The machine tool order index compiled by the Economic Studies Department & Business Culture Centre of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE recorded a 25.8% decline in the second quarter of 2026 compared to April-June 2025. The index stood at 47.8, based on 2021=100.
According to UCIMU, the result reflects the challenges faced by Italian machine tool manufacturers in both domestic and international markets.
Foreign orders declined by 15.3% year-on-year, with the index reaching 63.2. Domestic orders recorded a steeper fall of 38.7% compared to the second quarter of 2025, bringing the index to 33.1.
Commenting on the results, Riccardo Rosa, President, UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, said, “To evaluate the impact of the Hyper-depreciation incentive, we will need to wait for the coming months, but we have strong confidence in this measure that will remain in force until September 2028.”
He further added, that, “The uncertainty of the geopolitical context – fuelled by wars, the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. President's troubling approach to international policy – profoundly disrupted the already precarious equilibrium in which the industry had been operating. Considering the current situation, a fall in foreign deliveries is understandable and fully expected. Our business experienced a slowdown. However, in line with our usual practice, we tried to direct our product
supply towards areas that are less directly affected by conflicts and critical issues, while diversifying the
target sectors of our offering, where possible.”
“What is certain – continued President Riccardo Rosa – is that the figures and investment values we had in the past in the automotive industry cannot not be replaced by the demand driven by other sectors, however dynamic, such as defence, aerospace and energy. For this reason, once again, we call on our representatives in Europe to reconsider their position and adopt the principle of technological neutrality when defining automotive development plans. Indeed, this approach would enable the entire supply chain and its related sectors to effectively manage the ongoing transition, not only respecting the environment but also safeguarding employment, wherever possible.”
“On the domestic front, enterprises awaited clear guidelines on Hyper-depreciation before confirming their purchasing plans. Since 12 June, the day when all operational steps were completed, the Hyper-depreciation incentive has been bearing fruits. Right from the start, we have observed a change in attitude among Italian end-users: orders are starting to flow in.”
“However, it will take a few more months for the actual data to reflect this impact, but we are extremely confident. Indeed, in the meantime, we received the figures from the MIMIT, the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, reporting that, as of 9 July, 7,000 applications had been submitted on the GSE platform, representing a total value of 2.5 billion euro.”
“The MIMIT deserves great credit for introducing a three-year timeframe for this incentive. Its availability until September 2028 should enable well-structured planning of investments in machine tools and production technologies by Italian customers, while also allowing us manufacturers to optimise our production scheduling in the medium term.”
“The hope – concluded Riccardo Rosa – is that the Italian market will rapidly return to 2021–2022 levels, when its value exceeded 6 billion euro. Indeed, our manufacturing industry needs to innovate to remain competitive on the international stage, where digital technology and AI are completely redefining the rules of the game”.
