Emilia-Romagna’s manufacturing economy is still powering Italy at full throttle, with 52.1 manufacturing PMI in 2023 signaling expansion and industrial R&D spending of €4.2 billion in 2022 shaping what comes next. Yet the mix is anything but uniform, from ceramics and vehicle assembly to precision instruments and biomedical production, with workforce shares that swing sharply across sectors. This post pieces together the latest employment, export, and output figures so you can see exactly where jobs, innovation, and money cluster in the region.
Key Takeaways
- Emilia-Romagna's industrial sector employed 512,000 workers in 2022, representing 25% of regional employment
- Mechanical sector jobs in the region totaled 145,000 in 2023
- Food industry employment stood at 78,000 in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
- Emilia-Romagna's industrial exports reached €48.7 billion in 2022, 35% of regional total exports
- Mechanical products exports from the region totaled €25.4 billion in 2023
- Food and beverage exports hit €10.2 billion in 2022
- Emilia-Romagna industrial R&D spending was €4.2 billion in 2022, 8.1% of national total
- Mechanical firms invested €1.8 billion in R&D in 2023
- Food industry R&D expenditure reached €450 million in 2022
- In 2022, Emilia-Romagna's manufacturing industry contributed €52.3 billion to the regional GDP, representing 28.4% of the total regional economy
- The mechanical engineering sector in Emilia-Romagna produced machinery worth €28.1 billion in 2023, accounting for 22% of Italy's national total
- Emilia-Romagna's food processing industry output reached €15.7 billion in turnover in 2022, with a growth of 4.2% year-over-year
- Emilia-Romagna mechanical industry has 12,500 firms, 18% of Italy's total
- Food processing includes 4,200 companies employing 78,000 in 2022
- Ceramics district in Sassuolo has 250 firms producing 4.5 billion sqm tiles yearly
Emilia-Romagna manufacturing employs 512,000 workers and drives major exports, with exports reaching €48.7 billion in 2022.
Related reading
Employment Statistics
1Emilia-Romagna's industrial sector employed 512,000 workers in 2022, representing 25% of regional employment
Single source
2Mechanical sector jobs in the region totaled 145,000 in 2023
Verified
3Food industry employment stood at 78,000 in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
4Ceramics industry employed 32,000 workers in 2023, with 15% female workforce
Verified
5Automotive sector jobs numbered 68,000 in the region in 2022
Verified
6Chemical industry employment was 42,000 in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
7Electronics jobs totaled 28,500 in 2022
Verified
8Textile employment in the region was 35,000 in 2023
Verified
9Furniture sector employed 22,000 workers in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
10Packaging industry jobs stood at 19,000 in 2023
Verified
11Biomedical employment was 15,200 in the region in 2022
Single source
12Rubber and plastics jobs totaled 38,000 in 2023
Verified
13Metal products sector employed 52,000 in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
14Energy equipment jobs were 24,000 in 2023
Verified
15Agricultural machinery employment stood at 18,500 in 2022
Single source
16Pharmaceutical sector jobs numbered 31,000 in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Single source
17Glass and cement employment was 14,800 in 2022
Verified
18Precision instruments jobs totaled 12,300 in 2023
Single source
19Leather goods sector employed 9,200 workers in 2022
Verified
20Printing industry jobs stood at 16,500 in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Single source
21Wood processing employment was 11,000 in 2022
Verified
22Non-metallic minerals jobs totaled 28,400 in 2023
Directional
23Electrical equipment employment was 26,700 in 2022
Single source
24Vehicle assembly jobs numbered 45,200 in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
25Food packaging machinery employment stood at 14,000 in 2022
Verified
26Ceramics machinery jobs were 8,900 in 2023
Verified
27Plastics machinery sector employed 17,600 in 2022
Verified
28Average industrial wage in Emilia-Romagna was €32,500 annually in 2022
Single source
29Youth employment rate in manufacturing was 12.5% in 2023
Directional
Employment Statistics Interpretation
Behind Emilia-Romagna's famed cuisine lies a formidable and intricately cogs-and-mortar industrial engine, where a quarter of the workforce powers everything from the ceramics on your table and the cars in your garage to the machines that package your Parmigiano.
More related reading
Export Data
1Emilia-Romagna's industrial exports reached €48.7 billion in 2022, 35% of regional total exports
Verified
2Mechanical products exports from the region totaled €25.4 billion in 2023
Directional
3Food and beverage exports hit €10.2 billion in 2022
Single source
4Ceramic tiles exported €4.8 billion worth in 2023, 85% of production
Directional
5Automotive parts exports were €9.1 billion in 2022
Verified
6Chemicals exports from Emilia-Romagna reached €6.3 billion in 2023
Verified
7Electronics exports totaled €4.7 billion in 2022
Single source
8Textiles exports were €2.9 billion in 2023
Single source
9Furniture exports hit €2.6 billion in 2022
Verified
10Packaging exports stood at €3.4 billion in 2023
Directional
11Biomedical exports were €2.1 billion in 2022
Verified
12Plastics exports totaled €5.2 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
13Metal products exports reached €7.8 billion in 2022
Directional
14Energy equipment exports were €3.5 billion in 2023
Verified
15Agricultural machinery exports hit €2.4 billion in 2022
Single source
16Pharmaceuticals exports totaled €7.2 billion in 2023
Verified
17Glass products exports were €1.9 billion in 2022
Verified
18Precision instruments exports stood at €1.3 billion in 2023
Verified
19Leather exports reached €1.1 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
20Printed materials exports were €1.6 billion in 2023
Verified
21Wood products exports totaled €1.2 billion in 2022
Directional
22Minerals exports hit €4.5 billion in 2023
Verified
23Electrical goods exports were €3.9 billion in 2022
Directional
24Vehicles exports reached €8.6 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
25Packaging machinery exports totaled €2.1 billion in 2022
Verified
26Ceramics machinery exports were €1.0 billion in 2023
Verified
27Plastics machinery exports stood at €2.3 billion in 2022
Single source
28Top export markets for Emilia-Romagna industry: Germany 18%, USA 12%, France 11% in 2023
Single source
Export Data Interpretation
While the world is busy debating who makes what best, Emilia-Romagna is quietly and deliciously proving it can both build your car and stock its pantry, powering a global industrial engine with €48.7 billion in exports that is as much about high-precision machinery as it is about Parmigiano Reggiano.
More related reading
Investment and R&D
1Emilia-Romagna industrial R&D spending was €4.2 billion in 2022, 8.1% of national total
Verified
2Mechanical firms invested €1.8 billion in R&D in 2023
Verified
3Food industry R&D expenditure reached €450 million in 2022
Verified
4Ceramics sector R&D investment was €220 million in 2023
Verified
5Automotive R&D spending totaled €950 million in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
6Chemicals R&D investment hit €680 million in 2023
Single source
7Electronics R&D was €410 million in 2022
Verified
8Textiles R&D expenditure stood at €280 million in 2023
Single source
9Furniture R&D investment was €190 million in 2022
Verified
10Packaging R&D reached €320 million in 2023
Verified
11Biomedical R&D spending totaled €580 million in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
12Plastics R&D was €450 million in 2023
Verified
13Metal products R&D investment hit €620 million in 2022
Verified
14Energy equipment R&D stood at €310 million in 2023
Directional
15Ag machinery R&D was €260 million in 2022
Verified
16Pharma R&D expenditure reached €1.2 billion in 2023
Verified
17Glass R&D investment was €150 million in 2022
Verified
18Precision tools R&D totaled €210 million in 2023
Verified
19Leather R&D was €95 million in 2022
Verified
20Printing R&D investment stood at €140 million in 2023
Single source
21Wood R&D reached €120 million in 2022
Verified
22Minerals R&D was €380 million in 2023
Verified
23Electrical R&D investment hit €450 million in 2022
Verified
24Vehicles R&D totaled €780 million in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
25Packaging machinery R&D was €180 million in 2022
Verified
26Ceramics machinery R&D stood at €110 million in 2023
Verified
27Plastics machinery R&D reached €240 million in 2022
Verified
284,200 industrial patents filed from Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Verified
Investment and R&D Interpretation
Emilia-Romagna's €4.2 billion R&D effort proves that while you might know it for Parmigiano and Ferraris, its real export is brilliant, highly-engineered ideas, from ceramics to pharmaceuticals.
More related reading
Production and Output
1In 2022, Emilia-Romagna's manufacturing industry contributed €52.3 billion to the regional GDP, representing 28.4% of the total regional economy
Directional
2The mechanical engineering sector in Emilia-Romagna produced machinery worth €28.1 billion in 2023, accounting for 22% of Italy's national total
Verified
3Emilia-Romagna's food processing industry output reached €15.7 billion in turnover in 2022, with a growth of 4.2% year-over-year
Verified
4Ceramic tile production in Emilia-Romagna totaled 85.2 million square meters in Q1 2023, holding 80% of Italy's market share
Verified
5Automotive components manufacturing in the region generated €12.4 billion in value added in 2022
Directional
6Emilia-Romagna's chemical industry output was €8.9 billion in 2023, up 3.1% from 2022
Verified
7Electronics and mechatronics sector in Emilia-Romagna achieved €6.5 billion in production value in 2022
Verified
8Textile and apparel industry output in the region stood at €4.2 billion in 2023, with exports comprising 65%
Verified
9Furniture manufacturing in Emilia-Romagna produced €3.8 billion worth of goods in 2022
Verified
10Packaging industry turnover in Emilia-Romagna reached €5.1 billion in 2023, growing 5.8%
Verified
11Biomedical devices production value in the region was €2.7 billion in 2022
Verified
12Rubber and plastics sector output totaled €7.3 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
13Metal products manufacturing contributed €10.2 billion to regional output in 2022
Verified
14Energy equipment production in Emilia-Romagna was valued at €4.6 billion in 2023
Verified
15Agricultural machinery output reached €3.1 billion in the region in 2022
Single source
16Pharmaceutical industry production in Emilia-Romagna hit €9.4 billion in 2023
Verified
17Glass and cement sector output was €2.8 billion in 2022
Directional
18Precision instruments manufacturing generated €1.9 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
19Leather goods production value stood at €1.5 billion in the region in 2022
Verified
20Printing and publishing industry output was €2.3 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
21Wood processing sector produced €1.8 billion worth in 2022
Directional
22Non-metallic minerals industry output reached €6.7 billion in 2023
Verified
23Electrical equipment manufacturing was €5.4 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2022
Single source
24Vehicle assembly production value hit €11.2 billion in the region in 2023
Single source
25Food packaging machinery output totaled €2.9 billion in 2022
Single source
26Ceramics machinery production was €1.4 billion in Emilia-Romagna in 2023
Verified
27Plastics machinery sector generated €3.2 billion in 2022
Verified
28Regional industrial production index rose 2.8% in 2023 compared to 2022
Verified
29Emilia-Romagna manufacturing PMI averaged 52.1 in 2023, indicating expansion
Verified
Production and Output Interpretation
Emilia-Romagna's industrial landscape is a veritable feast of engineering prowess, gourmet food production, and tiled elegance, collectively proving that Italy's economic engine purrs quite contentedly on more than just sports cars and espresso.
More related reading
Sector Profiles
1Emilia-Romagna mechanical industry has 12,500 firms, 18% of Italy's total
Directional
2Food processing includes 4,200 companies employing 78,000 in 2022
Verified
3Ceramics district in Sassuolo has 250 firms producing 4.5 billion sqm tiles yearly
Verified
4Automotive cluster in Modena/Bologna has 5,000 SMEs supporting Ferrari/Lamborghini
Verified
5Chemical sector comprises 1,800 firms with €8.9B turnover in 2023
Verified
6Electronics/mechatronics has 2,100 companies, focus on automation
Verified
7Textile/apparel district in Carpi has 3,500 firms, €4.2B output
Verified
8Furniture in Ravenna/Forli has 1,900 firms, strong in design exports
Single source
9Packaging cluster around Bologna has 1,200 companies, innovative materials
Verified
10Biomedical in Bologna/Modena has 850 firms, leader in medical devices
Verified
11Plastics/rubber sector: 2,400 firms, €7.3B production in 2023
Verified
12Metalworking has 6,200 SMEs, key for machine tools
Verified
13Energy tech firms number 1,100, focus on renewables
Directional
14Ag machinery cluster in Reggio Emilia has 450 firms
Directional
15Pharma has 120 major plants, €9.4B output
Single source
16Glass/cement: 650 firms in Modena area
Verified
17Precision instruments: 900 high-tech firms
Directional
18Leather in Ferrara has 700 artisanal firms
Verified
19Printing: 1,400 firms, digital transition leader
Verified
20Wood processing: 1,050 firms in Appennino area
Directional
21Non-metallics: 1,700 firms, ceramics dominant
Verified
22Electrical equipment: 1,500 firms, wiring harnesses specialty
Verified
23Vehicle OEMs and suppliers: 2,800 firms total
Verified
24Packaging machinery: 450 world leaders in Bologna
Single source
25Ceramics machinery: 200 firms in Modena
Directional
26Plastics machinery: 650 firms, extrusion tech focus
Verified
Sector Profiles Interpretation
Emilia-Romagna is that enviably multi-talented friend who not only built your sports car and tiled your kitchen, but also packaged your lunch, printed your mail, monitors your health, and is now powering your home with renewable energy, all while casually designing your future furniture.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Emilia-Romagna Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/emilia-romagna-industry-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Emilia-Romagna Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/emilia-romagna-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Emilia-Romagna Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/emilia-romagna-industry-statistics.
Sources & References
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