The regional manufacturing industry opens 2024 with production and commercial activity decreasing compared to the levels recorded in the same period of 2023. According to the results of the iquarterly survey conducted by the “Giuseppe Guzzini” Study Center of Confindustria Marche, in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo, in the January-March 2024 quarter, industrial production recorded a decline of 3.3% on a trend basis, the result is in line – although slightly weaker – with that observed at national level (-3.1%).
Overall commercial activity down: the sales trend in real terms recorded a decline of 2.0% compared to the same period in 2023, with a significant contraction on the domestic market and an increase on the foreign market. The Domestic sales recorded a decline of 6.8% compared to the first quarter of 2023, with negative results for all sectors, except Food. The foreign sales recorded growth of 3.5% compared to the first quarter of 2023, with positive results for all sectors except for Rubber and Plastic and Metal Products. On average for the January-March 2023 quarter, employment levels increased moderately (0.7%).
«The results of the first quarter – declared the president of Confindustria Marche Roberto Cardinali – highlight an overall slowdown of the economy on the domestic market, associated with a moderate recovery of the foreign market. As with the national industry, which closed the first quarter of the year with a slowdown (-3.1%), the regional industry also suffered the negative effects of the continuation of previous crisis situations and international geopolitical instability. A picture of uncertainty continues, which however, according to the statements of most operators, tends towards an improvement, in particular with regard to foreign markets. A positive evolution to which both the decline in the cost of factors, not only energy, and the progressive re-establishment of supply chains, and above all the reversal of the trend of orders coming from foreign markets contribute”.
«In this scenario – concluded Cardinali – companies have shown great flexibility in identifying new markets outlets, especially in Asia and the United States, alongside the presence of the more mature and competitive European markets. To overcome the high margins of uncertainty, it will be necessary to wait for the stabilization of the prospects induced by economic policies, the improvement of the national economic framework and, in particular, the recovery of a significant level of domestic demand”.
