Aug 25, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. The negative trend of wood technology orders, already recorded in the 1Q 2008, worsened in the April-June period, Acimall - the Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers’ Association said. After 3 years of growth, the usual quarterly survey shows that, as compared to the same period of 2007, orders from the Italian market decreased by 17%, 10.7% from abroad. The total reduction is therefore equal to 12.5% on a year-to-year basis. From January to June, prices went up by 2.3%, while the period of ensured production, at the end of the first half of the year, went down from 3 to 2.4 months. Based on the indications of the sample companies, the quality survey gave the following results: 76% indicate stationary production, 9% growing and 15% decreasing. Available stocks are stationary according to 61%, decreasing according to 9% and growing according to the remaining 30%. Employment is considered as stationary by 88% of the sample, increasing by 6% and falling by 6%. Forecasts for the next period are the following: international orders will be stationary according to 46% of the sample, further decreasing according to 51%, and increasing according to 3% (negative balance -48). Looking at the Italian market, in the coming months it is expected to have a constant situation according to 42% of the sample, a slowdown for 46% and a growth for the remaining 12% (negative balance, -34). Acimall - the Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers’ Association - is a member of Confindustria and represents 223 Italian manufacturers, i.e. 90% of Italian production.