In the second quarter of 2025, the index of machine tool orders compiled by the Centro Studi & Cultura di Impresa of Ucimu – Sistemi per Produrre recorded an increase of 22 percent compared to the period April to June 2024. The absolute index value was 64.4 (base 100 in 2021).
Riccardo Rosa, President of Ucimu – Sistemi per Produrre, commented: “This latest survey of the Ucimu Index also confirms the positive trend in incoming orders. Nevertheless, there are still concerns as the general conditions deteriorate over the months.”
In particular, orders collected on the domestic market recorded an increase of 70.3% compared to the second quarter of 2024 (with an absolute value of 54.0). Orders placed abroad increased by 9.5% compared to the same period last year. The absolute index value is 74.6.
“Looking at the absolute index values,” Riccardo Rosa continued, “the weakness of demand, especially on the domestic market, is obvious. The increase recorded by manufacturers on the domestic market is also and above all so high because it contrasts with a truly disastrous second quarter of 2024, the worst in the last 10 years with the exception of 2020, which coincided with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.”
“Abroad, US President Trump’s statements are certainly discouraging. Once again, we, the entrepreneurs in the manufacturing sector, must hold our nerve and wait and see what develops, knowing full well that the US President’s attitude is unpredictable at best, to put it mildly. The war against Made in Europe exports would be a very severe punishment not only for the Eurozone, but also for the US and especially for the population itself,” added Riccardo Rosa. “However, we can no longer do without an alternative plan at this point.”
Rosa continues: “Given the enormous work that companies are doing to differentiate markets and sales sectors, we call on the European authorities to speed up the planning of free trade agreements with countries that are experiencing or are about to experience long-term development, starting with Africa and some parts of Asia. But at the same time, we call for decisive action to limit bureaucracy in favor of the economic players living and operating on the old continent in order to unleash all the potential that our true domestic market, the EU, can still produce.”
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