NEWS Italian machinery


sales fall Sales of plastics machin- ery from Italy fell by around 5% in 2025. Amaplast, which


represents manufacturers, says sales fell to €4.4 billion. This was largely due to a corresponding 5% reduction in exports, which caused sales to fall to €3.4 bn. Italy’s ‘top 10’ export


markets remained the same, but while sales to the US, China and Spain rose those to Germany, France and Mexico declined. Overall, sales of


extruders fell 13% to €350 million, while injection moulding sales rose slightly, said Amaplast. At the same time,


imports of technology rose by nearly 24%, confirming “robust domestic demand”, said the association. As a result, the trade balance fell from a record €2.65bn in 2024 to €2.24bn. � www.amaplast.org


Wienerberger sees sales and profits rise


Wienerberger of Austria reported higher sales and profits last year. It reported sales of €4.6


billion, a 2% rise on the previous year. At the same time, EBITDA rose 2% to €721 million. The company said the rise in profits was down to a reduction in restructuring-related expenses such as capacity reduction measures. “Our piping solutions business further strength- ened the overall resilience and developed very positively throughout the year,” said Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger. “In Europe, margins remained strong even in phases of sharply declining new construction activity, demonstrating the resilience of this business.” Sales in Western Europe


rose 6% to nearly €2.7bn, while profits rose 17%. Residential activity across the region remained low in 2025, though infrastructure markets were more robust.


Scheuch: “Piping solutions strengthened overall resilience and developed positively”


For the full year, pipes and infrastructure volumes grew by 2%, with pricing remain- ing flat.


In pipes, the integration


of Grain Plastics progressed successfully, with positive margin development. In Ireland, Wienerberger strengthened in pipe with the acquisition of MFP, a specialist in drainage, roofline, and cable ducting systems.


Sales in Eastern Europe rose 1% to €1.18bn, while


profit fell back 2% to €214m. Residential and renovation activities remained sub- dued, while infrastructure markets developed uneven- ly. Austria was stable overall – though competition weighed on pricing – while Hungary and parts of South-Eastern Europe saw weaker volumes due to delays in project execution. Piping volumes in the region fell 3%, while pricing rose by 2%. Sales in North America


fell around 12%, with profits down around 30%. A prolonged downturn in the North American housing market was offset by more resilient infrastructure markets. Piping volumes increased by 2%, while pricing declined by 15%, mainly due to deflation in raw materials. Wienerberger estimates


an operating EBITDA of around €810m in 2026 – slightly ahead of the 2025 result. � www.wienerberger.com


Trex sales rise as profits decline in 2025


Sales at US-based plastic decking manufacturer Trex rose 2% last year to nearly US$1.2 billion in 2025 – though net profit fell 20% to US$190 million. “Q4 and full-year profitability were impacted by several one-time charges associated with our growth initiatives,” said Bryan Fairbanks, president and CEO of Trex. This included expanding distribu- tor adoption for railing products, costs related to the plastic processing plant


10


in Arkansas, and “digital transforma- tion projects”. “We will see returns on these investments in 2026 and beyond,” he added.


He noted that new products accounted for 24% of full-year 2025. Railing sales rose at a “significant double-digit rate” for the year. In 2026, Trex expects another flat


year, with net sales of US$1.185-1.23bn – a decrease of up to 2% on 2025.


PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | Spring 2026


“In 2026, we expect Trex will again outperform a challenged repair and remodel market,” according to Fairbanks. n Trex has appointed Adam Zambani- ni as its next president and CEO, from 28 April 2026. Zambanini, currently EVP and COO, has been with the company for 23 years. Bryan Fairbanks will become an outside consultant to Trex. � www.trex.com


www.pipeandprofile.com


IMAGE: WIENERBERGER


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38