Feb 16, 2011. /Lesprom Network/. The Acimall Studies Office has published preliminary figures for the final balance of the year that has just ended. According to statistics, production increased by 23%, a good result, though certainly not enough to go back to pre-crisis levels. The domestic market (apparent consumption up by 38% compared to 2009) was characterized by the putting forward of purchases in the first half of the year, so as to benefit from the tax allowances of the Tremonti Ter law, as Acimall said in a press release received by Lesprom Network. Import has grown too (plus 46.6%), driven by increasing flows from China (plus 35%) and Germany (plus 61%). While Chinese machinery was mainly traded through triangulation and can be the platform for Italian production of traditional equipment, German machines are proving to be highly competitive. Also export is growing (plus 18.2%), mainly towards – in sequence – France, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Poland, China, Spain, the United States, Brazil, India and more. In 2011, further production growth is expected by the Acimall Studies Office, estimated between 10-15%. Figures reported above are confirmed by the trend of orders in the 4Q 2010: recovery, as already stated, continues at a slow pace. Orders from Italian companies increased by 9.1% compared to the same period in 2009, while orders from abroad grew by 13.4%. China, India and the Middle East are the major customers, while “historical” European markets are still far from pre-crisis levels. On the whole, orders increased by 12.3% compared to October- December 2009. As for turnover, there was a 30% increase from the previous quarter. Employment is considered stationary by 72% of the sample, falling by 24% and growing by the remaining 4%. The forecast survey offers an outlook on short-term trends: signs of moderate optimism are coming from abroad, supported by positive figures from the emerging countries. On the domestic side, instead, inactivity is still the predominant attitude, which should characterize most of 2011. According to 40% of the sample, orders from overseas will increase, while they will remain stable according to 52%, and decrease for 8% (the balance is +32). 28% predict a shrinking domestic market, while 60% expect substantial stability and only 12% believe that things will improve (the balance is minus 16). Acimall, the association that represents the most important Italian manufacturers of technology, automation, machinery, tools, and accessories for processing wood and wood-based products.