A slight increase in the domestic market and exports brings the sector's turnover to over €9.5 billion. Concerns remain for the Russian and American markets.
The valves and faucets sector, represented in Anima Confindustria by the AVR association, closed 2024 with a positive result. According to preliminary figures from Anima's Research Office, the sector is expected to generate a turnover of €9.55 billion in 2024, a 1.8% increase over the previous year. This growth is supported by expanding exports, which reached €6.05 billion, a 1.7% increase over 2023. Exports to the Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are growing, recording increases of more than 50% over the previous year.
Sandro Bonomi, president of AVR, expressed satisfaction with the sector's positive performance, emphasizing how Italian companies have demonstrated their globally recognized excellence. "We are proud of the results achieved," Bonomi stated. "Our sector has successfully adapted to the challenges of energy efficiency and water conservation, continuing to grow and thus contributing to a more sustainable future. However, for companies in our sector, as for many manufacturing companies in general, the challenge of finding young or qualified personnel remains, making it increasingly difficult to replace those approaching retirement age."
With approximately 70% of their products destined for export, Italian companies in the sector also face challenges in international markets. Concerns arising from tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and the restrictions introduced by the sixteenth package of sanctions on the Russian market raise significant questions about the sector's near future. "While," comments Sandro Bonomi, "we must strive to maintain export flows to the US at the levels of recent years, at the same time it will be crucial to promote the adoption of European industrial policies aimed at attracting intra-EU investment. Let's not forget the positive impact that the implementation of the Mercosur-EU treaty could have on our companies."
"Now more than ever," continues Bonomi, "it is crucial that our government and European institutions work together to protect our companies and ensure the competitiveness of the sector. During the General Assembly of CEIR, the European association of valve and faucet manufacturers, we met in Brussels with our MEPs active in the committees closest to our sector (Industry, Environment, Trade) to discuss the present and future of our sector. Only through clear policies aimed at restoring a balance between Italian production—which takes into account ESG requirements, ethical labor, and investments in energy savings—and Far Eastern products, which receive government subsidies, provide no consumer guarantees, and are even exempt from complying with certain European regulations, will we be able to continue to grow and consolidate our leading position on the international scene. The valves and faucets sector, thanks to its capacity for innovation and the solidity of its companies, remains a pillar of the Italian mechanical engineering industry, ready to seize new opportunities and face future challenges.
AVR is the ANIMA Confindustria federated industrial association that represents Italian companies in the valves and faucets sector. In 2024, the sector achieved a turnover of €9.5 billion, with an export/sales share exceeding 60% (Anima Research Office data).
ANIMA (Confindustria Meccanica Varia) is the trade organization within Confindustria (Italian General Confederation of Mechanical Engineering) that represents companies in the mechanical and related sectors, a sector that employs 221,700 people, generates a turnover of €55.5 billion, and accounts for 59% of exports (according to Anima Research Office). The main 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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