The full-year forecast for 2025 developed by the Mecs-Amaplast Statistics Centre paints a somewhat checkered picture of the Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery industry, also on the basis of the trend in foreign trade (data from ISTAT).
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The drop in exports – on the order of -6% for January-September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024 – produces an estimated downturn for the entire year of five percentage points in production, three quarters of which, on average, is exported to foreign markets.
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It thus appears that the positive performance of the domestic market – which maintained a high level of imports, grown by sixteen points with respect to the first nine months of 2024 – will not be sufficient to counterbalance the lacklustre performance of exports when the consolidated year-end result is issued.
Once again we observe a four-year cycle for exports in the sector. After the robust post-pandemic recovery they have recorded a setback this year, influenced by persisting turbulence in the markets. While the contraction of exports lessened progressively to some extent over the year – raising hopes for further improvement in the final quarter – the weak global macroeconomic trend, trade tensions, and ongoing wars have all had an influence on the propensity for investment in many markets.
We observe a slowdown in sales to all geographic areas, with the exception of Asia, powered by the two major destinations in the Far East: sales to Chinese converters have increased by 22% and those to Indian converters by 53%.
On the other hand, negative signs are recorded in Europe, with a drop of seven percentage points with respect to January-September 2024, with fewer deliveries to Germany, France, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Austria, just to name a few markets in the top twenty.
As regards North America, there is a split between the two major countries: while sales are holding steady to the United States – despite the great uncertainty caused by the introduction of tariffs – with a reassuring +5%, those to Mexico have collapsed (-41%) after four years of strong growth.
In South America, sales to Brazil have slowed abruptly (-37%) but have increased to other countries that have a fairly large plastics and rubber processing industry such as Argentina (+61%) and Chile (+75%).
Regarding the principal markets on the African continent, good performance among the Mediterranean countries is seen only in Egypt (+19%); in Sub-Saharan Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria closed out a positive third quarter while South Africa’s purchases have dropped by half.
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2024
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2025
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Δ% 2024-2025
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Europe (EU)
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52.6 (41.1)
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52.4 (42.9)
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-7.0 (-2.6)
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North America/USMCA
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17.4
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16.2
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-13.0
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Asia/Oceania
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16.9
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19.6
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8.7
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Africa
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6.7
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5.7
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-20.5
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Central/South America
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6.4
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6.1
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-12.0
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total
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100.0
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100.0
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-6.6
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“Although the full-year forecast for the domestic market is positive – partly as a consequence of governmental incentives, despite difficulties in reaping the benefits of the Transizione 5.0 measure and the sudden depletion of Industria 4.0 funds – Italian manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery,” stated Amaplast president Massimo Margaglione, “are concerned about the geopolitical situation, especially as a result of the climate of uncertainty that obliges companies to move cautiously in planning investments.”
“The hope,” continued Margaglione, “is that governments and supranational institutions quickly implement rebalancing policies and corrective measures to mitigate commercial tensions and, naturally, put an end to the wars that continue to threaten global stability.”
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Amaplast’s promotional activities to support Italian-made products in the sector continue unabated, with particular emphasis on maintaining a presence at trade fairs.
The first quarter of 2026 opens with coordination of the Italian collective, composed of 15 companies, at Plastex (Cairo, 9-12 January), with further public relations initiatives handled by ICE-Agenzia.
This will be followed by a presence at Plastindia (New Delhi, 5-10 February) where, in addition to the Punto Italia, a reference point for the nearly 40 Italian direct exhibitors, an Italian Technology Day will be organized (again in collaboration with ICE-Agenzia), an event that will allow Italian companies to present themselves to local operators and network with potential customers.
Lastly, a Punto Italia will be set up also at Expo Plasticos (Guadalajara, 24-26 March), where the supervisor of the Amaplast Desk in Mexico City will review the local industry.
These fairs will also be opportunities to promote PLAST 2026 (Milan, 9-12 June), organized by the Amaplast service company.
www.amaplast.org
www.plastonline.org
