Riccardo Rosa, President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, stated: "This latest UCIMU index survey also confirms the positive trend in order intake. Despite this, concerns remain, as the context is worsening as the months go by."
In the second quarter of 2025, the machine tool order index compiled by the UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE Study & Business Culture Center showed a 22% increase compared to the April-June 2024 period. In absolute terms, the index stood at 64.4 (base 100 in 2021).
This result was driven by the increase in order intake on both the foreign and domestic markets.
In particular, orders collected on the domestic market increased by 70.3% compared to the second quarter of 2024, for an absolute value of 54.0.
On the foreign market, order intake increased by 9.5% compared to the same period of the previous year. The absolute value of the index stood at 74.6.
The results will be presented during the First Economic Day organized today by UCIMU with the aim of illustrating to member companies (over forty accredited companies) the types and methods of use of the data processed by the Centro Studi & Cultura di Impresa.
Riccardo Rosa, President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, stated: "This latest UCIMU index survey also confirms the positive trend in order intake that Italian machine tool manufacturers have been experiencing for four consecutive quarters. Despite this, concerns remain, as the underlying conditions are worsening as the months go by."
"Looking at the absolute indices," Riccardo Rosa continued, "the weakness of demand, particularly domestic demand, is still evident. The increase recorded by manufacturers on the domestic market is particularly significant because it compares with a truly disastrous quarter (the second of 2024), the worst in the last 10 years with the exception of 2020, which coincided with the outbreak of the pandemic."
"On the international front, President Trump's latest statements and the content of the letter sent to the President of the European Commission announcing new tariff rates for EU-sourced products are certainly disheartening. Once again, we manufacturing entrepreneurs must hold our nerve and await developments, knowing full well that the US president's attitude is, to say the least, unpredictable. A war on Made in Europe exports would be a severe penalty not only for the Eurozone but also for the US and its people in particular. Therefore," added Riccardo Rosa, "we trust in the Brussels authorities' ability to engage in dialogue and bring Trump back to a reasonable negotiation. At this point, however, we can no longer ignore an alternative plan in case the dialogue fails to yield the desired results."
"This is because the continuation of this situation fuels uncertainty, which, I must reiterate, is the primary factor blocking investment in production technologies, not just in the US market. The situation is now widespread, impacting all the supply chains in which we operate, in all those markets that export goods to the other side of the ocean; I'm thinking of the automotive, mechanical engineering, and components industries".
"Given the enormous effort companies are making to diversify their markets and outlet sectors, we urge European authorities to accelerate the planning of free trade agreements with countries experiencing, or about to experience, a long period of development, starting with Africa and parts of Asia. At the same time, we urge strong action to reduce red tape for economic players residing and operating in the Old Continent, thus unlocking the full potential that our true internal market, the EU, can still offer."
"Closely related to this is the automotive sector. We ask Italian government authorities to advocate in European forums for the need to rethink the timing and methods of ensuring the environmental neutrality of the sector that has supported Europe's development more than any other.
We are not opposed to the transition to alternative forms of mobility to internal combustion engines, but we believe this transition must be approached without prejudice: by upholding the principle of technological neutrality, setting emissions reduction targets, and leaving businesses free to choose the technologies to achieve them. This is also because, in assessing the sustainability of this transition process, economic and social impacts must be considered not only environmental but also social. And, in a situation complicated by the trade war, the risk of industrial desertification is increasingly real. We absolutely cannot allow this".
"On the domestic front," concluded President Riccardo Rosa, "hoping that Transition 5.0 can still be extended beyond December 31st, thus allowing machine tool manufacturers and machinery manufacturers in general to receive a further round of orders, we emphasize the need to open a discussion table on the needs of manufacturing companies as soon as possible, after the August break, to better guide the lines of industrial policy for the coming years, given that the measures we have at our disposal, 4.0 and 5.0, are coming to an end. We reiterate UCIMU's willingness to participate in the working groups, which we hope will lead to a new, necessary plan to support the evolution of the country's manufacturing sector, to Confindustria and the government authorities."
Ucimu: orders index in the third quarter of 2026 rise (+10.5%) foreign orders (+24.7%); domestic ord
In the third quarter of 2026, the machine tool orders index compiled by the UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE Study & Business Culture Centre recorded a 10.5% increase compared to the July-September 2025 period . In absolute value, the index stood at 58.9 (base 100 in 2021). In particular, orders collected across borders grew by +24.7% compared to the third quarter of 2025, for an absolute value of 108.6. Order intake in Italy, however, decreased by 7.1% compared to the same period of the previous year. The absolute value of the index stood at 14.3. Riccardo Rosa , President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, stated: " Domestic demand remains weak despite the numerous ongoing negotiations. The uncertainty of the international context and the increase in energy costs are clearly impacting the activity of Italian manufacturing operators, who are postponing investments pending greater clarity. We are therefore confident ," added President Riccardo Rosa , " that Italian demand will be able to regain momentum, also supported by the hyper-depreciation measure which, in version 5.0, allows for better planning of investments, which can be spread out until September 2028. " Italian manufacturers' activity on foreign markets, however, has been decidedly dynamic. In addition to the United States, where demand remains particularly strong, Germany is also beginning to show signs of recovery: certainly good news for the Italian industry in the sector. According to data processed by the UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE Study & Business Culture Centre, in the first half of 2026 (latest available data), the main outlet markets for Italian supply in the sector were the United States (329 million euros +12.6%) and Germany (137 million euros, +7.6%), followed by France, Poland, and Spain. “In particular, the aerospace and defense sectors, as well as the energy sector, are driving orders, regardless of the country of reference,” concluded Riccardo Rosa . These are the latest sector data presented by the president of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, Riccardo Rosa , on the occasion of the inauguration of 35.BI-MU, the international sector event taking place at fieramilano Rho from 12 to 16 October . Speakers at the meeting chaired by Rosa included Valentino Valentini , Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy; Giovanni Bozzetti, President of Fondazione Fiera Milano; Simona Greco , Hosted Exhibitions Director of Fiera Milano; and Luca Durante , Head of the Capital Goods Office at ICE-Agenzia. The second part of the event featured an interview with Gian Piero Cutillo, Co-General Manager of Leonardo, and Roberto Vavassori , Executive Director of Brembo and President of ANFIA, conducted by Paolo Bricco, Special Correspondent, Il Sole 24 Ore. The event features over 400 companies , spread across a total area of 40,000 square meters in pavilions 22 and 24. The spotlight will be on machine tools, robotics, automation, additive manufacturing, digital manufacturing, artificial intelligence, measurement and quality control systems, components, and enabling technologies for the smart factory. The event, promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE and organized by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE, significantly enhances the thematic cultural dimension. Over 50 events are planned , including conferences, workshops, and round tables. New features this year include two special forums dedicated to the Aerospace & Defense and Energy sectors, strategic sectors that will be analyzed through the direct testimony of production and operations directors of some of the main international players and the CEOs of several Italian SMEs. In terms of training, the VLF4EU (Virtual Learning Factory for EU) International Conference is particularly relevant, focusing on an innovative training system based on the Digital Twin of the factory. The conference will feature around thirty researchers from Denmark, France, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Italy. The relationship between young people and the world of work will be explored in depth at the meeting " Value, Future, Impact. Work According to the New Generation ," organized by ANIPLA with the patronage of the UCIMU Foundation. These conferences are part of the Skills Area 's calendar of meetings. Located in Pavilion 24, the Skills Area will host initiatives promoted by UCIMU Academy and the UCIMU Foundation . Among these, ROBOTGAMES , the automation and robotics competition for secondary school students, now in its second edition, will once again be held.
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