During the first quarter of 2025, textile machinery orders reported by ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers) experienced a steep decline, plunging 29% compared to the same period in 2024. The index was recorded at 41.8 points, based on the 2021=100 baseline.
This negative performance reflects substantial challenges in both domestic and international markets. Orders within Italy fell sharply by 57%, while those from foreign markets decreased by 25%. The foreign market index reached 43.3 points, whereas the domestic index dropped further to 30.5 points. By the end of the quarter, the order backlog accounted for only 3.6 months of production.
The situation worsened further when compared to the previous quarter (October-December 2024), as overall orders declined by another 15%.
Marco Salvadè, ACIMIT’s President, remarked: “The sector started 2025 on an even weaker footing than it ended 2024. On international markets, the deep uncertainty triggered by last year’s geopolitical tensions has been further worsened by the tariff decisions implemented by the Trump administration. In the US, orders remain at a standstill as the market awaits the next steps from the President. Some glimmers of hope come from the estimates of global export data for textile machinery in the first quarter: China, India, and Pakistan—key markets for technology suppliers—show signs of recovery compared to the same period in 2024.”
The domestic market in Italy faces an even graver crisis, with the orders index hitting its lowest level, exceeding the downturn seen in 2020. Salvadè emphasized: “We need to look beyond 2025 and call on the Government to implement targeted, structural incentives for investments in capital goods, with simple procedures that allow companies to access them quickly.”
