Two transitions drive Italy's healthiest companies

The twin transition (digital and ecological) continues to drive Italian small and medium-sized companies healthy. It is hardly surprising that, in the wake of past years, the leading companies in the Sole 24 Ore-Statista growth are largely those that have bet on technologies for the green turnaround, on energy from renewable sources and on digital solutions or consulting.

More specifically, the ranking of companies with the highest growth rate over the three-year period 2021-2024 includes those in the hi-tech sector (including several system integrators, technology consultants and software houses in Southern Italy) and those in the energy sector, in which many companies involved in the production of electricity from renewable sources stand out. Then, across all sectors, the list includes many benefit companies, which have formalised their commitment to sustainability in their bylaws and strategies, and several B Corporations (Benefit Corporations), which have undergone rigorous ESG audits. These are companies that are characterised by a commitment to create widespread value, not only for shareholders.

Leading market data company Statista has been compiling the list for eight years for Il Sole 24 Ore, evaluating both self-nominations of those who responded to the online call for tenders and companies invited to participate on the basis of the performance in their databases. This year they photographed the effects of the sharp downsizing of the superbonus for building renovations and perhaps the narrowing of the pool of operators involved in the NRP. "The Construction and Engineering sector ceded the top step of the podium to the IT and Software sector," explains Lisa Dei, Team Lead at Statista, from its headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. "The third place also presents a novelty: Machinery and Equipment overtook Industrial Production, which slipped to ninth place, while Energy and Utilities was confirmed in fourth place. In the latter sector, in particular, the Italian green turn is confirmed, with many companies on the list involved in the development, installation and management of photovoltaic panels for both companies and private individuals'.

More generally, the global scenario of military and tariff-based trade wars and modest economic growth is also reflected in the 2026 ranking. "This year for the first time, we noticed a general slowdown in the performance of the candidate companies, with more modest growth rates," says Dei, "probably the result of international and domestic macroeconomic factors. This resulted in a generally lower average growth rate compared to past editions, with a Cagr of around 8% (compared to a low of 26% last year). However, the high values remain this year, with the first company in the ranking showing a Cagr of more than 500%.

The record-breaking growth of the leading Cdc (Chain drive crane) is attributable to its strong embedded technology component and international outlook. The Bolzano-based company, among the leaders in passenger and freight ropeways, boasts proprietary AirBridge technology and an approach geared towards sustainability and the provision of advanced services. Features that have also convinced important customers in Saudi Arabia and Asia. Other leaders on the list include those at the top of three new categories debuting this year. Among the Rising Stars (companies born after 2019) emerges the Lombardy-based Zas trading, famous with the SignorBio brand that distributes B2B food packaging and eco-sustainable tableware; among the Historical Leaders (companies with at least 30 years of history) is the Sicilian company Infisud, active in construction, design and renewables; among the Turnover Champions (companies with at least 100 million in revenues in 2024), the listed Trevi Finanziaria industriale stands out, part of a group that is a world leader in subsoil engineering for special foundations, tunnel excavations, soil consolidation, and the construction and marketing of special machinery and equipment. In the Energy sector, Sagelio from Puglia stands out, a benefit company that operates charging stations for electric vehicles, followed by Logen from Lazio, which specialises in the installation of photovoltaic systems.