È positive the overall budget ofexport of industrial districts in the first nine months of 2023, which marks a +0,4% (a growth of 409 million euro). Part of the credit goes above all to the excellent results of the first quarter which recorded an increase of 7,4%. There are 82 districts that have had a growth in exported values of more than 50%. Excellent performance mechanics, +9,4% and the districts specialized inagro-food (+ 4,5%).
However, there was a slight decline in the district areas specialized in fashion system, with a decrease of 0,5% for consumer goods and 2,1% for intermediate goods. The most significant losses occur in the home system. Here all the supply chains have lost ground, with drops ranging from -6,6% in wood-furniture al -13,7% in construction products and materials. Intermediate goods, in particular metallurgy, suffered a significant decline with a decrease of 19,5%, also influenced by the drop in producer prices.
The explains it report on industrial districts di Intesa Sanpaolo which takes stock of the period January-September 2023.
All the mechanical districts are growing
Among the first twelve seats for the increase in exports in value, they stand out nine mechanical districts, with a standout for the Instrumental Mechanics of Milan and Monza and Brianza and the Packaging Machinery of Bologna, which recorded increases of 443 million euros (+10,8%) and 434 million (+24,8%) respectively.
Other significant mechanical districts include the Instrumental Mechanics of Bergamo (+300 million), the Food Machinery of Parma (+261 million), the Agricultural Machinery of Reggio Emilia and Modena (+257 million), the Mechatronics of Reggio Emilia (+189 million), Instrumental Mechanics of Vicenza (+153 million), Machine Tools and Industrial Robots of Turin (+152 million) and Mechatronics of Trento (+144 million). Most of these districts have continued to grow also in the third quarter, confirming their high competitiveness.
Excellent performance for Perugia knitwear, boom for Riso di Vercelli
Among the districts that stand out for the increase in export value, theBelluno eyewear shop in third place (+339 million, +12,6%), theParma food (+192 million) in the agri-food sector, and the Camping in Val d'Elsa (+159 million) in means of transport. Other districts notable for the intensity of growth include the Knitwear and clothing from Perugia (+ 22,9%) and the Vercelli rice (+ 29,1%).
At the regional level, theEmilia Romagna occupies first place for the increase in the value of exports in the first nine months of 2023, with a progress of 740 million euros (+4,7%). The region has benefited above all from the positive contribution of the mechanical and agri-food supply chain districts. They follow the Piedmont (+422 million; +4,7%), driven by Machine tools and industrial robots from Turin, Textile from Biella, Dolci from Alba and Cuneo, and Rice from Vercelli; there Campania (+287 million; +9,2%), with Conserve di Nocera and the Trentino Alto Adige (+281 million; +7%), led by the two mechatronics districts. L'Umbria it also stands out for the intensity of its growth, with a progress of +10,6%, thanks to knitwear and clothing from Perugia.
France and Türkiye are driving exports, while Germany and the USA are declining
La France , Turkey continue to be i two driving markets in this cyclical phase. District exports grew by 711 million euros in France and 682 million euros in Turkey.
In particular, in France, this result is mainly attributed to the flows generated by the production and commercial relationships with the major fashion houses, as well as a significant increase in sales in the mechanical and food and beverage sectors. In TurkeyOn the other hand, the results obtained by the districts specialized in consumer goods in the fashion and mechanical systems stand out above all.
Among the markets with the highest potential, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Mexico, Poland, India and Saudi Arabia stood out. In these areas, districts specializing in fashion consumer goods and mechanical engineering have recorded particularly positive results.
Exports to Ukraine have also started to grow again, with evidence in the mechanical, fashion consumer goods, household appliances and agri-food sectors.
È slightly negative, however, the main contribution offered by the main commercial outlet, the Germany, which was affected by the declines in intermediate goods, not compensated by progress in mechanics and food and beverages. In the United States, district exports suffered a decline after the increase of the previous year (+25,1%), penalized by an almost generalized decrease which did not only involve the mechanical sector. At the same time, a significant decline of exports towards Switzerland, which acts as a logistics hub for the specializations of the fashion system.
The predictions for 2024
National data for two-month period October-November 2023 confirm the resilience of district-intensive sectors, in particular food-beverage and mechanics.
In 2024, a two-speed pace is expected, with a prospect of improvement for exports in the agri-food and mechanical supply chain, thanks to the benefits of the ongoing technological and green transition. On the contrary, for the other highly district-intensive sectors, the same brilliance observed in 2021 and 2022 is not expected.
The export may show a more consistent growth in the second half of the year, when themitigation of inflation will free purchasing power, encouraging consumption and allowing an initial easing of restrictive monetary policy measures. This should have positive effects on the demand for investment goods in Europe and the United States.
