The Italian automatic packaging machinery sector has reported total sales revenues of €8.24 billion in 2021, more than the previous record in 2019. The result marks a 5.5% increase on 2020 despite the restrictions that were in place throughout 2021 and the global shortage of raw materials and components that hindered production and shipments in the final months of the year. These figures were contained in the National Statistical Survey for the industry published annually by the MECS - Ucima Research Centre, results based on a total of 633 companies with 36,351 employees, 2% more than the previous year.
The Italian manufacturers of packaging technology and solutions maintained their strong export propensity in 2021 with foreign sales of €6.46 billion, 78.4% of the total. Following the 4% decline in 2020, exports resumed growth at +6.2%. The European Union maintained its position as the largest market for Italian machinery with revenues of €2.15 billion, up 3.4% compared to 2020 and equivalent to 40.8% of total exports. Asia lost ground (-4.4%) but remained the second most important export market for Italian packaging technology with sales of €942 million, 17.8% of the sector's total exports. In third place was North America with an impressive 13% year-on-year growth to €828 million following the 6% increase reported in 2020. Africa and Oceania followed in fourth place with 9% of the total export turnover (€473 million), overtaking non-EU Europe, while Central and South America closed the ranking in sixth place.
The Italian domestic market also grew to reach sales of €1.77 billion (up 3.2% on 2020), equivalent to 21.6% of the industry's total revenues.
