In the plastics processing machinery sector, Italy maintains its role as technological leader

As highlighted in a previous article dedicated to the plastics processing machinery industry, Italy plays a leading role among the world's major technology suppliers. In fact, Italy ranks third worldwide in exports of plastics processing machinery¹, behind only China and Germany, with a global market share of 5.6%.

Despite the 5.5% decline in the value of Italian exports recorded in 2025 at current prices, the long-term average annual growth rate at current prices (2009–2025) remains positive (+1.9%).
An analysis of the market shares of the leading competitors confirms that China has steadily gained ground over the years at the expense of European technology suppliers, as clearly illustrated in Table 1.

Table 1 - Plastics Processing Machinery - Exports comparison 2015–2025
(% shares)

Source: ExportPlanning calculations

The strengthening of China's leadership among the world's leading exporters has also had a significant impact on the quality profile of the industry's technological offering. Figure 1 clearly shows the decline in the high-end and upper mid-range segments of global exports by price range between 2015 and 2025 (from 57.8% to 43.7%), accompanied by the corresponding increase in the lower and lower mid-range segments.

Figure 1 – WORLD – Distribution of Plastics Processing Machinery exports by price segment

Source: ExportPlanning calculations

Italy's Position in the World's Leading Markets

According to data available in the ExportPlanning Information System, China, the United States, and India are the world's three largest markets for plastics processing machinery.

Figure 2 – Plastics Processing Machinery – Leading importing Countries (2025)

Source: ExportPlanning calculations

In all three markets, Italy ranked as the fourth-largest technology supplier in 2025.

In China, Italian manufacturers exported plastics processing machinery worth €137 million in 2025, corresponding to a 6.2% market share, only slightly below Austria's 6.3%, which ranked as the third-largest foreign supplier. Italy has maintained remarkable stability over the long term, compared with its 6.1% market share in 2000. Although Germany almost quintupled its share during the same period (from 9.8% to 47.1%), Italy successfully preserved its position, unlike several other suppliers, most notably Taiwan, whose presence in the Chinese market declined significantly.

In the United States, Italian exports reached €206 million in 2025, accounting for 10.3% of the market. Here again, Italy's market share was only marginally lower than Japan's, the third-largest supplier. Among the world's ten largest importing countries, the United States was the market where Italy recorded its strongest gain in market share, rising from 7.5% in 2000 to 10.3% in 2025. While competitors such as Japan experienced a sharp decline (from 33.2% to 10.5%), Italy steadily strengthened its position, moving up to fourth place.

In India, Italy ranked fourth behind China, Germany and Japan. However, its market share gradually declined from 11.0% in 2000 to 5.8% in 2025, corresponding to exports worth €79 million. During the same period, China's presence expanded dramatically, with its market share increasing from 1.9% to 41.5%.

Table 2 - Plastics Processing Machinery -
Italy's position in the world's leading markets (2025)

In the other major destination markets, Italy ranks as the third-largest supplier of plastics processing machinery in Germany, Brazil, and Türkiye. In Germany, Italian exports reached €96.9 million in 2025, accounting for a 12.8% market share that has remained broadly stable over the long term. In Brazil and Türkiye, exports amounted to €44.2 million and €46.2 million respectively. However, Italy's market share in both countries declined significantly, falling from 23.5% to 7.6% in Brazil and from 20.8% to 8.2% in Türkiye between 2000 and 2025.

In Southeast Asian markets (Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia), competition from regional suppliers such as Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea has pushed Italy into lower positions in the supplier rankings, although the country continues to maintain a significant presence in the premium segment of the market.

Conclusions

Following the strong expansion recorded in 2021 and 2022, global trade in plastics processing machinery has entered a slower growth phase, with international trade declining by just over 1% at current prices in 2025.

Against this backdrop, Italy has maintained its strategic role as one of the world's leading technology suppliers. An analysis of market share trends between 2000 and 2025 highlights two contrasting dynamics: resilience—or even growth—in technologically advanced and mature markets, alongside a gradual loss of market share in emerging or geographically more distant markets, primarily due to China's rapid expansion.

Italy has effectively pursued a strategy of quality-driven resilience. While losing market share in volume terms and overall percentages in markets most affected by China's expansion, Italian manufacturers have successfully strengthened or maintained their position in markets where demand is driven by advanced technological solutions. This has enabled Italy to consolidate its reputation as a premium supplier, clearly differentiating itself from competitors competing primarily on cost.

Understanding how international markets evolve, together with monitoring one's own market position relative to competitors, is essential for designing effective internationalization strategies. In this context, the market intelligence solutions offered by ExportPlanning - particularly the Monthly Market Data service - provide companies with a continuous and reliable tool for tracking changes in global markets and supporting strategic decision-making.