Textile machinery constructors for whom exports account for 75% of sales, are rightly included among those sectors whose exports provide an essential growth engine. Sandro Salmoiraghi, president of Acimit, the association which represents the majority of businesses in the sector explains, “The internal share of the demand for Italian machinery is certainly significant, given the importance that the Italian textiles and clothing industry plays throughout Europe. However our machines are sold in over 130 countries, bearing witness to the success that Italian-made products have also had in the textile machinery division”.

Over the years, the export dynamics of this precious production division have changed significantly. “The textile and clothing industries”, underlines Salmoiraghi, “have been shifting their production centre of gravity to countries which can ensure lower costs than industrialised countries. As a consequence, the demand for textile machinery comes from the markets where production of textiles and clothes is greatest. Therefore, China, India and Turkey currently make up the principle destinations for foreign sales of textile machinery. China, in particular, represents almost 20% of Italian exports in the division. Lately new markets have been added to these countries, in places where large multinationals in the textile industry have outsourced their production. This is how the significance of Brazil, Egypt and also Bangladesh and Pakistan has grown. Traditional textile producers such as the United States and Germany are not excluded from our exports. There, the demand for Italian machinery, even if not as significant as in past years, is distinguished by its high level of technology”.

The tendency to export in this sector is characterised by the ability to reach a noteworthy number of markets. But this is not the only reason for the international success garnered by Italian textile machinery constructors. “Although the success is down to the capabilities and technology offered by each individual company,” continues President Salmoiraghi, “there is no doubt that common features can be found throughout the entire division”. Above all, our machines are highly customised and constructed according to the specific needs of our clients in order to satisfy the particular demands of textile producers. Added to this is the high level of versatility necessary to tackle the continual evolution of the textile and clothing markets, where production is increasingly characterised by minimal batches and a variety of products. In short, we offer total reliability, another characteristic which makes Italian constructors an ideal technological partner for the textile industry throughout the world”.