Italian machine tool industry gaining market share in Asia

By R. Gopalakrishnan

CHENNAI, OCT. 14. The Italian machine tool industry, dominated by small and medium enterprises, is gaining market share in Asia, though its largest markets abroad continue to be Germany, France, Spain and the U.K., according to Mr. Carlo Romano, Manager of UCIMU, the Italian Association of Machine Tools Manufacturers, Robots, Automation and Ancillary Products.

Addressing a seminar on Italian technologies in machine tools, organised here by the association in cooperation with the Italian Trade Commission on Friday, Mr. Romano said that in Asia the main outlet for Italian machine tools was China, which accounted for exports of $53 million. Exports to

South Korea increased by nearly 300 per cent, followed by Taiwan (plus 24 per cent and Japan (plus 47 per cent), thanks to the economic recovery in East Asia. Italian machine tool exports to India last calendar year totalled $12.5 million, recording an increase of 19.7 per cent. Italian production of machine tools last year was $4.bn.

Mr. Romano said it was not a coincidence that "transfer machines", which by definition were machines that had to be adapted to individual user requirements, accounted for the largest share of Italian production, testifying to the combination of flexibility and productivity which small and medium producers were able to achieve in contrast to large companies.

Mr. Cornelio Zani, Italian Trade Commissioner in Mumbai, said the machine tool delegation to India, which visited Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, persisted with its schedule, despite the uncertainties in the global political and military situation, and only one of the six companies in the delegation had dropped out. This showed the importance attached by Italian industry to the Indian market.

Mr. Gulielmo Galli, Italian Trade Commissioner in New Delhi, talking to The Hindu, said Italy was keen on promoting its furniture and food products in India, where there was substantial untapped potential. He said "time is running out for India" to correct its weaknesses like inadequacy of infrastructure, entrenched bureaucracy, corruption right up to the low levels ("unlike in China where corruption is limited to the top") and protectionist tendencies on the part of Indian industry. "Italian industry was equally fearful of entry into the competitive European Common Market when we entered the ECM but experience shows that it has only benefited and strengthened our industry", he observed. If India did not go ahead with required correctives, China would capture most markets and it would be difficult to penetrate those markets later, he added.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Business
Previous : Magnesite unit's fate hangs in balance