It is mainly the demand from non-EU countries to offset the drop in demand and orders for thermal plant and equipment manufacturers, members of  Assotermica . The crisis that has hard hit the construction sector has had a major impact on the slowdown of both domestic and European sales. While the recession is taking on alarming proportions in the construction sector, Italian manufacturers of thermal components, after closing a challenging 2012, are projected towards a positive first semester of 2013, also in those markets most affected by the crisis.

According to data compiled by the trade association for 2013, the value of investments within the European Union for this sector is expected to remain stable at 2 billion euros. While showing a slight increase of 0.8% for European countries, export figures for non-EU countries show a double digit growth trend. "Export is more and more significant in all adhering mechanical sectors - says Sandro Bonomi, President of Anima, the association to which Assotermica is federated - going from 20.5 to over 23 billion euros, with an increase of 12% for an overall production value of 41.4 billion euros. In terms of turnover, the value of exports now accounts for 56%". The growth rate of the products is the indicator of this trend: the sales of burners, a flagship product in non-EU markets, are blazing abroad and those of boilers are growing at lower rates, mainly in demand in the EU markets.

The extra-EU export surplus is actually allowing a takeover on traditional markets and becoming a needed "lifesaver" for production and employment levels in times of crisis. The surveys carried out by Anima estimate a stable numbers of staff employed and of investment for 2013. The importance of exports on the accounts of the Italian thermal plant equipment manufacturers can be clearly seen also by the balance of trade figures, which have kept interesting trends, in contrast with the main national economic indicators, all in decline due to the crisis. The 2009 import/export balance was set at 711 million euros and after a marginal drop in 2010 (683 million) has been growing again, reaching 834 million euros in 2011. The breakdown of exports by region indicates that 22% of foreign sales concerns non-EU countries, of which 54% in Europe. But according to the export performance of individual countries the most significant increases compared to 2012 relate to the Russian Federation with an increase of 31% (138 million euros), France with 13% (153 million euros) and China 13% (55 million euros). Key indicators for a sector that has found its anti-crisis strategy in exports and is focusing more and more on emerging markets to maintain its global leadership.