Plumbing and heating: 2025 will close with further decline. Anima Confindustria's analysis presented at MCE 2026

The construction machinery sector continues to show signs of slowing.

This is what emerges from the analyses by the Anima Confindustria Research Office, presented at the MCE 2026 press conference, which confirm a decline in production and exports after the two-year post-incentive period. This complex picture closely affects all operators in the HVAC/R sector.

Production and exports in decline: all the data for 2025

According to updated estimates, 2025 should close with a total turnover of 16.43 billion euros , equal to a decrease of 2.2% compared to 2024 .

The slowdown affects almost all segments of the supply chain:

• Thermal plants : production at 3.7 billion (-1.9%), exports at 1.8 billion (-2.7%).
• Aeraulics : 3.9 billion production (-3.8%), exports at 1.7 billion.
• Civil primary water : 350 million (-2.8%).
• Industrial primary water : 485 million (-1%).
• Valves and taps : still a key sector, with 9.33 billion (-2.3%) and over 6 billion directed towards foreign markets.

The picture highlights fluctuating demand both in Italy and abroad, with slowing investment, competitive pressure, and a settling-in phase following the incentive season.

An evolving sector: efficiency, automation, and integrated systems

Despite the slowdown, Anima Confindustria highlights a sector that continues to invest in innovation.

According to President Pietro Almici, comfort mechanics remains a strategic axis of the Italian energy transition thanks to the evolution of technologies for:

• integration between systems,
• automation and intelligent control,
• energy monitoring,
• high-efficiency solutions for heating, air conditioning, and water management.

The sector is adapting to a more competitive environment, focusing on product, digitalization, and performance. Almici also emphasizes the need for stable industrial policies and sustainable energy costs to safeguard the competitiveness of Italian companies.

MCE 2026: Technologies, supply chains, and a discussion on the future of the sector

Anima Confindustria will again be present at MCE – Mostra Convegno Expocomfort in 2026, from March 24th to 27th at Fiera Milano . Its member associations—including Acism, Aqua Italia, Assoclima, Assopompe, Assotermica, and Avr—will bring key innovations and systems from Italian mechanical engineering dedicated to building comfort and efficiency to the fair.

The institutional stand will host technical talks and discussions on energy transition, digitalization, and plant optimization.

Events like MCE remain essential tools for raising awareness of industry issues and encouraging the opening of new foreign markets.