Italian exports of machinery with high levels of Automation, Creativity, and Technology (ACT) amount to 32.1 billion euros, with an estimated growth potential of 8 billion euros. This is highlighted in the second edition of Ingenium, the report by Centro Studi Confindustria prepared with the support of Federmacchine, presented this morning in Milan.
Advanced markets absorb 21.6 billion euros, while emerging markets account for 10.5 billion euros. The Americas show the highest growth, with Mexico as the leading destination market. The additional potential is distributed fairly evenly between advanced countries (4.6 billion euros) and emerging ones (3.3 billion euros), suggesting that companies should aim to increase their market shares in both. Among advanced markets, the United States leads (up 760 million euros), followed by Germany and France (up 470 million euros each). Among emerging markets, notable growth is seen in China (up 760 million euros), India (up 472 million euros), and Turkey (up 364 million euros).
Realizing the potential of exports is not automatic; it requires increased production driven by investments. A coordinated effort by businesses and institutions is therefore essential to strengthen the production system and its competitiveness. On one hand, businesses should commit to allocating resources for productive investments; on the other, institutions should encourage this process by reducing uncertainties and providing incentives for companies that reinvest their profits in purchasing capital goods.
Digitalization plays a crucial role and must be strengthened to integrate AI into existing industries. In 2023, the Italian AI market grew by only 52 percent, reaching 760 million euros, yet the gap with the USA and China remains significant. With just 5 percent of the investment compared to the United States, Europe lags behind, and Italy struggles particularly among SMEs: only 18 percent have launched AI projects, compared to 61 percent of large companies.
In an increasingly uncertain context, it is crucial to fully utilize the free trade agreements already concluded by the EU and finalize others, such as the one with Mercosur, to gain further preferential access to strategic markets. It is also necessary to strengthen trade ties with European countries and identify areas of advanced collaboration with the United States, especially to counter competition from integrated trade blocs like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in Asia.
“The Ingenium Report highlights the decisive impact of geopolitical factors on trade and investment flows. Tensions, conflicts, and global challenges, such as energy and technological supply, influence the decisions of governments and businesses. With the new U.S. administration taking office, we expect an acceleration of global dynamics, while we hope Europe will rediscover the courage for epoch-making choices. The time to act is now: businesses and institutions must work together to turn the identified potential into actual exports and consolidate Italy’s role as a global leader. This is why we hope a mission to Mexico will be organized as soon as possible, as CSC’s analysis shows it is among the top five emerging countries for ACT goods export potential, with a margin of improvement of 281 million euros. Any delay could translate into lost opportunities for our industrial system,” said Barbara Cimmino, Vice President for Export and Investment Attraction at Confindustria.
“The Italian capital goods industry has always made a decisive contribution to the country’s trade balance, operating in highly diverse markets in terms of geography, culture, and demand type. The growing need to operate on the international stage and the increasing complexity of this activity—partly due to the general conditions of uncertainty—require a careful study of the context. The results from this second edition of Ingenium are a useful tool to understand which areas have the greatest potential and which business development directions should be pursued to ensure the competitiveness of sectoral made-in-Italy offerings,” added Bruno Bettelli, president of Federmacchine.
