Green economy and superbonuses drive new champions

Energy (and other) building upgrades, the boom in the circular economy and investments to recover energy efficiency and choose renewable energy sources have accelerated the development of the Growth Leaders in the three-year period 2020-2023. Pnrr calls (with 37% of funds reserved for the implementation of the European Green deal) and public subsidies for buildings have in fact had a profound impact on the ranking drawn up by Statista and Il Sole 24 Ore. In particular, the 2025 list still suffers from the powerful effect of the Superbonus, the tax relief that guaranteed a 110% deduction from gross tax for interventions to increase the energy efficiency level of buildings or for earthquake-proof interventions.

It is no coincidence, therefore, that 18% of the companies in the ranking are from the construction and engineering sector, characterised over the three-year period by an average annual revenue growth of 84%, well above the 64% of the entire list. In particular, 28% of the companies in the Top 50, i.e. the largest of the magnificent 500, are from this sector. Not only that: all of the industry's growth leaders achieved total revenues of more than EUR 2.3 billion in 2023. A record, certainly, that has benefited construction companies, general contractors, architecture and engineering companies, but also window and door manufacturers and the operators of e-commerce sites that market these products.

"Once again this year we received a very good number of entries, with 964 complete registrations and a strong enthusiasm on the part of the companies," explains Lisa Dei, an analyst at Statista based in Germany like the entire team working on the initiative. "The top growth level of the top list declined slightly compared to last year, from a Cagr (average annual growth rate) of 461% to a still remarkable 443%. The average growth of the 500 companies on the list, on the other hand, increased to 65 per cent from 60 per cent last year, while the lowest growth remained largely unchanged at 24 per cent. At the top of the list is Olla Home solution, operating as a general contractor in the building and property redevelopment sector, with a focus on the energy efficiency of buildings. In second place, with a CAGR of 409%, is Raya, active in the trade and import-export of cereals and related products. Alpha General contractor, with a Cagr of 349%, closes the top three. Among this year's most interesting companies, I would like to highlight three. Longevity specialises in wellness and anti-aging services, with innovative technologies for improving health and longevity. Acbc is an innovative company focused on the production of eco-friendly footwear. Safety Job, on the other hand, is a leader in occupational safety, health and environmental consulting. Talking to the directors or business managers of the companies, we sensed optimism, despite the complex geopolitical period. Leaders know that their growth is the result of courageous decisions and commitment. Seeing that efforts lead to important results motivates them to give their best'.

As for the Top 20 Largest Growth Leaders, with the highest revenues, Cereal Docks stands out, with a 2023 turnover of more than 1.5 billion euros (up from 818 million in 2020) and a sharp increase in the number of employees: from 249 in 2020 to 344 in 2023. The Vicenza-based industrial group, leader in first agro-food processing (and led by President and CEO Mauro Fanin), wanted to share this year's success with its collaborators (over 400 now), awarding each one a result bonus of 2,700 euro gross (in addition to the welfare package to support health, training and parenthood).

In second place on the list is the global agricultural machinery giant Comer Industries of Reggio Emilia, which in three years has tripled both turnover (reaching 1.22 billion) and the number of employees (3,693 in 2023). On the third step of the podium in terms of revenues stands Manelli Group of Monopoli (Bari), which in the three-year period has almost tenfold increased its revenues, in 2023 to 234 million: it is a company with over 40 years of experience in the infrastructure and construction sector. Piccini 1882, the Piccini family's wine-growing group in the heart of the Chianti Classico region, also stands out as one of the most dynamic companies on the Italian wine scene. "These are all excellent companies, well assorted between micro-companies under 10 million in revenues (56.6% of the list), small companies between 10 and 50 million per year (32.4%) and medium or large companies over 50 million (11%)," concludes Lisa Dei.