Last October Ucimac, the field that represents the Manufacturers of Professional Espresso Machines joining Assofoodtec/Anima, for the first time presented the public the sector study dedicated to the industry of professional espresso machines, realized in collaboration with Anima Study Office. The research analysed 40 companies, of which 8 international, 8 vending and 24 Italian espresso machine manufacturers, with a neat prevalence of enterprises with a turnover ranging from 1 to 10 million Euros and headquartered in Lombardy and Veneto. Among the various targets pursued, the study outlines the historical trend and the forecasts about the main aggregate economic sector data; besides, it traces an evaluation of the field prospects through the macro-economic analysis of the sector and of the macro-sector Ho.re.ca, of international trade data and of the prevailing business strategies. In the specific case, the macro-economic analysis of the field of professional espresso machines – second by importance in the macro-sector Ho.re.ca with the 20% percentage- highlights a situation of clear growth in the production and export of products for the 2010-2015 five-year period and a strong bent for export (72%) of sector companies. Concerning the turnover, results point out a neat growth of the sector examined in the 2009-2014 period, with a good 6 of the 24 surveyed companies that have doubled revenues and also a profitability improvement, especially in 2013. The sector in its whole scores a turnover of 472 millions, of which Ucimac member companies represent 89%. In particular, stand out the productivity improvement, thanks especially to the efficient management of the working capital, against a slowdown of the investment flow; the excellent liquid assets of enterprises, synthesized by the neat negative financial position for a good 14 companies out of 24; the growing capability of sustaining debt and the efficient use of the financial boost to increase shareholders’ return.
The methodology availed itself of quantitative and qualitative research instruments, with analysis of public documents, structured questionnaires and interviews with marketing managers of representative companies of the investigated sample, identified in the Association ambit. Data were found through BvD-AIDA data banks for companies’ balances; ISTAT, EUROSTAT and UN-Comtrade for the international trade.
