The 'defence' of chemistry starts in Lombardy

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - The chemical industry must be valorised and return to the centre of Europe's industrial development. This was the message that came from the Lombardy Region at the presentation, with the sector's top stakeholders, of the Ecrn (European chemical regions network) association, whose members include a number of European regions that have important chemical companies within them, including Lombardy, which is among the top three regions in Europe in relation to the chemical sector: it is first in terms of number of companies, second in terms of number of employees and third in terms of turnover. The association, recognised by the European Commission, as of this year is led by the Lombardy Region with the Councillor for Economic Development, Guido Guidesi.

'Europe must put the needs of the chemical industry back at the centre of the debate. We must continue to play a leading role in a sector that is vital for our economy. Lombardy is the leading manufacturing region in Europe and 98% of manufacturing products are derived from chemicals. If we do not give priority to this sector, we risk not being competitive in the future. Not only as Lombardy but as Europe,' Guidesi emphasised. It is an ambitious challenge that finds more and more realities ready to play as a team: companies, trade associations, universities and the whole 'Lombardy system' as a whole.

The European chemical regions network (Ecrn), was founded in 2004 and is made up of some of the European regions that have important companies in the chemical sector within them and is officially recognised as an interlocutor by the European Union. The aim is to relaunch Ecrn's role in dialogue with the European Commission, to facilitate connections between industrial districts and to offer companies concrete support with regard to financing opportunities at European level. A sector, that of chemistry, which is also contributing to sustainability and ecological transition. The Ecrn association includes Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Catalonia, Saxony-Anhalt, Flanders, Limburg, Drenthe, Groningen, South Holland and Mazovia: talks are also underway to extend the alliance to Veneto, Piedmont, Liguria, Rhône-Alpes, Bavaria, Rhineland Palatinate and others.

The new challenge of economic development starts from Lombardy, an area where 1,700 chemical companies are active and employ more than 45,000 people, for a sector that in the first quarter of 2024 recorded a 3.6 per cent increase in production. Federchimica, AssICC - the Italian Chemical Trade Association, representatives of sector clusters, the Assolombarda chemicals group, and the universities also attended the meeting held at the Lombardy Region headquarters, confirming that the system is looking closely at the Lombardy strategy.