Italiano
This is a sign of vitality for a sector that represents 17% of national manufacturing industry revenues and 14% of total exports and employment.
However, the path ahead is not without obstacles. Around 70% of companies report increasing pressure from low-cost competition, while 30% are concerned about the impact of tariffs imposed or threatened by the United States, in an increasingly unstable and protectionist global context.
Additional risks include tax pressure, geopolitical instability, rising energy costs, and the persistent mismatch between labor supply and demand.
Yet the strength of Italian medium-sized enterprises is evident: from 2014 to 2023, they recorded a +31.3% increase in labor productivity, a +54.9% increase in sales, and a +24.2% rise in employment, outperforming their German and French counterparts and ranking just behind the Spanish ones.
In response to these challenges, 52.6% of companies are calling for a stronger and more effective European trade policy to counter unfair competition and protectionism from other countries, while 31.2% are hoping for a joint European plan for energy security.
The report also highlights the strategic role of Ligurian enterprises: 60% of the region’s medium-sized enterprises are located in the Genoa area, with total revenues of €937 million, accounting for 61% of the regional total.
In a context of global transformation, Italian medium-sized enterprises remain the beating heart of Made in Italy, ready to defend their competitiveness through innovation, a focus on ESG standards, and an increasingly urgent political and economic strategy at the European level.