PIEMONTE - Economy
Internationalisation of industry
Piemonte contributed to the gross value added of Italy with 8.7% in 2000, while its population is 7.4% of the national total. Per capita GDP is above the national average and represented 120% of the EU average.
In 1988 the foreign trade surplus was ECU 2.7 billion, but agricultural produce, energy and chemicals showed a deficit. There was a large surplus in engineering products, including agricultural and industrial plant accounting for 17% of the Italian total, and office machines accounting for 31% of the total. A large proportion of exports goes to other EEC countries and 8% to the United States. In the leading industrial branches such as components, automobiles and industrial vehicles (Iveco), as well as in clothing (GFT-Miroglio), alcoholic beverages (Martini & Rossi Mas, Cinzano, Campari) and confectionery (Ferrero), there has for some time now been a process of internationalisation involving export drives, licences and investment, participation in joint ventures, agreements and alliances with both the EU and State-trading countries.
This will undoubtedly help companies in Piemonte - which are already further advanced in the process of internationalisation than those in other regions of Italy ? to consolidate their position on the domestic market and to compete internationally on a more solid basis.
Rice, cars and personal computers
The main agricultural products in Piemonte are cereals, including rice, representing more than 10% of national production in 1999, maize, grapes for wine-making and fruit and milk.
With more than 909 845 head of cattle in 2001, livestock production accounts for half of final agricultural production in Piedmont.
In industry the Fiat concern employs some 290 000 people. This sector has led to the growth of a network of small suppliers located mainly around Turin.
In the field of computers, Olivetti is one of the 10 largest manufacturers in the world. Other important branches are textiles in the area of Biella (province of Vercelli), iron and steel, civilian electronics and white goods.
In the services sector, Piemonte comes third in Italy for wholesale companies, with particular emphasis on clothing. In the retail trade there are 171 inhabitants per food outlet and 91 per non-food outlet.
There are 255 supermarkets with a surface area of 250 000 m2, and a further 110 establishments ranging from department stores to cash and carry.
Finally, there are some 25 000 units in the field of data-processing services and business communications, most of them concentrated around Turin.
There are links with neighbouring France via the Fréjus and Colle di Tenda tunnels and the Montgenèvre Pass, and with Switzerland over the Simplón and Great St Bernard passes. The region's airport, Turin-Caselle, caters for domestic and international flights.
The region has the longest motorways network amongst the Italian regions (about 800 km). The motorway routes radiate from Turin, connecting it with the other provinces in the Piemonte region, as well as with the other regions in Italy. In 2001, the number of passenger cars per 1 000 inhabitants at 623 was above the national average (575).
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