Sales of Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery grew 12% in the first quarter versus the year-earlier period, thanks to strong demand at home, according to the country’s sector association Amaplast (Milan; www.amaplast.org).

Domestic sales rose 16% in the period, and international turnover was up 10%, the trade group said. Italian orders for new equipment and systems soared 64% and bookings for spare parts increased 29%; foreign orders grew 8%.

Sales in the second quarter could jump as high as 52%, Amaplast predicted, noting that the main applications of packaging, automotive, construction, and medical “have a stable outlook with an upward trend, with packaging having a slight edge on the others”.

Amaplast director Mario Maggiani said, “The outlook is not entirely free of uncertainties and concerns.” He pointed to political and commercial tensions, ongoing problems with the spread of the coronavirus, and “a strong upward trend” in costs of raw materials, components, and transportation.