The year 2024 ended with indicators that point to a period of stagnation for the sector, according to data presented at the end of the year by Acimga, the Confederation of Italian Printing and Converting Machinery Manufacturers, which groups together around seventy companies throughout Italy.

The index of machinery orders for the graphic industry collected in the third quarter of 2024 showed a decline of 8.5% compared to the same period the previous year, with the index value standing at 59.9 (Base 2021=100). This was due to the decline in the domestic market (-26%) while foreign markets grew by 18.7%. In the first nine months of 2024, order intake decreased by 15.9% compared to the same period last year: -23.9% domestic orders, -11.7% foreign orders.

In the third quarter of 2024, turnover (in value terms) had increased slightly (+3%) compared to the same period of the previous year (in current terms), amounting to EUR 845 million.
In the period from January to September 2024, turnover grew slightly (+1.7%) compared to the same period of the previous year, amounting to EUR 2,286 million.

In the third quarter of 2024, the conjunctural forecasts on turnover trends for the fourth quarter of 2024 indicated growth for 55.6% of the respondents; followed by stability (33.3%) and a decrease (11.1%).

Turnover increased, albeit slightly, by +1.7% to €3,144 million, while pre-estimates indicate a sharp decrease in imports -29.6% to €478 million and a growth in exports, +2.8% over 2023, to €1,860 million. Italy is confirmed as the third largest global exporter in 2024 too, with a 10% market share. Forecasts to 2025 also indicate an upward trend, with an expectation for 2028 showing a +3.2% growth.

"The available data give us a picture of a sector that, despite the difficulties, is still 'holding its own' in the face of the political-economic crisis, and this is certainly a positive factor, considering the negative indicators of neighbouring sectors," says Enrico Barboglio, Director of Acimga.

The year just concluded has therefore consolidated significant achievements for the sector, leading up to the next Print4All, which in May 2025 will once again highlight the dynamism and innovation of the global printing and converting industry.