According to the Italian Machine, Tool, Robots and Automation Manufacturers Association, after a complicated 2024, the year 2025 turned out to be rather stagnant for Italian manufacturers of machine tools, robots and automation systems, who saw their production grow moderately. This was slowed down by the export downturn, which was not counterbalanced by the weak recovery in the domestic market activity. The association anticipates that 2026 will be better, but the forecasts are cautious. In brief, this is what emerges from the preliminary figures for 2025 and forecasts for 2026 just released by the Studies Department and Business Culture Center of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE.
Looking back at 2025
In 2025, production stood at 6,420 million euro, reporting a 1.5% increase compared to the previous year.
The year was characterized by a strong contraction in exports, which went down to 3,710 million euro, i.e. 13.2% less than in 2024. Almost all the major markets for Made in Italy products in this sector recorded a negative performance, as a testimony to the difficult international situation.
On the domestic front, the recovery in consumption, which rose by 20.5% to 4,465 million euro, drove the growth in the deliveries from Italian manufacturers on the domestic market, attaining 2,710 million euro, corresponding to 32% more than in the previous year. Although the increases of these two indicators are significant, the results are not very satisfactory because they are still much lower than the values obtained in the previous years.
The export/production figure started to decrease again, stopping at 57.8%.
Looking at 2026
For 2026, the forecasts prepared by the Studies Department and Business Culture Center of UCIMU show a moderate rise of the main economic indicators. In particular, in 2026, production should grow, reaching 6,590 million euro (+2.6% versus 2025).
This outcome should be determined by the return of exports to positive territory (+0.7% compared to the 2025 figure), totaling 3,735 million euro, as well as by the upturn in the domestic deliveries from Italian manufacturers, which should grow to 2,855 million euro (+5.4% versus 2025), supported by increased domestic demand.
Italian consumption of machine tools, robots and automation should go up to 4,730 million euro, i.e. 5.9% more than in 2025. Imports should also benefit from the recovery in domestic demand, as proven by the forecast figure indicating a 6.8% rise to 1,875 million euro.
The export/production ratio should go down again, standing at 56.7%.
