Italian Textile Machinery Orders Rebound in Q2 2026 Despite Annual Decline

ACIMIT reports 25% quarter-on-quarter growth as export demand strengthens and production outlook remains stable

Italy’s textile machinery industry showed encouraging signs of recovery during the second quarter of 2026, with new orders rising sharply on a sequential basis despite remaining below last year’s levels, according to the latest order index released by ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers.

Between April and June 2026, the textile machinery order index at constant prices stood at 46.6 points (2021=100), representing a 3% decline compared with the same period in 2025. The annual decrease was primarily driven by weaker domestic demand, where orders fell 25% year-on-year.

For the first half of 2026, total orders declined 4% compared with the corresponding period last year. Domestic orders decreased 11%, while international orders recorded a comparatively smaller 3% decline, highlighting the resilience of export markets.

Quarter-on-Quarter Recovery Signals Improving Momentum

While annual comparisons remained affected by a strong base from 2025, the industry’s short-term momentum improved significantly.

Compared with the first quarter of 2026, total order intake increased 25%, supported by strong growth across both domestic and international markets.

Domestic orders rose 39% quarter-on-quarter, while international demand increased 23%, reflecting renewed investment activity after a slower start to the year.

Sector-wise, the domestic market registered stable or improving demand across all machinery segments, with particularly strong gains in spinning and weaving equipment. International markets recorded positive growth, especially in weaving, knitting, and finishing machinery.

Production Pipeline Remains Healthy

Italian textile machinery manufacturers currently have an order backlog sufficient to support approximately 3.5 months of assured production.

Industry capacity utilisation reached 79.7%, indicating that manufacturers continue to operate at relatively high production levels despite ongoing global market uncertainties.

Industry Expects Stable Third Quarter

Looking ahead to the third quarter of 2026, companies anticipate largely stable sales volumes.

While domestic market expectations remain cautious, export outlooks are balanced between potential increases and declines, suggesting cautious optimism for international demand.

Export Markets Continue to Support the Industry

Commenting on the latest figures, Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, said the positive performance in international markets is encouraging, particularly as nearly 80% of Italy’s textile machinery orders originate from overseas customers.

He noted that domestic demand remains affected by comparisons with a strong second quarter in 2025 and by the recent introduction of Italy’s 2026–2028 hyper-depreciation incentive, launched in June, whose impact on investment decisions has yet to materialise.

Despite persistent global uncertainty, the latest data suggests that export demand continues to provide stability for Italy’s textile machinery industry while supporting expectations for a stronger second half of 2026.