11 May, 20222021 TURNOVER AND EXPORTS (FINAL DATA)
The advanced manufacturing and machine-tool sector closed 2021 with a turnover of 1,571.20 million euros, representing an increase of 18.66% on 2020, recovering a significant portion of what was lost due to the pandemic.
In the case of metal cutting machines, the increase reached 21.91%, with 682 million euros, in a year in which our milling sub-segment manufacturers have been global leaders.
Metal forming machines saw a drop of 4.86%, bringing the end figure to 296 million euros, although incoming orders show prospects are improving.
All other subsectors have performed well, with significant increases, specifically 27.24% in components, 20.66% in tools, 35.11% in other machines, and 49.41% in services.
In exports, the recovery made in 2021 was even more notable, with 1,241.47 million euros invoiced to foreign buyers, which is 23.41% up on 2020. With intense growth of 33.08%, metal cutting increased to 637.43 million euros, while metal forming dropped by 17.65% to 194.10 million euros. The main export sales destinations were the USA, Italy, Germany, China, France, India, Turkey, Portugal, Mexico and the UK.
According to the president of AFM Cluster, César Garbalena: “2021 has been a year of recovering sales figures and, particularly attracting new orders. Unfortunately, despite this positive market performance, throughout the year and, in particular, in the second half of the year, difficulties arose that compromised the profitability necessary to maintain investment at the levels required for our business’ competitiveness. In addition to shortages in components and materials, rising freight prices and difficulty in accessing certain markets, particularly China, there has also been a significant rise in energy prices. This is all, coupled with the high rate of inflation, significantly impacting costs and forcing us to concentrate on defending margins and delivery terms in order to fulfil our attractive order portfolio”.
2021 ORDERS
In 2021, machine-tool orders increased by almost 30% above 2019 figures (+69.2% with respect to 2020), and we are anticipating a considerable workload and foreseeable turnover increase in 2022. As we indicated in January, in the case of metal cutting, the highest incoming order figures were recorded since 2007 (+40.81% up on 2019 and +70.98% on 2020) and historical highs were recorded in the milling subsector (+88.7% up on 2019 and 82.05% on 2020). Metal forming also recovered by 7.37% compared to 2019 (+64.43% up on 2020), although there is still ample room for improvement after a tough five years.
2022 PROSPECTS
The first quarter of the year is marked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the beginning of the war. Initial disbelief was followed by horror at the suffering of the Ukrainian people, with whom our sector wishes to show full solidarity.
From a purely economic perspective, the cluster businesses, respecting the sanctions in place, have halted all trade relations with Russia and, in general, the situation of the operations affected on this market is reasonably well covered. Trade relations with Russia ranged between 1% and 3% of total sales, depending on the year. These were normally transactions relating to the aeronautics, railway or energy sectors.
“Although we can say that the direct consequences of the war are limited, the indirect effects have proven to be an additional problem that worsens a complex situation. All the existing problems with components, materials, transport and costs remain ongoing, and a crisis of offering has been detected in some of these factors, which in turn is leading to price hikes and shortages of certain supplies. In this same regard, the situation of the pandemic in China is adding additional uncertainty”, according to César Garbalena.
Despite this worrying scenario, the good order portfolios we started the year off with, and the still positive level of incoming orders in the first quarter, allow us to forecast a growth in turnover, which will likely be an improvement on 2019 figures. It remains to be seen how incoming orders will evolve throughout the coming months.
BIEMH, SPAIN’S MOST POWERFUL INDUSTRIAL TRADE FAIR, NOW REPRESENTING EVEN MORE SECTORS
After four years of forced absence, BIEMH is back from 13 to 17 June with Spain's largest industrial trade fair and top-class strategic driving force for the advanced manufacturing market. BIEMH is needed now more than ever, due to the complexity of current times.
We are expecting a truly spectacular BIEMH in terms of exhibitors, with the highest occupancy rates this decade, matching the success of the 2018 edition. Already one month from the event, more than 1,200 exhibitors from 26 countries have signed up to take part. It is, without a doubt, the top global event for industrial companies seeking offerings to improve their production capacity.
BIEMH will bring together all the innovations made in the last 4 years in the machine-tool sector and all the related technologies, in additive manufacturing and 3D printing (via the ADDIT3D fair) and digitalisation (through BeDigital fair). BIEMH is also the largest and most comprehensive event at national level for the automotive and robotics sectors, welcoming 167 participating firms from 13 countries and from the subsectors of industrial robotics, industrial handling, automation and assembly, control software, storage solutions, transport and CAD-CAM.
The extremely high visitor subscription rate and the spectacular atmosphere at smaller events held in the first part of the year point towards all-time high attendance figures. The positive levels of workload in the industry in Spain indicate that BIEMH is set to be a full and vibrant event.
STECH COMPLETES THE ADVANCED AND DIGITAL MANUFACTURING ECOSYSTEM
AFM Cluster has completed its ecosystem with the creation of STECH, the new industrial association created to accelerate the implementation of digitalisation and automation technologies in the advanced manufacturing industry. The initiative has drawn great interest and, in less than 4 months, has gathered together almost 60 partner businesses.
Manufacturers of machine tools and their components, 3D printing and additive manufacturing specialists, hand tool manufacturers, machining specialists and industry subcontractors and startups are now offering automation and robotics, software and smart services for advanced manufacturing, culminating the virtuous circle of advanced and digital manufacturing and activating an authentic hub of business, knowledge and specialisation for the industry.
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