Made in Italy is a certainty. But not all that glitters is gold…

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Rome, 20 April – Clothing, agri-food, furniture, automation: characterized above all by the acronym 4A, since the 1980s the better than Italian manufacturing begins to be (re)known in the world with a very specific anglicism, that is Made in Italy. Not that before the globe was unaware of the products of the Bel Paese, let’s be clear. But with the expansion of international business, and due to the consequent proliferation of imitations and falsifications, our artisanal and industrial excellence – backed by an important commercial advantage – had to be defended in some way.

“Made in Italy” was – and still is – synonymous with quality, imagination and attention to detail. The union of Handsome to the functional. In terms of notoriety, in 2012 this brand was even considered second only to Visa and Coca Cola.

A turnover of 620 billion

Let’s reiterate the obvious. Beyond the Alps and beyond the Mediterranean Sea, the Made in Italy continue to like it. In the era in which the virtual measures everything that remains tangible and real, in the three-year period 2015-2018, searches on Google relating to the three keywords increased by 56%. A recent study by the CGIA of Mestre also found that our exports – although they have not grown in the last year compared to 2022 (specifically, however, dynamics of international demand and production prices have an impact) – they record a good +30% compared to the pre-Covid period. Going back to 2008, the positive percentage points even reach 70.

A turnover estimated at more than that 620 billion, second in Europe only to Germany and the Netherlands. Obviously, the products produced by manufacturing activities take center stage. The food and automotive markets did well. Excellent response machinery. Who do we trade with? Or rather, who do we sell to? Few surprises, mainly Germans And French. Among them the USA, then Spain and Switzerland.

Exports and risk diversification

It is estimated that today the exporting companies exceed one hundred and twenty thousand units. According to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – and, we add, without prejudice to the vital centrality to the development of a thriving internal market – for our production companies the possibility of having commercial outlets even beyond national borders represents an important opportunity. In terms of risk diversification first of all. Who then exports grows at higher ratesimproving competitiveness and profitability.

Made in Italy, not just an economic matter

We close with a necessary clarification, because – as we well know – not all that glitters is gold. If once Made in Italy meant guarantee of design, manufacturing and packaging carried out entirely in our country, today (unfortunately) we have to refer only to the entrepreneurial part, so to speak. In other words it is enough that the product is conceived and designed here.

Delocalization is no small problem. Not the only one by the way. But the goal must be to return power. As already written by our Andrea Grieco every economic logic it must then be anticipated and integrated with everything that concerns it study, work, territory and national culture. Maybe we’ve forgotten, sometimes we pretend we don’t know. We are Italians, let’s get back to doing it better than others.

Marco Battistini