Increased manufacturing in Lombardy indicates favorable trends

==============================================================================================================

Lombardy's manufacturing sector is showing signs of resilience, according to Gian Domenico Auricchio, the president of Unioncamere Lombardia. The sector is robust despite facing challenges, as reported by the latest data from Unioncamere Lombardia's Economic Observatory.

The renewed ease of access to credit, particularly for more structured businesses, has contributed to encouraging investments and strengthening the market in Lombardy. This is evidenced by the growth in Lombardy's industrial production, which registered a 0.4% growth in the second quarter of 2025.

Foreign demand in Lombardy increased compared to the already positive trend of the previous quarter. Foreign orders in the artisan sector in Lombardy have grown by 3.8%, while the clothing and leather-footwear sector is recovering after a prolonged phase of contraction.

The iron and steel and food sectors in Lombardy are growing, with larger businesses in the manufacturing sector showing the best results (+1.6% production). Industry companies based in Lombardy with the highest production growth rates in Q2 2025 include sectors such as machinery, automotive, and chemical manufacturing, with notable firms like Pirelli and Brembo showing significant increases.

However, not all sectors are performing equally well. The rubber-plastics, paper-printing, and means of transport sectors in Lombardy show negative performances. The textiles sector in Lombardy remains in decline across all indicators.

Despite these challenges, the artisan sector in Lombardy has shown a +0.2% production increase and stable turnover. On the employment front, a positive balance of +0.3% was recorded between entries and exits in Lombardy's manufacturing sector.

The means of transport sector in Lombardy has particularly negative performances in relation to foreign orders. The recourse to short-time work has further decreased, particularly in sectors that had shown greater difficulties in previous quarters.

Gian Domenico Auricchio also emphasized the need for Lombardia to improve access to new foreign markets, train specialized personnel, and optimize supply chains. The share of foreign turnover on the total in the artisan sector in Lombardy remains at 6.8%, indicating room for growth in this area.

In conclusion, Lombardy's manufacturing sector is showing promising signs of recovery, with growth in turnover of +0.5% and a 0.4% expansion in industrial production. However, efforts must be made to address the struggles in certain sectors and to capitalize on opportunities for growth in international markets.