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GIMAV STUDY CENTER: THE GLASS SECTOR GROWS IN 2021

Milan, 1 August 2022 - Optimism at home GIMAV, the Italian Association of Glass Processing Machine and Accessories Suppliers, whose Study Center today released the sector data for 2021 and the first projections for 2022. A lively and growing sector which, despite some difficulties linked to the pandemic, continues to grow and maintain its leadership at an international level.

Il New President of GIMAV Dino Zandonella Necca comments on the final data from last year: "The data presented by the GIMAV Study Center demonstrate that the glass processing machinery and technology sector in 2021 managed, despite the obvious difficulties, to recover ground compared to 2020, a horrible year characterized by the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the persistence of some obstacles in operating on the international market and in the supply chain of raw materials and componentsica, the resilience demonstrated by Italian companies in the sector was commendable."

 

A look at 2021

In 2021, the sector's turnover stood at 2,5 billion, registering an increase of 24,3% compared to 2020. Looking at the families that make up the sector, compared to 2020 Flat Glass grows by 27,7%, Hollow Glass by 17,5% and Accessories and Other Technologies for Glass Processing by 23,5%.

The recovery allowed recovery compared to the slowdown in 2020 caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, recording a +3,6% compared to the pre-crisis period (ed. 2019). Accessories and Other Technologies for Glass Processing were the best performing, with +11,6%, followed by Hollow Glass with +7%. Flat glass, on the other hand, closed 2021 at a slightly lower level than the pre-pandemic figure (-3,9%), however marking a substantial recovery compared to 2020, which closed at -24,8%.

The sector confirms itself as highly competitive on an international level, reaffirming its global leadership with an export/turnover ratio of 68%, although slightly down compared to 2020.

A positive note goes to exports, increased by 18,2%: Accessories and Other Technologies for Glass Processing lead the rankingica of families (+22,7%), followed by Hollow Glass (+15,9%) and Flat Glass (+14,8%). The result is even more commendable considering the various factors hindering free trade that characterized 2021, such as the persistence of limitations in international mobility, the increase in freight transport costs and the difficulties in sourcing componentsica.

The recovery in 2020 was driven by excellent delivery performance on the Italian market (+39,8%), thanks to strong domestic demand: +60,8% for Flat Glass, +22,5% for Hollow Glass and +25,5% for Flat Glass. Compared with the results for the pandemic (ed. 2019), in value, deliveries on the domestic market grew overall by 10,8%: Hollow Glass recorded an excellent +44,1%, followed by Accessories and Other Glass Processing Technologies Glass with +13,9% and flat glass with +2,6%.

Although imports also benefited from internal demand (+26,7%), Italian companies demonstrated a greater ability to control the national market, as demonstrated by the internal deliveries/national market ratio which rose to 63,2%, with a increase of 2,3% compared to the previous year.

“The glass processing machinery and technology sector has demonstrated an excellent ability to recover and adapt to the situation of international markets, influenced by various factors that have limited access” comments on Director Fabrizio Cattaneo “This result was possible thanks to the shift in sales, normally more strongly linked to exports, towards greater coverage of the national market. Proof of this is the sales data on the national market, where deliveries of Made in Italy machinery and technologies are the predominant share. While waiting for normalization on an international level, the increase in presence on the national territory is certainly a good omen".

 

The first quarter of 2022

On the heels of 2021 growth, the turnover of the sector in the first quarter of 2022 recorded a +13,7% compared to 2021. If compared with the data from the pre-pandemic period, the value of production stood at +12,9% compared to 2019, demonstrating the solidity of the recovery of Italian companies producing machinery and technologies for glass processing

L'tosector xport of the first four months of 2022 records a positive trend: +9,4% Comparing the data with the pre-pandemic period, confirmation is found the sector has resumed operating consistently on an international level as well (+12,3% compared to 2019).

Domestic demand is driving deliveries on the national market of the sector, which in April showed growth of 23,8% compared to 2021, also in the first third of 2022, a better performance than imports (+21,3%). The figure far exceeds that of the pre-pandemic period (+14,3%), confirming a greater ability to control the internal market compared to foreign competitors.

"From an analysis of the numbers for the first months of 2022 – comments the President Zandonella Necca – we observe a stabilization of economic data, confirming the solidity of the sector. However, it is important to monitor the developments and challenges that are emerging – to name a few, the rise in energy and raw material prices, geopolitical crises, growing inflation, the euro/dollar exchange rate and the correct management of the extraordinary resources of the PNRR - require particular attention from the entire Italian system. However, it is important to underline the positive growth trend of the national market also in the first quarter of 2022, a sign that the entire Made in Italy glass supply chain is investing in cutting-edge technology to be ready to restart more competitively". 

 

Major markets in 2021 and the first third of 2022

The United States remains the main market for glass processing machinery and technologies, contributing 10,4% of overall exports, followed by Germany (9,3%), Spain (7,2%). The three countries stood out for a constant growth in the value of exported products, both compared to 2020 and 2019, confirming their solidity even in times of crisis. There top ten of the main destination countries is completed with Poland (5,2%), France (5,2%), China (3,7%), Turkey (3,6%), United Kingdom (3,3%), India (3,2%) and Brazil (2,7%). Of particular note is the growth of the Turkish market, which recorded +4,4% on 2020 and +45,1% on 2019.

United States, Germany and Spain are the main target markets also for the flat glass sector, accounting for 15,2%, 6,7% and 5,6% of overall exports respectively.

The three countries are also protagonists for Accessories and Other Technologies for Glass Processing, with orders reversed: Germany in first place with an export share of 13,9%, followed by Spain and the United States, which respectively weigh 10% and 6,2% of total sector exports.

Finally, Mexico confirms itself as the main destination for hollow glass: despite a slight slowdown in 2021, the market accounts for 9% of sector exports. The US market recorded strong growth, placing itself in second place and overtaking China, which lost a position also due to the ongoing containment measures of the Covid-19 pandemic in force in the Asian country. 

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