all the classic sectors into which we can divide textile machines. Each type of machines are well represented in the Italian exports.
Italian companies involved in this sector, are small-size companies, deeply committed to R&D activities, and looking for close cooperation with end users to create new opportunities, new machines, new systems, and technologies. The ability to understand the needs of potential customers enables Italian companies to turn them quickly into dedicated machines and devices which give rise to new high value-added market niches (such as technical textiles) in the world textile market, both as regarding economical and technological aspects of.
Italian textile machinery companies are placed in areas of ancient textile tradition, where an exchange of experience with end users offers a strong impetus to the constant technological upgrading of machinery. Textile clusters are located in Northern and Central Italy: Bergamo, Biella, Brescia, Como, Milan, Prato, Vicenza.
The main characteristics that distinguish the Italian textile machinery sector are:
A skilled workforce that ensures a high quality of products; the dimensions of Italian companies that allow a quick response to the need of each customer;
The flexibility and versatility ensure a customized production for satisfying the needs of each customer;
The high technological level of the supply, is due to the constant attention paid by Italian companies to R&D activities and innovate solutions.
