Exports drive growth in the second quarter of 2026, while Italian market uncertainty continues to weigh on investment.
Italy’s woodworking and furniture technology industry recorded a 5.3% increase in orders in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, supported by a strong recovery in international demand, according to the latest quarterly survey by Acimall, the association of Italian manufacturers of woodworking machinery and technology.
Foreign orders rose 12.3% in the April–June period, providing a boost to an industry in which exports account for more than 70% of total production. The results indicate continued international interest in Italian-made woodworking and furniture technology, despite an increasingly complex global geopolitical environment.
However, the domestic market continued to struggle.
Orders from Italy fell 12.5% year on year, extending a prolonged period of uncertainty that has encouraged many companies to postpone investments in new machinery, equipment and production technologies.
The findings come from Acimall’s quarterly survey of a representative sample of Italian industry companies.
Production and employment remain largely stable
The survey’s qualitative indicators point to a sector navigating contrasting market conditions.
Nearly six in 10 respondents (59%) reported substantially stable production during the quarter. A further 18% indicated an increase, while 23% reported a decline.
Employment followed a similar pattern, with 82% of companies reporting stable staffing levels. Twelve per cent recorded an increase in employment, while 6% reported a reduction.
Inventory levels, however, continued to rise. More than half of respondents (53%) said available stocks were growing, while the remaining 47 % reported stable inventories. No respondents indicated a decrease in stock levels.
The industry’s order book stood at 3.5 months, while prices had increased by 3.5% since the beginning of the year.
Cautious outlook for the third quarter
Expectations for July–September 2026 reflect continued uncertainty, particularly in the domestic market.
Regarding orders from Italy, 41% of respondents anticipated stable conditions in the third quarter, while 35% expected a further decline. The remaining 24% forecast an increase.
Expectations for international orders were more cautious than the second-quarter results might suggest. A majority of respondents (59%) expected foreign demand to remain stable, while 35% anticipated a further contraction. Only 6% expected international orders to increase.
The figures suggest that, although export demand provided a substantial boost to the industry in the second quarter, manufacturers were not anticipating a broad-based acceleration in the following months.
Exports remain central to industry performance
The second-quarter results highlight the importance of international markets to Italy’s woodworking machinery sector. Growth in foreign orders more than offset the contraction in domestic demand, enabling the industry to achieve an overall increase in orders.
Nevertheless, the combination of rising inventories, a domestic investment slowdown and cautious third-quarter expectations points to an uneven recovery.
For Italian manufacturers, the challenge will be to sustain international demand while waiting for greater confidence to return to the domestic market.
Acimall’s latest survey therefore presents a mixed picture: stronger order intake in the second quarter, driven by overseas customers, alongside persistent uncertainty over the strength and durability of demand in the months ahead.
