The Fluid Power industry trend in Italy in 2017

The final market data for the year 2017 were officially presented during the ASSOFLUID Ordinary Assembly, on June 11. In general terms, the Fluid Power performance recorded positive results, highlighting quite similar trends in the two sectors of the industry (hydraulics and pneumatics). The production of the entire industry in 2017 amounted to slightly more than 3.4 billion euro, with a +12.9% increase compared to 2016, while the Market recorded a value of almost 2.2 billion euro, +9.4% on the previous year. The extremely positive trend of exports, in particular, has to be underlined. The increase is +15.3%, reaching an overall 2.2 billion euro.

Hydraulics
Following five years of stability, the sector has eventually recorded a steady growth. Production increased by 14.2% (with a value of 2.6 billion euro), while the Market recorded +9.5% (amounting to a value of nearly 1.4 billion euro). The impact of Export on Production is higher (66.7% compared to 65.2% in 2016) and the same is true, even though in quite a restrained way, for the impact of Import on Market (36.3% compared to 36.1% in 2016). The trade balance records a surplus of over 1.2 billion euro, +200 million compared to the previous year.

Pneumatics
The year 2017 was quite a good one for pneumatics: Domestic Production grew by 9.1%, amounting to 811 million euro, while the Domestic Market recorded an increase of 9.3%, with 814 million euro absolute value. As for the impact of Export and Import on Production and on the Market, respectively, in 2017 there was an increase in both the Export share on Production (from 55.8% in 2016 to the current 56.1%) and the Import share on the Market (from 55.9% in 2016 to 56.3% in 2017). The trade balance is basically stable, with a negative share of about 2 million euro. The charts provide a summary of the Fluid Power results in 2017.