In 2022, Tuscan district exports far exceeded 24 billion euros, more than double the 2008 figure and the highest point in the last fifteen years.
Compared to the previous year, foreign sales increased by 2.7 billion euro (+12.7%) and exceeded the 2019 figure by 3.7 billion euro (+18.2%). Part of these results is explained by the increase in producer prices, which intensified during 2022. However, estimating the change in exports net of the price effect, it is noted that for the manufacturing products of the Tuscan districts, growth remains substantial when compared to 2021 (+6%) and 2019 (+7.2%). The data and analysis are taken from the “Monitor” of the districts, edited by Intesa San Paolo.
Among the districts of the home system, it is noteworthy that the Carrara Marble district stands out, which with further growth of 13 in the last quarter, will realise 773 million euros of exports in 2022, supported in particular by the processed component (+18.6% compared to the previous year), which recorded significant growth towards the leading reference market, the United States (+26.3%, with 45% of exports for processed marble), and Saudi Arabia (+58%). Raw marble, on the other hand, confirmed its 2021 export level, the result of a setback in exports to China (-12.6%), offset by higher sales to India (more than doubled with +110.6%) and Egypt (+47.0%).
In detail, in 2021, Carrara Marble had exported products for 688.8 million euros, rising to 773 in 2022, in absolute value plus 84.3 million, marble weighs in Tuscany for 3.2%, compared to 2021, growth was 12.2%, plus 9% compared to 2019 (year pr Covid), in the quarters the variations were favourable, 18.6 in the first, 4.9 in the second, 15.1 in the third and as said 13 in the fourth.
Fabrizio Santucci, Confindustria’s marble representative commented, “Yes, I confirm, 2022 was a good year for all companies in the sector, it was the first real post-Covid year, and there was a rebound in all sectors. On the other hand, 2023 did not start well. The commodity sectors also follow finance and other issues, so we were affected by the rise in rates and energy, and therefore it started slowly; among colleagues, we hear that there was a minus fifteen per cent in the first quarter. In short, there is less momentum than last year. April, May, and June are a little bit better. We must monitor what happens, especially in the United States; all the orders of 2019 and 2020 have materialised in 2021 and 2022, but now, for example, the big office buildings have not restarted in the United States because many employees are still doing smart working, especially in New York; residential is doing well in Miami, less so the West Coast. And China has not restarted either”.
Source: www.iltirreno.it
