In the first quarter of 2025, orders for Italian textile machinery registered a sharp downturn, according to figures released by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers. The order index fell by 29% compared to the same period in 2024, settling at 41.8 points (base year 2021=100).

The decline affected both domestic and international markets. In Italy, orders dropped by 57%, while foreign orders saw a 25% decrease. The index for overseas markets fell to 43.3 points, and the domestic index plunged to just 30.5 points, marking a new low. At the end of the quarter, the order backlog was sufficient to guarantee only 3.6 months of production.

Compared to the final quarter of 2024, the situation continued to deteriorate, with an additional 15% decrease in overall orders.

“The sector started 2025 even weaker than it ended 2024,” said Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT. “Uncertainty in international markets, already impacted by last year’s geopolitical tensions, has been exacerbated by the tariff decisions of the Trump administration. Orders from the US remain frozen as the market waits to see what comes next.”

Despite the bleak picture, Salvadè pointed to early signs of recovery in certain export markets. “Preliminary data suggest improvements in China, India, and Pakistan compared to the first quarter of 2024,” he noted.

Domestically, the crisis appears more severe, with the orders index reaching its lowest level since records began, even below the slump of 2020. “Looking beyond 2025, we urgently call on the Government to introduce structural investment incentives for capital goods,” Salvadè added. “These measures must be straightforward and easily accessible to ensure a timely response for businesses.”

www.acimit.it