Growth is
expected to continue into the present year, showing the industry’s ability to
expand to global markets. This is the scenario painted by Giampaolo Vitali,
author of the Ipack-Ima Observatory report presented this morning during the
opening ceremony.
The survey
was led by professor Giampaolo Vitali – secretary of the Association of
Business Economists and professor at the University of Turin – and involved 236
companies employing a total of 14,500 people with an overall turnover of nearly
€ 4 billion. The results show that the second semester of 2011 closed with
one-third of sample companies (exactly 34%) estimating an increased turnover,
while 40% of interviewees reported stable performance and only 16% a drop in
business. In addition, one-fourth of sample companies (26%) experienced an
increase in export sales, while 64% were in line with the previous year and
only 10% lamented a decrease. This encouraging scenario is backed by stable employment
rates, as reported by 85% of companies. Considering the individual business
communities active in the industry, turnover in the second semester of 2011
rose mainly in the Beverage area (41% of companies reporting positive
performance and another 45% stable on last year’s figures), while exports grew
chiefly in the Fruit & Vegetables, Beverage and GBF areas.
With regard
to growth expectations in the first semester of the present year, the overall
picture allows for a good degree of optimism specially if compared to the
general economic state of the market. The majority of companies predict stable
performance (51%), while those who expect an increase in turnover (28% of the
total) outnumber those who predict a drop (21%). The export business seems to raise
hopes even higher: as many as 25% of companies expect a rise in foreign demand
and only 11% are preparing to face hard times. The same goes for employment
rates, with 9% of optimists and 7% of worriers.
Positive
growth expectations are widespread across both manufacturing areas (machinery
and materials), with slightly more positive forecasts in the machinery sector
as to foreign demand compared to companies producing materials (28% of
machinery companies predict an upturn compared to 19% of material
manufacturers). As for what concerns the single business communities, Chemicals
Industrial & Home and Hygiene & Beauty are the ones that claim to be
more concerned in terms of turnover performance, while Meat and Fruit &
Vegetables show greater optimism.
As regards
employment rates, even though over 80% of companies across all business
communities expect the number of employees to remain unvaried throughout the
first semester 2012, some areas including Beverage, Chemicals Industrial &
Home, Meat and Vegetables show a negative balance between hirings and
dismissals.
The entire
industry of manufacturing materials, machinery and technology will be under the
spotlight at IPACK-IMA, a not-to-miss chance to keep in step with the latest
market news. With over 1,400 exhibitors (29% of which from outside of Italy),
the event is a comprehensive showcase offering top-of-the-range technological
solutions to both food and non-food industries. IPACK-IMA’s specific competences
developed over many years will greatly benefit the business communities
involved in the exhibition’s nine major markets: Grain Based Food, Dairy
Products, Beverage, Confectionery, Vegetables & Fruit, Fresh and
Convenience Food, Health and Personal Care, Chemicals - industrial & home,
Industrial & Durable Goods.
The Italian packaging industry holds the leading edge on safety owing to the tireless commitment of manufacturers, who invested massive resources in securing higher safety standards than those set by industry requirements. However, this benefit may not always be clearly perceived by consumers. This is mainly due to the industry’s difficulties in communicating with end users, creating partnerships and networks and handling food crisis situations.
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