The president of Anima Confindustria, Pietro Almici, calls on EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič for action.
In an increasingly complex and competitive global context, the Italian mechanical engineering industry represented by Anima Confindustria is facing significant challenges due to the recent tariffs imposed by the United States. On August 19, the White House announced the introduction of duties of up to 50% on products and components made of steel, aluminum, and derivatives, a measure that threatens the competitiveness of Italian companies in the primary reference market for the mechanical engineering sector, with exports reaching €4.4 billion in 2024.
Pietro Almici, president of Anima Confindustria, said: "It is essential that the European Union responds in a coordinated manner to these protectionist measures. On the occasion of his visit to Italy, we urge EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to intensify negotiations with the US government to reduce bureaucratic burdens and eliminate extra duties on mechanical engineering products containing steel, aluminum, and copper. We believe it is necessary to define a defense strategy and accelerate market diversification, including new trade agreements such as the one with Mercosur. The mechanical engineering industry has historically been the engine of Europe's economic and social development. Companies in the sector not only drive exports but also contribute significantly to economic stability and social cohesion, with 60% of production destined for export. At this historic moment—Almici continues—specific agreements between US and European customs would reduce the bureaucratic burden, which, in the case of SMEs, can result in the deployment of as few as two or three people for two weeks to dedicate to a single order. A clearly unsustainable business cost for small and medium-sized companies, which comprise the vast majority of the Italian mechanical manufacturing industry.
Despite recent trade tensions, mechanical engineering exports have demonstrated remarkable resilience. In the first half of 2025, export turnover for the sectors represented by Anima Confindustria remained stable, with growth of +0.4%, exceeding €19.8 billion (data from Anima's Statistics and Market Intelligence Office). In this scenario, it is crucial for the mechanical engineering industry to develop new strategies to safeguard and expand the market. The diversification of destinations, already underway towards North America, the Middle East, and Africa, represents a strategic lever for strengthening Italian exports and improving the trade balance, which has shown signs of rebalancing in recent years.
A good example could come from the Mattei Plan, launched in 2024, which offers a concrete opportunity to relaunch Italian technological capabilities in Africa, supporting local development through equal partnerships and creating opportunities for European mechanical engineering SMEs. Similarly, in Europe, the harmonization and dissemination of European technical standards in partner countries would facilitate exports and industrial integration on our continent.
"We ask that in the upcoming trade negotiations, the European Union include concrete tools for regulatory convergence, in order to reduce time and costs and create barrier-free industrial corridors," added Almici. "Italy's strategic position in the EU manufacturing industry is essential to ensure solid commercial performance and contribute to the dissemination of European industrial standards."
ANIMA Confindustria is the industrial trade organization that, within Confindustria, represents companies in the mechanical and related sectors, a sector that employs 221,700 people with a turnover of €55.5 billion and an export/turnover share of 59% (data from the Anima Research Office). The macro-sectors represented by ANIMA are: construction and infrastructure; material handling and logistics; food production; energy production; industrial production; safety and environment.
Not just another marketplace: a-z maschinenwelt launches its own online auctions of used machinery w
On auctionz.de, the Weinstadt-based machinery dealer will be auctioning exclusively machines he owns from September 2026 – the first auctions will end at the beginning of October. AZ Maschinenwelt GmbH, headquartered in Weinstadt near Stuttgart, is launching auctionz (auctionz.de), its international online auction platform for used industrial and production machinery, in September 2026. Unlike most auction portals, only company-owned machinery and equipment will be auctioned. With auctionz, AZ Maschinenwelt has consciously chosen not to act as a marketplace or intermediary for third-party sellers, remaining what it has always been: a machinery dealer with a personal relationship with its customers, who is personally responsible for its goods. The first auctions will close in early October 2026. TRANSPARENCY INSTEAD OF ANONYMITY Many auction platforms in the machinery trade operate as mere intermediaries. Buyers often don't know exactly who is behind the goods they're offering or who is responsible for any technical questions they may have. At auctionz, things are different: every machine offered has been personally inspected by the team, examined, photographed, and truthfully described. From the initial technical question to purchase and payment, through to disassembly, loading, customs documentation, and export management, buyers have a direct contact. Thomas Reichelt, managing director, AZ Maschinenwelt GmbH: The market doesn't need another platform where anyone can list anything. And that's exactly what we don't want to be. We remain machinery dealers: we buy the goods ourselves, we know our machines, and we personally answer for what we offer. With auctionz, we're simply using a new means to market machinery even more transparently and internationally—without sacrificing personal responsibility. Adnan Saeed, founder and managing director, AZ Maschinenwelt GmbH: We don't sell any machine we haven't seen with our own eyes. Thomas or I personally stand in front of every machine before it goes to auction. What we photograph and describe corresponds to the condition the buyer will find—that's what we want to be judged on. INSOLVENCY, CESSATION OF BUSINESS AND SURPLUS MACHINES The machines up for auction originate from insolvencies, company and plant closures, restructurings, and excess inventory, as well as from the purchase of entire machine parks and production sites by AZ Maschinenwelt. The offering is aimed at medium-sized manufacturing companies, international machinery dealers, workshops, and industrial end customers worldwide.• Conventional machine tools• CNC machines and machining centers• Complete production plants• Metalworking• Woodworking• Plastics technology• Measurement technique• Compressors and compressed air• Warehouse and factory logistics• Workshop and company equipment HOW AUCTIONS WORK Auctions are conducted entirely digitally. Upon request, an automated bidding agent will raise the bid up to the maximum amount set; if bids are placed shortly before the closing time, the auction is automatically extended. A 9 percent commission is added to the hammer price. Any disassembly and loading costs are shown separately and transparently, as are any transferred cost items, without any additional margin. Even after the auction has been awarded, AZ Maschinenwelt provides comprehensive support to its customers, upon request including the entire handling of BAFA paperwork, export, and customs documents, up to the machine's collection. PLATFORM LAUNCH: September 2026 FIRST AUCTIONS END : Early October 2026 FORMAT : Fully digital online auctions with bidding agent and automatic extension CONDITIONS : 9% commission on the hammer price; dismantling/loading as costs transferred without markup SERVICES : Personal contacts; BAFA, export and customs management up to collection URL : www.auctionz.de WHO IS AZ MASCHINENWELT? AZ Maschinenwelt was founded in 2011 by Adnan Saeed and has operated as a limited company since 2025, headquartered in Weinstadt near Stuttgart. The company trades in used industrial and production machinery internationally, handles complete company liquidations, and handles disassembly, logistics, and warehousing. Approximately 20 employees work at the Weinstadt (administration) and Weilheim an der Teck (warehouse and showroom) locations; sales are conducted in Europe, North America, Asia, and other global markets. Since January 2025, Thomas Reichelt has led the company alongside Adnan Saeed. Further information is available at www.az-maschinenwelt.com and www.auctionz.de.
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