Machine tool orders in Italy and overseas markets increased by 10.5% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2026, according to the index compiled by the Economic Studies Department and Business Culture Centre of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE. The index stood at 58.9, with 2021 as the base year (100).
Orders collected from overseas markets rose by 24.7% compared with the July-September 2025 period, taking the index to 108.6.
In contrast, domestic orders in Italy declined by 7.1% year-on-year during the third quarter of 2026. The domestic order index stood at 14.3, indicating a weaker trend in the Italian market compared with international demand.
Riccardo Rosa, President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, stated: “Domestic demand remains weak despite numerous ongoing negotiations. The uncertainty of the international context and the rise in energy costs are clearly affecting the business of manufacturing industry operators in our country, who are postponing investments while waiting for greater clarity. Therefore, we are confident that the Italian machine tool industry can regain momentum – added President Riccardo Rosa. – This will be supported by the hyper- depreciation measure which, in its 5.0 version, enables better investment planning, as these can be spread out until September 2028.”
On the contrary, the business of Italian manufacturers in foreign markets was extremely dynamic. In addition to the United States, whose demand remains particularly strong, Germany is also beginning to show signs of recovery: certainly, positive news for the Italian industry in this sector.
According to data processed by the Economic Studies Department & Business Culture Centre of UCIMU- SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, in the first half of 2026 (the latest available figures), the main export markets for the Italian offering from this sector were the United States (329 million euro, +12.6%) and Germany (137 million euro, +7.6%), followed by France, Poland and Spain.
“In particular, orders are driven by the aerospace, defence and energy fields, across all target countries,” concluded Riccardo Rosa.
These are the latest sector figures presented this morning by the President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, Riccardo Rosa, during the inauguration of 35.BI-MU, the international trade show for the machine tool sector, taking place at fieramilano Rho from today until Friday, 16 October.
The meeting, chaired by President Rosa, was attended by: Valentino Valentini, Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy; Giovanni Bozzetti, President of Fondazione Fiera Milano/Milan Fair Foundation; Simona Greco, Hosted Exhibitions Director of Fiera Milano; Luca Durante, Capital Goods Office Manager, ICE-Italian Trade Agency. The second part of the event featured the interviews with Gian Piero Cutillo, Co-General Manager of Leonardo, and with Roberto Vavassori, Executive Director of Brembo and President of ANFIA (Italian Association of the Automotive Industry). The interviews were conducted by Paolo Bricco, Special Correspondent for Il Sole 24 Ore.
The key players of the event are over 400 exhibiting companies, spread across a total surface area of 40,000 square metres in Halls 22 and 24. In the spotlight are machine tools, robotics, automation, additive manufacturing, digital manufacturing, artificial intelligence, measurement and quality control systems, components and enabling technologies for the smart factory.
Promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE and organised by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE, the exhibition offers a significantly enriched programme of in-depth cultural and thematic sessions. More than 50 events are scheduled, including conferences, workshops and roundtable discussions.
Among the new initiatives, this edition will offer two special forums dedicated to the Aerospace & Defence and Energy fields, strategic sectors that will be analysed through the direct testimony of production and operations managers from leading international players and the CEOs of several Italian SMEs.
With regard to education and training, the International Conference VLF4EU (Virtual Learning Factory for EU), is of particular relevance, focusing on an innovative education and training system based on a factory Digital Twin. The conference will be attended by about thirty researchers from Denmark, France, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Italy. Moreover, a debate between young people and the world of work will take place during the meeting “Value, Future, Impact: Work According to the New Generation”, organised by ANIPLA (Italian National Association for Automation), with the support of FONDAZIONE UCIMU.
These conferences are included in the calendar of meetings held in the Skills Area. Set up in Hall 24, the Skills Area will host the initiatives promoted by UCIMU Academy and FONDAZIONE UCIMU. These will again include ROBOTGAMES, the automation and robotics competition aimed at high school students, now in its second edition.
