Lombardy's industry restarts

employment levels in the Lombardy industry are largely unchanged. The entry rate falls again after the rebound observed in the first quarter of the year, while the exit rate is stable. The balance between the two curves is therefore just under -0.1%.

Recourse to the Cig by companies in Lombardy industry shows no significant change, stabilising at the levels observed last quarter. The Cig's share of the total number of hours was stable at 1.4% in the third quarter, while when looking at the share of companies resorting to it, the percentage was 10.9%. At sectoral level, the greatest difficulties are observed for the paper-press sector, and then, to a lesser extent, for the means of transport sector, and for the steel and textile industries.

"Lombardy, driven by exports," explains the president of Confindustria Lombardia Giuseppe Pasini, "confirms itself as the Italian and European locomotive. The solidity of Lombardy industry emerges in particular from a comparison with 2024: production +2.2%, turnover 4.4% and foreign orders 4.1%. The ability of Lombard companies to open up new markets and the slowdown in the cost of raw materials have helped sustain growth and, as confirmed by the Confindustria Research Centre, the main strength of our manufacturing sector is the high quality of our products and competitive prices. International instability and the high cost of energy are worrying: bills for Italian companies and citizens are the most expensive in Europe, and for three years now Lombardy companies have been competing in an environment characterised by unfair competition.

"This quarter's figures confirm the extraordinary capacity for adaptation and reaction of our production system. Lombard manufacturing - together with craftsmanship - once again demonstrates its ability to seize the opportunities of the markets, both domestic and foreign, maintaining a solid and constant growth trajectory," specified Gian Domenico Auricchio President of Unioncamere Lombardy. "Exports continue to be a fundamental driver, but the contribution of domestic demand is also significant, which is once again supporting companies in a complex phase of the international economic scenario. This resilience is not the result of chance: it is the result of the daily commitment of our companies, of their ability to innovate, and of the strength of the Lombardy Chamber system, which continues to be a point of reference in accompanying the development of the region.

"Considering both the geopolitical situation and the economic contingency, the data are excellent and represent a further positive sign of recovery,' added Guido Guidesi, Lombardy Region's Councillor for Economic Development. 'With the Development Innovation Zones and the innovation support tools, we continue to 'do our bit', but I reiterate the need for structural intervention on energy costs, which are still too high to be competitive; just as we need a change of course in the European Commission's policies, since the current Commission has not yet concretely distanced itself from the previous one with respect to anti-manufacturing choices'.