Eight out of ten companies continue to work, but the limitations are being felt. Peretti: start safely everyone so as not to lose market shares.
The turnover of Italian printing, packaging and converting machine manufacturers will decrease by 20-25% in 2020. This is the estimate made by Acimga, the industry’s confindustria member association. Also in 2020, Acimga predicts, there will be a reduction in world trade for the sector, but Italy will maintain its market share, confirming its position as the second exporter of these technologies.
A negative scenario, similar to that of the rest of industrial machinery, which foresees a drop in turnover of 27% in the current year, with peaks of around 40% in some sectors. The performance of the printing and packaging machines is therefore in line with the rest of the machinery sector, even if the sector has one of its Ateco codes (28.95.00) among those considered essential by the Government, as food and pharma suppliers, thus allowing many companies to continue operating, as well as having their Ateco customer codes among those considered essential (17 and 18).
How the sector is experiencing the epidemic
Thanks to a bi-weekly survey, Acimga is monitoring the effects of coronavirus on the sector. From the answers of associated members, it emerges that about 77% of the companies are continuing to work either because they are included in the Ateco codes deemed essential, or because they are suppliers of such companies. However, about 2 companies out of 3 among those open have seen their productivity significantly reduced, also due to the limited operations with foreign countries (the sector obtains 60% of its turnover from exports). A reduced productivity which has led about 6 out of 10 respondent companies to resort to measures such as layoffs. “Having seen one of our two Ateco codes included in the list of essential services – declares the president of Acimga Aldo Peretti – was a great acknowledgement, but above all the result of an intense work of lobbying. But the association hasn’t stopped there. We immediately activated a Help Desk service, essential for unraveling the mass of information, sometimes non-linear, that reaches companies. Now we are launching an adv. campaign to support the sector in Italy and abroad, and to help it to restart. A service not only to communicate, but for raising awareness among both institutional and market stakeholders, to make it clear that Italy has not stopped and is ready to offer its technological solutions, as always. We ask the institutions for linearity, coordination and vision for the restart. For us, safety is essential and there have been positive examples of corporate welfare at this moment in time, such as the activation of insurance against Covid-19 for staff. But now we must start off again safely, remove the limits to companies that have had to stay closed and not lose market shares with our foreign competitors.”
