Foreign markets are doing badly, Italy too. In the second quarter of 2026, the order intake data for machine tool orders is negative, with the index developed by the Ucimu-Sistemi per produrre Business Culture & Studies Center showing a decrease of 25.8% compared to the April-June 2025 period. Setting the 2021 value at 100, the index stood at 47.8.
Read more Ukraine will purchase parts of Chinese drones with 6 billion EU funds
Ask the Sun
The questions are automatically suggested by 24Ore AI
based on the content viewed.
Resulting from the difficulties Italian manufacturers have encountered both in the domestic and foreign markets. Reversing course after growth in the early months of the year, orders collected abroad recorded a decrease of 15.3% compared to the second quarter of 2025. However, the domestic data weighs down the average, with the national market falling by 38.7%, a result linked to the waiting effect of the implementing rules on the new incentives, in the absence of which many investments have been put on hold.
“The uncertainty of the geopolitical context stirred by wars, the Hormuz crisis, and the decidedly worrying attitude of the President of the United States regarding international policy – explains Ucimu President Riccardo Rosa – has deeply undermined the already precarious balance in which the sector industry was operating. The decline in foreign deliveries, given the moment, is understandable and expected. Activity has slowed but, as is in our nature, we have tried to direct the offer towards those areas less directly affected by conflicts and critical issues, differentiating, where possible, the sectors of destination of our offer.” The demand is particularly weighed down by the reduction of investments in the automotive sector, the primary market for machinery.
Read more The paradox of drought: cuts rice and corn but restores balance to wine and milk
“Numbers and investment values once guaranteed by the automotive sector cannot be replaced by demand expressed by other sectors, albeit dynamic, such as defense, aerospace, and energy. For this reason, once again, we ask those who represent us in Europe to reconsider their steps by adopting, in defining development plans for the automotive sector, the principle of technological neutrality. This approach would indeed allow the supply chain, and all its extensive network, to properly manage the ongoing transition not only respecting the environment but also safeguarding, where possible, employment.”
While order intake abroad is reduced, the decline in Italy is even heavier, due to the long impasse on the implementing rules of the new transition 5.0 plan. Combining the first and second quarters of the year, the reduction in orders in the domestic market is over 32%.
