15 May, 2019The machine tool and advanced manufacturing sector has reached a new milestone in 2018 (final figures) with sales of 1,796.1 million Euros. This figure represents a growth of 5.4% with respect to the 2017 figure, which was 1,703.5 million Euros. Analysed by subsector, performance was up in metal cutting (+15.7%), components (+6.9%), tools (+4.6%) and machining and services (+24.2%). The subsector that grew the most in 2017, the metal forming sector, has been unable to avoid a setback of 7.38% this year.
In the words of AFM Chairman, César Garbalena: “Contrary to what happened in 2017, when the automotive industry boosted the metal forming subsector achieving huge growth, 2018 has been notably better for metal cutting than for metal forming. The portfolio of orders accumulated over the last two years has, however, maintained the level of sales in line with the forecasts we made at the beginning of the year”.
Exports have increased by almost 10%, bringing the sector to its highest figure with 1,363.2 million Euros, compared to the 1,239.8 million Euros recorded in 2017.
2018 MACHINE TOOL EXPORTS
The main countries of export for Spanish manufacturers are: Germany, which accounts for 13.7% of all exports, Mexico comes in second place with 9.7% and China comes third, at 9.2%. Following these are USA at 8.6%, Portugal at 7.1% and then France, Italy, United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Poland.
César Garbalena stated with regard to markets of destination: “I would like to highlight the excellent performance of our exports to a number of nearby European markets: Portugal (figures have increased by 25% compared to 2017), France (+22%) and Italy (+17%), as well as the Czech Republic (where the figure has multiplied by 2.2). In America we continue to record excellent sales in the United States (+14.9%) and Mexico (+10.7%). Asia has lost the drive of recent years and although China has grown by 5%, India has lost 30% on the figure reached in 2017, falling back almost to 2016 figures and dropping out of the top 10 export destinations”.
SLOWDOWN IN DOMESTIC SALES
Considering that Spain is the ninth producer and exporter in the world, its position with respect to consumption is very far away from that of other countries with similar production and exports figures. In 2018, this gap was only barely bridged, with a slight growth of 0.72% in consumption. Regarding the domestic market, Garbalena remarks: “We insist on the importance of promoting consumption of machine tools and other production equipment in Spain through fiscal policies that make investments more appealing. This is an issue that conditions our competitiveness as a country. We must invest in equipment if we want to continue to be an industrial country”.
FORECAST FOR 2019
In 2018, as forecast at the start of the year, orders taken grew by 3.5%. Metal cutting figures have improved, bolstered by the milling subsector, with growth at 7.8%, while metal forming dropped slightly (-1.6%).
Garbalena: “The uncertainty felt for different reasons during the last part of 2018, which curbed investment plans in some key sectors, looks set to continue into 2019”
The provisional data we have for the first quarter shows that orders have already dropped. Although this will affect our activity, we believe that we will manage to offset it to a large extent with our current healthy order portfolio.
General Manager, Xabier Ortueta, had this to say: “These portfolios will enable us to keep up a good level of sales in 2019, although foreseeably lower than last year. Our main concern now as a sector is to secure enough orders throughout this year, in a context in which uncertainty has grown and decision-making regarding new investments is taking longer than we would like.”
EVENTS 2019
• AFM CLUSTER GENERAL ASSEMBLY: 17 May, at the Orona Foundation in Hernani
• +INDUSTRY 2019: ADDIT3D-SUBCONTRATACIÓN-INDUSTRY TOOLS-BEDIGITAL-WORKINN: from 4 to 6 June, in the BEC (Bilbao)
• EMO HANNOVER 2019: 16-21 September in Hannover
• 22 CONGRESS OF ADVANCED AND DIGITAL MANUFACTURING AND MACHINE TOOLS: from 23 to 25 October in San Sebastian, Scientific and Technological Park of Gipuzkoa
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