Mechanics in the doldrums: revenues down for one in two companies

The energy component, explains the Anima note, remains the main pressure factor, and alongside it the cost of raw materials contributes to the pressure on margins. On the orders front, while 27% of companies expect stability, some 49% of companies instead indicate a downturn, double the level of those who see orders growing.

"The current situation,' says Pietro Almici, president of Anima Confindustria, 'represents an unprecedented challenge for our sector. Complex geopolitical factors, a particularly difficult European economic context for manufacturing, and often questionable industrial policies are heavily affecting the performance of our companies. In particular, the energy issue takes on a central role: on the one hand, rising energy costs weigh significantly on company budgets; on the other, the need to strengthen Italia's energy independence emerges strongly, to ensure stability and competitiveness in the medium and long term. It is essential that institutions work to support the industrial and manufacturing world, urgently addressing the current critical issues with medium- to long-term policies. Added to this is a structural criticality that quantitative data tend not to represent: the shortage of qualified personnel and labour. This is not a recent phenomenon, but it is worsening at a time when companies need to be fully operational to sustain their competitiveness in the markets. We need a change of pace in industrial policy and structural measures that put industry back at the centre as a strategic asset of our country'.

The companies of the Anima Federation generate almost 60 billion in revenues, 60% of which come from exports, employing 224 thousand people. Last year they closed the year with an average drop of 1.4% in terms of production, the second consecutive annual reduction. With the possibility of now having a third retreat to strengthen in parallel with the continuation of the crisis.