Italian woodworking machines and tools orders grew by 2.4% in 4Q 2007

Feb 29, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. The last three months of the year 2007 show that Italian woodworking machines and tools orders grew by 2.4% compared to the same period in 2006, Acimall reported. Another positive signal confirming the trend of the past 2 years, although a significant slowdown was recorded against the increases of previous quarters.: orders from abroad (where 82% of Italian production is sold) grew by 1%, whereas the Italian market was much more "generous" (+7%). In 2007, prices increased by 2.2%, whereas the months of ensured production, at the end of the year, were 3.5. 63% of the interviewed companies - taken from a representative sample of the whole industry - indicated stationary production volumes in the last three months of 2007, whereas 37% said their business had expanded. Available stocks are stationary according to 67%, decreasing according to 15% and growing according to the remaining 18%. Employment is considered as stationary by 74% of the sample and increasing by 26%. 74% of interviewed companies said orders from abroad will remain at current levels, while 15% expect an increase and 11% a reduction (positive balance +4%). Domestic market will be stable according to 74% of the sample, expanding for 11% and shrinking for the remaining 15% of the sample (negative balance -4%). Acimall - the Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers' Association. Woodworking technologies are an ace in the hole of the 'made in Italy' sector, with 12 thousand employees, a production worth Euro 1.92 billion and a 2007 export share of 82%.