2023: Italian Export

The analysis conducted on the geographic distribution of Italian exports over the last decade shows that, despite the continuous changes in the world panorama, the Made by Italians has been able to meet customers’ needs, each time penetrating the most dynamic areas in the international scenario.

The European Union was confirmed as the first area of destination for Italian sales, with an export share that rose from 35.5% in 2014 to 41.9% in 2023. Germany was the first market in Europe and the second market worldwide, with 359 million euro, up by 17.2%, followed by France (247 million euro, +28.2%), Poland (215 million euro, +14.5%), Spain (130 million euro, +9.4%) and the Netherlands (84.9 million euro, +40.6%).

A double-digit growth rate was registered with regard to the sales to the rest of the European continent (+13.8%), totalling 471 million euro. In detail, a significant rise was recorded in the exports to Turkey (211 million euro, +70.9%) and to the United Kingdom (85.2 million euro, +44.1%), whereas exports to Switzerland remained stable (74.8 million euro, +1%) and those to Russia collapsed (22.7 million euro, -77%).

Sales to North America also had a strong increase, up by 32.5% to 834 million euro. As a result, the area was again the second export market for Italy. In particular, in 2023, the United States maintained the lead in the ranking of destination countries for the Italian product offering of the sector, acquiring machine tools for a total of 567 million euro (+17.5%). A rise was also reported in the exports of Made by Italians to Mexico (+133.1%,195 million euro) and to Canada (+14.7%, 73.7 million euro).

Positive results were also achieved in Central and South America, which increased purchases from Italy (+25.2%, 123 million euro). In the top positions, Brazil (+38.6%, 70.7 million euro) and Argentina (-9.6%, 11.9 million euro), followed by Peru (+154%, 8.7 million euro) and Ecuador (+204%, 8.2 million euro).

Exports to Asia went up by 33.6% to 704 million euro versus 2022: the continent was confirmed as the third export market for Made by Italians, after the European Union and North America.

East Asia absorbed the largest share of total exports to the continent, purchasing Italian machine tools worth 365 million euro, corresponding to 18.8% more than in 2022. A strong upturn was highlighted in the exports to the Chinese (+26.6%, 286 million euro) and Japanese markets (+15.3%, 29.5 million euro), whereas a more moderate expansion was recorded in the sales to South Korea (+8%, 31.4 million euro). The figure regarding Taiwan showed an opposite trend (-36.1%, 15.6 million euro). A significant jump was registered in the exports to South Asia: up by 81.4% to a value of 130 million euro. Considering the total of the area, India took the lion’s share, importing Italian machine tools worth 117 million euro (+77%).

The Middle East again increased its purchases of Italian machine tools, up by 54.1% to 165 million euro. An upswing was reported in the exports to Saudi Arabia (+145%, 62 million euro) and to the United Arab Emirates (+13.4%, 32.2 million euro); the rise in the sales to Israel came to a halt (-17.9%, 24.2 million euro).

Disappointing figures concerned the ASEAN area, where sales dropped (-2.2%, 43.9 million euro). Performances were positive in Vietnam (+17%, 14 million euro), Thailand (+27.4%, 11.9 million euro) and Singapore (+30.7%, 5.8 million euro); on the contrary, the sales to Indonesia (-48.1%, 6.1 million euro) and Malaysia (-21%, 3 million euro) were unsatisfactory.

Exports to Africa also grew by 23.3% to 71.4 million euro.