The Piedmont district areas continue to prove their worth competitiveness on the international market, recording considerable success in 2022. According to the periodic monitor of the Intesa Sanpaolo Studies and Research Department, the value of exports from the Piedmontese industrial districts has reached 12,4 billion euros, registering an increase of 11,7% compared to the previous year. This increase represents an added value of 1,3 billion euros and an increase of 8,3% compared to 2019, corresponding to approximately 950 million euros.
Solid growth, but challenge on foreign markets
It is important to underline that 11 out of 12 districts have shown export growth, while 10 of them have exceeded the levels reached in 2019. These results confirm the competitiveness of the Piedmont district areas, thanks to the production of excellent goods and innovation. However, it should be noted that the growth of Piedmontese districts on foreign markets was lower than the average for Piedmontese manufacturing (+18,3%) and the average for Italian industrial districts (+14,2%). This figure is influenced by the situation in the Piedmont hazelnut and fruit district, which has suffered a quantitative reduction in the harvest. Furthermore, the Machine tools and industrial robots districts of Turin and the Goldsmithing of Valencia still lag behind the 2019 levels.
The export performance in 2022 was positive both towards i mature markets (+12,7%), driven by European countries such as France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain, and towards new markets (+9,4%), with Turkey, South Korea, Canada and Romania in the lead. The only contractions were recorded in the main commercial outlets towards Russia, Hong Kong and Ukraine.
From fashion to agri-food, all growing sectors
In the field fashion, 2022 marked the recovery of the districts of the Piedmontese fashion system, which recorded a growth of 22,7% compared to the previous year, even exceeding the average of the Italian fashion system districts (+16,9%). However, the export levels of 2019 are still far away (-4,7%), in particular for the Valencian goldsmith's industry, due to the pricing policies of the multinationals present in the district.
On the other hand, the Textile di Biella managed to close the gap, recording a significant increase of 26,1% in 2022, ranking first among the Piedmontese districts for growth trend and value (+454 million euros).
The sector too mechanical saw an increase in exports (+7,5%), reaching 2019 levels (+0,3%). However, the comparison with the Italian mechanical sector (with an increase of 11,7% compared to 2021 and 12,3% compared to 2019) highlights the delay of Piedmont, mainly due to the machine tools and industrial robots of Turin, which still remain below 19,6% compared to 2019 levels. The other Piedmontese districts of the sector have instead achieved positive results in terms of export growth.
The districts agri-foodthe Piedmontese recorded a positive trend on the foreign market, with an increase in exports both compared to 2021 (+7%) and compared to 2019 (+25,9%). The only exception is represented by the Piedmont hazelnut and fruit district, which recorded a decrease in exports compared to 2021 (-16,2%) due to adverse environmental and climatic events that damaged production.
It flies, i technological polesthe Piedmontese have seen a significant increase in exports of 27,6%, largely exceeding the increase of the Italian technological poles (+19,9%). Furthermore, the gap compared to the export levels of 2019 was largely closed (+51,5%). Both hubs contributed positively to the growth in 2022 compared to 2021, with an increase of 3,1% for the Turin ICT hub and 48% for the Piedmont aerospace hub, the protagonist of considerable growth.
