During its annual assembly chaired by Giorgio Colombo Assocomaplast-Italian trade association for manufacturers of plastics and rubber machinery, equipment and moulds amended its statute and renewed its committee for the period 2011-2014.

The assembly elected Vincenzo Balzanelli (F.B. Balzanelli Avvolgitori), Elisabetta Cirielli (Cibra Nova), Michele Gamberini (SICA), Massimo Margaglione (Gefit), Leonardo Peli (go-Voni Sim Bianca Impianti), Pierino Persico (Persico), Nicola Piovan (Piovan), Dario Previero (Previero N.), Silvio Tavecchia (Negri Bossi). Moreover, according to Confindu-Stria's requirements, the assembly appointed two new arbiters: Gianluigi Fé (ITIB Machinery International) and Mario Colombo (Isotex - Divisione Colombo), who joined the other three already in office: Cristina Balzanelli (F.B. Balzanelli Avvolgitori), Angelo Bianchi (Olmas), Camillo Lupi (Tecnomatic).

Furthermore, the Assembly scheduled an activity program in Italy and abroad, with particular reference to promotional events which, in the second half of the year, will take place in manycountries such as India, Malaysia, Hungary etc.

In the meantime, import-export data referred to the first quarter of 2011 - released by theItalian statistics office and worked out by Assocomaplast - still confirm the positive trend of the sector trade, which has started in mid-2010.

In last January-March, imports nearly reached 130 million euros whilst export almost topped 500 millions. It means, respectively, a 12% and a 24% increase over the same period in 2010.

Looking at the major types of machines, it is worth to be mentioned the continuous growth ofextruders (+27%), which represent a considerable share on the total. Injection moulding machinery, which suffered a heavy shrink during the worst period of the crisis, experienced a noticeable improvement. Sales abroad of thermoforming machines more than tripled.

As for the geography of exports, Germany still ranks at the top of the classification of destination countries whilst at the following positions several changes occurred. In fact, China, with almost 42 million euro (less than 27 one year earlier), outstripped France (nearly 32).

The US jumped fourth from seventh with some 25 million (19 in the first quarter of 2010),followed by Poland (+60%), India (+133%, up to more than 20 millions) and Brasil (+103%,again exceeding 20 millions).

As regards Germany, China, Poland and Brasil, the increased sales were determined by extrusion lines, i.e. high-tech plants, confirming the capability of the Italian manufacturers of providing advanced machinery, often tailor-made according to customers' requirements.

An opposite trend was recorded for exports towards CIS and Turkey, reduced under 20 million euros.

The latest monthly survey carried out by Assocomaplast among its members revealed a stillpositive sentiment among the Italian machinery manufacturers both as regards turnover andexports trend in the first half of the current year which are, respectively, growing for 48%and 45% of interviewed companies. More steady was the level of order collection in May with respect to April whilst the comparison with May 2010 was firmly positive for the vast majorityof respondents.

For Assocomaplast's members, exports towards Europe (non-EU, in particular) and South America performed better that other areas.

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