Brescia craftsmanship continues to have an absolute importance with respect to the overall provincial economy. Confirmation comes once again from the survey «Brescian craftsmanship in 2023» curated by the researcher Elio Montanari and developed by the research center of the Brescia section of the Cnawhich for the second consecutive year returns to offer a detailed snapshot of the dynamics of the artisan world in the province of Brescia over the past year.
«Brescia craftsmanship is a galaxy that may seem small – observes Eleonora Rigotti, president of the Cna Brescia which today has 4,600 members – due to the turnover numbers that are less important than large companies, but which they actually represent the authentic backbone of the Brescia economy».
The overview
The numbers say it: the total number of companies registered in the Chamber of Commerce amounts to 32,193 units, equal to 27.5% of the total. A share that rises to 30.6% considering only active companies, compared to 28.5% in Lombardy and 24.7% nationally. In the five-year period 2019-2023 the number of the same companies decreased by 1,424 units but, taking into account that the number of registrations exceeds that of terminations, there is a positive balance of 441 units.
«Brescian craftsmanship maintains its specific weight and its relevance – confirms Montanari – also in relation to the regional and national context». Manufacturing and construction – although in the last 20 years they have decreased slightly – they still reign supreme, while over a third of companies are active in business and personal services, which are constantly growing. Almost two thirds (63.2%) of the 32,193 artisan businesses in the province of Brescia are concentrated in construction (38.2%) and manufacturing activities (25%). A significant part (13.7%) carries out service activities for people, compared to the 1,446 (4.5%) who offer support services to businesses.
The role of so-called traditional artisan activities, i.e. repairs (5.9%), transport (4.9%) and catering (3%). Furthermore, the number of companies operating in the professional, scientific and technical activities (1.7%) and in information and communication services is significant.
Rules and territory
The focus of the Cna’s research then shifts to legal form of Brescian artisan businesses: the most characteristic and widespread is the individual business (23,013 individual businesses, 71.5% of registered businesses). Followed by the 5,564 partnerships (17.3%), while the 3,587 joint-stock companies represent 11.1% of the sector.
From the point of view of territorial distribution There are around a hundred municipalities in Brescia in which there are at least 100 artisan businesses: almost half, therefore, of the 205 overall. As might be expected, with 3,859 artisan businesses the capital clearly stands out from the other centers of the province, ahead of Montichiari (709), Lumezzane (624), Desenzano del Garda (617) and Palazzolo sull’Oglio (536).
The data made available by INPS regarding the third quarter of 2023 speak of 84,913 employees in artisan businesses in the Brescia area, which constitute 18.6% of the total employees in private businesses. Of the total, over 33 thousand (almost 40%) are engaged in manufacturing activities, 24 thousand (28%) in construction. Also significant are the workers in the sector of personal services (7,750, 9.1%), trade and repairs (where the majority are car repair activities: 5,489, 6.5%), transport and warehousing (3,993). , 4.6%), business services (3,705, 4.4%) and in the accommodation and catering section (3,557, 4.2%).
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