More jobs, somewhat less output and a vocation for exports. These are the three prime aspects shown in the 2024 building industry report presented in late October by FEDERCOSTRUZIONI, the CONFINDUSTRIA federation grouping together the most significant production categories on the building and infrastructure market, to which CONFINDUSTRIA MARMOMACCHINE belongs as representative of the natural stones sector.
The data in the report on “The Construction Industry in Italy” shows that last year it registered a consolidation in employment, with a 5% increase on an annual basis and 156,000 new workers for a total of 3.3 million. To be noted, however, is that after three years of heavy expansion – permitting the industry to recoup and surpass the pre-crisis levels of 2008 – the overall worth of output slipped a bit, to 643 billion euros (-1.7% in real terms from 2023). In any case, the Italian building industry confirmed its strong vocation for exports – up by 31% in the 2018-2024 period – which last year were worth 65.6 billion, with a trade surplus of 33.4 billion. Among the sectors most dynamic on foreign markets were natural stones, wood ceramic and brick products (22.7 billion), mechanical products and building machinery (15 billion) and engineering and architectural services (11.3 billion).
Breaking down general output data into individual production sectors, doing most brilliantly in 2024 was the design and innovative services sector, which reached 154.5 billion, up 7.6% from 2023. On the other hand, there was a 5.3% loss in the building and infrastructure construction sector, which by itself accounts for more than half of the industry, with 330.2 billion. Also losing ground was the building materials sector, halted at 112.7 billion (-2.3%) and that of building technologies, machinery and lines (-1.6% for 45.6 billion).
Supporting the industry in the immediate future – the report emphasizes – will primarily be the realization of works tied to projects connected with the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), expected to conclude in 2026. To date, outlays for the PNRR have reached 74.3 billion euros (of which 52%, or 38.4 billion, traceable to investments in the building sector), with a 16.3% increase in investments by local boards. Unfortunately, the building industry as a whole this year is expected to see a drop in real terms of 4.6% from 2024. For building in the strict sense, the Italian Building Constructors’ Association (ANCE) foresees a 7% drop in investments on the annual basis, due mainly to a downturn in the residential renovations sector because fiscal incentives for them have expired.
The FEDERCOSTRUZIONI report offers “a photograph of an industry fundamental to the country’s economy”, commented Paola Marone, the federation’s president. “However, economic growth prospects for Italy are moderate and undoubtedly influenced by great uncertainty, persistent geopolitical tensions and America’s tariffs policy”, she added, emphasizing that “for 2025 the Italian Central Bank estimates a GDP increase of 0.6%, mainly attributable to the trend in PNRR investments”. For Marone these figures “in any case confirm the vitality of our companies and their ability to relate to the economic context even when it is changeable and uncertain as it is now. An ability that gives us good hope for the future of the building industry”.
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