In 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the value of U.S. imported Italian machinery for major capital goods sectors registered a total value of over $2.2 billion, reflecting a 4.4% increase over the previous year ($2.1 billion.)
Italy is the fourth largest solution provider of primary machinery and technology to the U.S. The sectors of Italian machinery manufacturers reporting the biggest growth in 2008 were machine tools (+36.3%, $317 million), graphic, printing and converting machinery (+31.7%, $268 million), foundry (+28.2%, $69.8 million), agricultural / farm machinery (+7.5%, $508 million), glass machinery (+7.4%, 26 million) and textile machinery (+2.2%, $146 million.)
Japan, the number one provider of manufactured machinery to the U.S., saw relatively little growth last year -- +0.8%. Canada, the number three provider of manufactured machinery saw an increase of only 0.6%. These are not just one year trends, in the time period of 2005-2008, Japan has seen its total percentage of manufactured machinery destined for the U.S. drop by 4%, while in the same period Canada has seen its total percentage drop by -0.1%.
