Since the 90s there
has been a considerable increase in what is commonly called globalization. This
international phenomenon (globalization) is a typical English term meaning
“worldwide” and indicating the tendency of companies to extend their activities
to the international markets.
They not only export their products but also
built up new factories and plants abroad taking advantage of the lower wages
and lower taxes that are required in some foreign countries. Also rates of
exchange play an important part in international trade.
The
Geographic Area
The geographic area of the Italian North-East
is formed by three regions: Friuli Venetia Julia (capital Trieste), Venetia
(capital Venice) and Trentino Alto Adige (capital Trent).
Before the fall of the
Berlin Wall (1989), which caused an increase in the expansion of the markets
towards Central Europe, the Central Institute of Statistics published the
following data: the total population of the North-East amounted to 6.5 million
inhabitants (57 million in Italy, 10,3 million in Czech Republic and 4.8
million in Finland), of whom 55.5% were employed in the tertiary sector (banks,
insurance, trade and services); 10.7% were employed in agriculture and 33.7% in
industry.
The industrial reality
of the North-East Italy is based on the big industries situated mainly in the
Venetia region (chemical, petroleum-chemical, mechanical and metallurgical
plants). Very important are also the textile and clothing industries of
Benetton and Stefanel (but Stefanel is risking to fail in 2016) with their network of
franchising selling points, the glasses factories and the port of Venice. Along
with these big enterprises in North-East Italy there is also a great number of
small and medium-size factories.
In the Friuli Venetia
Julia region particularly important are the metal-mechanic and food industries
(in Trieste and Udine), and the cutlery and furniture manufactures (in
Pordenone). The port of Trieste, equipped for the container traffic is also the
terminal of an oil pipeline linked with Bavaria in Germany. Of great relevance
are also the shipyards in Monfalcone (Gorizia province) where the biggest
cruise liners are built.
In Trentino-Alto
Adige, in addition to the hydroelectric plants, the main industries have
developed in the valley of the river Adige. In Bolzano / Bozen (bilingualism
Italian, German) there are chemical, mechanical and textile factories. Tourism
is very important, not only for the world-wide attraction of Venice, but also
for winter sports: Sappada, Cortina (Belluno province); Val Gardena, Val
Pusteria (Bolzano province).
In Friuli the most famous ski resorts are: Forni Avoltri, Forni di
Sopra, Ravascletto, Tarvisio, Sella Nevea (Udine province); Piancavallo
(Pordenone). Remarkably important for tourism are also the famous
seaside resorts of: Iesolo, Caorle and Bibione (Venice province); Lignano
Sabbiadoro (Udine); Grado (Gorizia) and Sistiana (Trieste).
The
Praise of Bill Clinton
In 1996 the President
of the Unites States spent a few but significant praising words about the
strong presence of small and medium-size enterprises in the Italian North-East.
Before him some professors of English and American universities wondered why
there was such a lively industrial activity in this area. The answer may be
found not only in the working capacity of the people, but also in a sound
political power which will acquire further autonomy in a near future.
Some politicians
together with artisan associations and some trade unionists of the catholic
area have recently founded the political party of the North-East; it is a new
political movement gathering people dissatisfied with the traditional political
parties.
The
performances of North-East Italy
Half of the assets of
the 1995 Italian balance of trade was produced in this North-East (almost 22
thousand billion Italian lire). The export per person in the North-East is
above 11 million Italian lire, the double of the national average. In the
North-East the increase of the national gross product was over 5%, the
unemployment rate was 5.8%, while the national average was 12%.
A national survey
published in the press («Corriere della Sera» of the 7.th February 1997)
pointed out that the North-East is the area where people spend more money on
unnecessary expenses such as tourism and flowers.
The
Chair Triangle
It is a flat area
including three small towns (Corno di Rosazzo, Manzano and San Giovanni al
Natisone) where the manufacture of chairs is the biggest in the world. This
area is developing into an “industrial district” of then small towns with 1,200
enterprises, aiming at improving the transport network, logistics, the
managerial and vocational training, taking advantage of the European Union
programs for small and medium-size enterprises. In 1998 they produced 40
million of chairs: 80% of the Italian production; 50% of the European
production and the 30% of the world. They employment 12,000 engaged.
The
Territorial Agreements
In Italy new
relationships between public and private sectors are arising. Orchestration is
the keyword of these new relations. Legislative measures are being taken to
maximize the public intervention with the agreement of enterprises.
Such new laws are
meant to give breath to economic sectors in depressed areas and in areas of
industrial recession.
A
historical Outline
The place name Friuli
from the etymologic point of view comes from “Forum Iulii” ( the place of
Julius). The historical Latin abbreviation was: “Fr. Iulii”. The ancient
pronunciation perhaps was: “Foroiùlii, or Friùli”, reading the abbreviation.
This is the ancient
Latin name for “Cividale del Friuli”, which means the trading post of Julius
Caesar, who founded the town in 52 B.C. on a previous Gallic Celtic settlement.
Aquileia, born as a Latin colony in 181 B.C., was a famous fluvial port and
became the second town of the Empire in the second century A.D., with almost
200 thousand inhabitants (nowadays Udine has less than 100 thousand
inhabitants).
In 568 A.D. Alboin,
the king of the Longobards, arrived in Italy from Pannonia, the Hungarian
plain. The Longobards, called in ancient times “Winnili”, were a Scandinavian
people and they founded the Friulian
dukedom (capital Cividale). The feudalism began with Charlemagne.
After the decline of
Aquileia there was the rise of Venice which held its political and military
power on the present North-East from 1420 to the signing of the Treaty of
Campoformido in 1797, between Napoleon and Austria, which marked the end of the
“Dogi” (political leaders of the time).
In 1740 Maria Theresia
from Austria transformed Trieste from a small fishermen port into the most
important trading and insurance Centre of the Hapsburg Empire. In 1842-’45 the
Austrian government urged the Representatives of the Stock Exchange in Trieste
to organize a mission in the regions of the Red Sea and the West Indies to
investigates about the possibility of navigation through the Suez Isthmus,
which was transformed into canal in 1869.
From 1866 Venice, the
Venetia region, the Friuli region with Udine became part of the Kingdom of
Italy, born in 1860. In 1918 after the First World War also Trent, Gorizia and
Trieste were united to Italy.
The
economic structure of Udine province and Friuli Venetia Julia 1996-2011
How is the economic
structure of Udine province? See the Graph n. 1 – Provincial Value-added of
Udine, please. In 1996 it’s mainly based on industrial production which
accounts for 30,3% of the total added value. It’s followed by cottage industry
with 18%, commerce with 12,9% and services with 8,9%.
Transportation and
forwarding make up 7,9%, while finance and tourism amount to 4,9% of the total
added value. Finally agriculture accounts for 3% of added value in the province
of Udine.
The economy is changing.
The tertiary sector is running, with the new technologies services industry. Now
you see in the Graph n. 2 the focus of the Friuli Venetia Julia enterprises, that
is based on InfoCamere Data. In 2011 it’s mainly based on commerce and
refreshment which accounts for 30,8% of the total added value. It’s followed by
agriculture and fishing with 17,9%, services for enterprises with 17,8%,
buildings with 16,2%, industry only 10,9% and services for persons with 6,4%.
The
North-east economy in 2015
If you look to the 500
top enterprises of the Friuli Venetia Julia region there is an optimistic
situation. The names of these primary companies, published on the «Messaggero
Veneto» are: Fincantieri S.p.A., Danieli & C. S.p.A., Fratelli Csulich
S.p.A., Fir.Fer S.p.A., Rizzani De Eccher S.p.A., Inca Properties S.r.l.,
Riello Group S.p.A., Illycaffé S.p.A., Acegasapsamga S.p.A., Savio Macchine
Tessili S.p.A., Cividale S.p.A., Fantoni S.p.A., Stroili Oro S.p.A., Ital Tbs
S.p.A., Dynamic Technologies S.p.A., Bofrost Italia S.p.A., B. Pacorini S.r.l.,
Ilcam S.p.A. e Limacorporate S.p.A.
In this top list there
are not the insurance and finance sectors. The author is Stefano Micelli,
director of Foundation North-East and professor of Economics and Enterprises
management to the Venice “Ca’ Foscari” University. He is also the director of
the Venice International University.
From January to
September 2016 the export of Udine province were as in 2015. It was 3.713,3
million of euro as to 3.770,8 for last year, by Udine Confindustria Research
Department, ISTAT Data and “Realtà industriale”, gennaio 2017.
See now the Graph n. 3
to read the export of Udine province in January – September 2015-2016, million of euro, also in this table.
Year 2016 2015
Machinerys &
Devices 1020,6 1004,9
Metallurgy 893,3 825,2
Metal products 388 293,7
Furniture 334 335,4
Electrical equipment 218 199
Computers 72,7 86,6
Rubber & plastic 161,7 165,9
Food & beverage 202,4 206,4
Wood 57,2 60,8
Paper 39,6 41,2
Chemical products 85,7 87,8
Pharmaceutical product 34,4 27,3
Medical & dental
equipment 83,5 61,6
References
- AA. VV., L’economia del Friuli dalla depressione allo sviluppo,
l’evoluzione di un secolo, Udine, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato
Agricoltura di Udine, 1996.
- Archivio di Stato di Trieste, Archivio Camera di Commercio, buste
17/488 e 490.
- “Indici e performance delle prime 500 aziende del Friuli Venezia
Giulia”, «Messaggero Veneto», Nordest Economia, gennaio 2017.
- Gian Carlo Menis, Storia del Friuli, Udine, Società Filologica
Friulana, 7.ma edizione, 1990.
- Raimondo Strassoldo, Giovanni Delli Zotti (eds), Cooperation and
Conflict in Border Areas, Milano, Angeli, 1982.
- Ugo Tucci, Mercanti, navi, monete nel Cinquecento veneziano,
Bologna, Il Mulino, 1981.
- Elio Varutti, Laura
Morandini, Economic performances in North-East Italy. A special lecture at the
“B. Stringher” Institute of Udine for the student exchange and partnership with
the Kokkola “Ammattioppilaitos” (Finland) and with the Brno “Business and Hotel
School” (Czech Republic), Istituto Professionale di Stato per i Servizi
Commerciali, Udine, 1997, typescript, pp. 1-9.
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