Hollow glass manufacturing machinery: Italy strengthens its position in global markets

In a competitive landscape marked by increasing pressure from Asian manufacturers and the strong technological specialization of the world's leading exporters, the Italian hollow glass manufacturing machinery¹ industry continues to play a leading role in international markets.

As already highlighted in a recent article, Italy is the fifth-largest technology supplier in the sector. The value of Italian exports reached €452 million in 2025, representing a 14% decline compared with the previous year. However, the industry recorded an average annual growth rate of 2.1% over the 2019–2025 period.

An analysis of the 2015–2025 period shows a significant increase in the market share of Asian countries, particularly China, whose share rose from 10.4% at the beginning of the period to 18.1% in 2025. As shown in Table 1, the largest loss of competitiveness was recorded in the NAFTA area, with the United States' share declining from 22.1% to 5.2%.

Table 1 – Hollow Glass Manufacturing Machinery – Exports by Geographic Area

(% share)

However, the consolidation of China's leadership does not appear to correspond to a technological upgrading of its offering. As illustrated in Figure 1, a comparison of China's export distribution by price segment between 2015 and 2025 shows that the share of low-end and lower-mid-range exports increased from 75.3% to 82.4% of total exports.

Fig. 1 – CHINA – Distribution of Hollow Glass Manufacturing Machinery Exports by Price Level

Source: ExportPlanning

In a global market that has witnessed the expansion of lower-priced segments driven by the growth of Chinese supply, Italy has instead strengthened its position in the premium segment. Figure 2 highlights an increase of approximately 12 percentage points in the share of high-end and upper-mid-range Italian exports.

Fig. 2 – ITALY – Distribution of Hollow Glass Manufacturing Machinery Exports by Price Level

Source: ExportPlanning

Italy's Positioning in Key Markets

According to data available in the ExportPlanning Information System, Taiwan is the world's leading importer of hollow glass manufacturing technologies. In 2025, the country's imports reached €550 million, accounting for 9.9% of global imports. Other major importers in the sector include Singapore (€535 million), the United States (€372 million), Belgium (€292 million) and South Korea (€225 million). India and China follow.

An analysis of the main importing countries—excluding Singapore and Belgium due to their role as logistics hubs and re-exporters—shows that Made in Italy has built a distinctive position based on technological quality, equipment reliability, and the ability to meet the needs of the most advanced manufacturing processes. It is therefore no coincidence that Italy is currently the leading supplier in the United States and the second-largest supplier in two strategic markets, China and India.

The most significant result emerges in the United States, the most important Western market for the industry, where Italy remains the leading supplier with exports worth €73.2 million and a market share of 18.8%, outperforming both China (12.1%) and Germany (11.7%). This demonstrates the ability of Italian manufacturers to compete successfully in the most technologically advanced segments.

Italy also holds a prominent position in China, traditionally considered one of the world's most competitive markets. With exports of €29 million and a market share of 14.8%, Italy ranks second behind Germany (29.5%) and ahead of Japan (13.1%), confirming the strong appeal of Italian technologies among Chinese hollow glass manufacturers.

In India one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide, Italy maintains second place with exports of €27.9 million and a market share of 13.3%. Although the market is dominated by Chinese manufacturers, which account for more than half of imports (54.2%), Italy's presence highlights its ability to compete effectively even in highly price-sensitive environments.

Italy's presence is more limited in South Korea and Taiwan, where the market has historically been dominated by German and Japanese technologies respectively. Italy holds a market share of 1.5% in South Korea and just 0.2% in Taiwan. Nevertheless, these are highly specialized markets where established industrial relationships and geographical proximity represent important competitive factors.

Hollow Glass Manufacturing Machinery: Italy's Strongest Positions in International Markets

Conclusions

The analysis of the main international markets confirms that the Italian hollow glass manufacturing machinery industry continues to hold a position of significant importance within the global competitive landscape.

Italy's competitive advantage lies in its ability to combine innovation, manufacturing quality, design flexibility, and close attention to customer needs. These strengths enable Italian companies to compete successfully across markets characterized by very different requirements.
The challenge for Italian manufacturers will be to consolidate their position in high-technology markets while continuing to seize the opportunities offered by emerging economies.

For companies operating in the sector, understanding how market shares, competitive positioning, and competitors' strategies are evolving has become essential for guiding internationalization decisions. In this context, ExportPlanning's market intelligence tools enable businesses to continuously monitor global trade flows, identify the most promising markets, and assess their position relative to major international competitors, transforming data into strategic decisions.