Italian Textile Machinery Orders Decline 5% in Q1 2026, Says ACIMIT

According to the Textile Machinery Orders Index for the first quarter of 2026, order intake for Italian textile machinery manufacturers declined by 5% compared to the corresponding period in 2025, indicating a challenging start to the year for the sector.

The reduction was primarily linked to foreign markets, where orders decreased by 7%. In contrast, the domestic market recorded growth of 21% during the same period.

Compared with the previous quarter covering October–December 2025, total order intake increased by 18%.

The orders index for January–March 2026 stood at 37.3 points, using 2021 as the base year. Within Italy, the index reached 35.3 points, while foreign markets recorded 37.6 points.

During the first quarter of 2026, the existing order backlog guaranteed production activity for approximately 4.5 months.

From a sectoral perspective, weaving and other manufacturing segments showed relatively more dynamic performance compared to other categories.

Forecasts for the second quarter of 2026, when compared with the previous quarter, indicate pessimistic expectations for the domestic market, while foreign market projections remain stable.

Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, commented:

“It is encouraging to see the first positive sign in the domestic market, but forecasts still reveal a degree of pessimism. The difficult international context and the slow actions of government institutional representatives do not allow companies to plan investments. As an Association, we are working in close synergy with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) to strengthen promotional activities across several strategic markets. We also look with confidence to the upcoming ITMA 2027 in Hannover, which will represent an important opportunity to relaunch the sector, stimulate new investments, and strengthen the international presence of Italian manufacturers.”