The United States and Gulf countries could suffer a sharp setback due to new tariffs and geopolitical tensions. Germany remains stable, China collapses.
In 2025, Italian mechanical engineering exports grew by 3.2%, in line with the overall increase in national exports of 3.3%. This result shows Italy's superior performance compared to its main European partners, but it does not indicate the sector's complete solidity. Growth is driven by specific geographic areas, while the domestic market remains stagnant.
A significant share of the export surplus is concentrated in the United States , which confirmed its position as the leading destination for Anima mechanical engineering in 2025 with over 4.9 billion euros (+12.3%), but the recent announcement by the White House of additional duties on aluminum and steel articles, some copper articles and some aluminum and steel derivatives could have a strong impact on the export of mechanical engineering represented by Anima Confindustria.
"The 2025 growth reflects a geographical redistribution of demand, with concentration in a few key markets and weakening in others," says Pietro Almici , president of Anima Confindustria. "The data must therefore be interpreted carefully, especially in light of the current macroeconomic environment, characterized by declining industrial expectations and rising costs, but above all by a climate of uncertainty prevailing internationally. The situation in the Gulf countries, a region of great interest for the Italian mechanical engineering industry, could suffer a significant setback; similarly, the recent White House announcement of changes to tariffs on copper, aluminum, and steel products could have a significant impact on our exports."
The sentiment among mechanical engineering companies is moving in this direction: according to the latest survey of member companies, approximately 40% of the sample expects a decline in exports in the first half of the year. Companies are particularly concerned about the future of the American market and the current situation in the Middle East.
Precisely because 2025 confirmed the strength of mechanical engineering exports, the current international scenario is even more critical; however, the sector maintains a structured presence and competitive capacity on global markets, starting with the Persian Gulf area, also through results such as the Memorandum signed between Anima and the Italian-Arab Chamber of Commerce to strengthen internationalization opportunities. Internationally, tensions in the Gulf countries therefore pose a high risk, both for exports and for the potential increase in energy costs —up to €21 billion for Italian companies (Confindustria Flash Economic Outlook, April 2026).
The EU27 countries remain the main market for mechanical engineering, as highlighted by analyses by the Statistics Office of Anima Confindustria: +2.4% and over €17 billion. Germany remains Europe's leading trading partner, with €3.7 billion and essentially stable (+0.2%) through 2024. France declined by 0.8%, while Spain recorded the greatest growth (+11.2%). Poland (€1.16 billion and +4.3%) climbs to seventh place in the Italian export rankings, surpassing China (-14.1%).
Considering Asia and the Middle East , exports are concentrated in a few high-value countries and strategic categories. Saudi Arabia rises to the top destination market, with €1.4 billion in exports and a 4.3% increase compared to 2024. China falls to €1.13 billion, and Singapore collapses (-46.5%), while the greatest growth in 2025 is concentrated in the United Arab Emirates (+27.1%) and Qatar (+18.1%).
Elsewhere in the world, Algeria (+70.6%) and Australia (+10.8%) saw significant growth, joining the top 20 destinations for Italian mechanical engineering. South America also remains a key region. Further strengthening Anima's strategic positioning in South America are: the launch of the EU-Mercosur agreement on May 1st, strongly supported by the government and intended to consolidate one of the largest integrated trade areas globally, with the progressive elimination of tariffs on 91% of products; the Confindustria mission to Argentina and Brazil from September 7th to 11th on industry and energy; Anima's joint participation in the "ROG.e Energy" trade fair; and the Memorandum of Understanding with Adimra (the Association of Metallurgical Industrialists of the Argentine Republic) signed in June 2025.
Finally, turning to imports , Germany remains the leading country of origin with 3.99 billion euros (+9.4%), followed by China and the United States . In terms of geographical areas, the EU27 absorbs the predominant share (56.4% of the total), while East Asia emerges as the second largest supply hub (Processing by the Anima Statistics & Market Intelligence Office based on Istat data).
" The mechanical engineering industry today finds itself in a very critical and uncertain phase , in which export growth is insufficient to offset the structural issues related to energy costs and the lack of a real industrial policy," concludes President Almici. "In a scenario that remains completely unpredictable , a reduction in energy costs is essential, and it is a priority for European institutions to put manufacturing back at the center , to prevent the current tensions from leading us toward a deeper industrial crisis."
ANIMA Confindustria is the trade organization within Confindustria that represents companies in the mechanical and related sectors, a sector that employs 224,006 people, generates a turnover of €59.1 billion, and accounts for approximately 60% of exports (2025 forecast by the Anima Research Office). The major sectors represented by ANIMA are: construction and infrastructure; material handling and logistics; food production; energy production; industrial production; and safety and environment.
From may 19th, overhead crane operator's license will be mandatory in all companies.
Aisem: "There's a risk of production shutdowns for some companies. It's necessary to ensure more adequate time and effective training support tools." Starting May 19, overhead crane operators in Italy, a professional category employing over half a million people, will also be required to be trained in accordance with the 2025 State-Regions Agreement (ASR 2025). Without this training, required by specific regulations, it will be impossible to practice the profession. Incidentally, the Ministry of Labor lists the May 19 date on its website, although based on the publication date of the ASR 2025 in the Official Journal, compliance effectively begins on May 25. This discrepancy in dates is creating uncertainty among operators regarding safety, an issue on which uncertain interpretations should not exist. Before the introduction of the new Agreement, training on the use of equipment such as overhead cranes was already required by the Consolidated Law on Occupational Safety (Legislative Decree no. 81/2008), but the choice of training program remained at the discretion of the employer . With the new Agreement, however, overhead cranes have been included in the list of work equipment for which specific, standardized, and predefined training is mandatory—both in content and in terms of hours—as is already the case, for example, for forklifts. However, significant critical issues have emerged in the practical implementation of ASR 2025. The timeframe allowed for compliance has proven too short given the vast number of companies involved. According to estimates by AISEM , the Italian Association of Lifting, Elevation, and Handling Systems affiliated with Anima Confindustria, over 150,000 overhead cranes are currently in operation in Italy, each operated and managed by different operators within the company. This creates a difficult-to-manage paradox: by law, all overhead cranes used by operators without adequate training, i.e., in line with the provisions of the ASR 2025, must be stopped, with serious operational repercussions for many companies. AISEM President Massimiliano Bariola comments: "The introduction of mandatory licensing for overhead crane operators raises regulatory and institutional controversies. The distinction between the previously required training and the current mandatory requirement, with standards set by interinstitutional agreements, creates uncertainty and difficulties of interpretation for businesses. It should also be considered that some companies may not yet be aware of this new requirement, given the short timeframe between the announcement of the requirement and the entry into force of the regulation. Given the large number of operators involved ," Bariola continues, " AISEM had asked the institutions for at least five years to complete the training courses, but this request was not granted. It is therefore necessary for the competent authorities to collaborate to ensure more adequate time and effective training support tools, in order to reconcile safety and production continuity." Matteo Frigo , lifting group leader within Aisem, emphasizes: "The operational difficulties in implementing mandatory training are evident and shared by the operators themselves. There is also a real risk of short-lived or poorly structured training courses being organized, which do not follow the correct required training path . We remind you that Aisem and its member companies are accredited training organizations , in full compliance with the provisions of the State-Regions agreement. At this time, open dialogue between regulatory bodies, companies, and trade associations is needed to prevent a measure designed to protect safety from becoming an obstacle to regular work activities. Aisem will continue to carefully monitor the evolution of the situation, confirming its commitment to complying with safety regulations and industrial development needs." AISEM is the Anima federated association that brings together the best national businesses for the construction and distribution of material handling, lifting, and hoisting machinery. It represents over 80% of the entire national production, approximately 40% of which is exported. ANIMA Confindustria is the trade organization within Confindustria that represents companies in the mechanical and related sectors, a sector that employs 224,000 people, generates a turnover of €59.1 billion, and will account for approximately 60% of exports in 2025 (Anima Research Office 2025 forecasts). The macro-sectors represented by ANIMA are: construction and infrastructure; material handling and logistics; food production; energy production; industrial production; and safety and environment.
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