by EZIO MOTTERLE
Historic land of entrepreneurs, the Varesotto, with a number of companies that remains high, overcoming every period of crisis unscathed. There were 58,408 active businesses in the province at the end of last year, essentially stable compared to the end of 2022, when there were 58,590. The entrepreneurial density of the area remains very high, with 49 companies per square kilometer (in comparison there are 34 in Lombardy and 17 in Italy). At a territorial level, the province of Varese is positioned mid-table (-0.3%) among those of Lombardy, where only Milan (+1.4%), Monza-Brianza (+0.5%) and Lodi (+0. 4%) recorded an increase, up to Mantua which recorded a decrease of -1.5%. Even at a regional level, the trend of substantial stability is confirmed (+0.2%) while at a national level there is a slight decrease in the number of active companies (-0.6%). Among the sectors that have a greater weight on the total number of companies, which grow considering the production points, it is highlighted that manufacturing suffers a decline (-2.5%), followed by trade (-1.8%) and the agriculture sector (-0.3%), while that of construction is increasing (+1.3%). The annual data relating to 2023 meanwhile confirms a positive trade balance for the Varese area of almost 3.2 billion euros, while in the regional territory this balance is negative (-10.7 billion euros). Varese exports in the last year are still growing by 3.4%, with a value of over 12.6 billion compared to 12.2 billion last year. The provincial performance, decidedly positive, is higher than the regional figure (+0.6%) and above all the national figure. The first commercial partner for Varese is Germany (almost 1.5 billion euros, equal to 12% of the total). Followed by France (9.3%), USA (8.8%), United Kingdom (5.9%) and Spain (4.7%). The change compared to 2022 in exports by sector shows a situation of recovery in manufacturing (+2.9%), driven by the growth in exports of means of transport which exceed 1.8 billion (+63%) and by machinery (2, 5 billion euros, +2.8%). At a national level, the province of Varese confirms itself as one of the most exporting ones, reaching 16th place in the ranking. Another record that still stands.
