Stellantis cars and the “factory of ideas” to boost the development of north-west Italy
“The factory of ideas” – this is Renzo Piano‘s captivating description for the large space he’s designing at the heart of the Port of Genoa: a three-storey building right in the Waterfront di Levante, conceived to house research centres and innovative startups, in collaboration with Columbia University, the Polytechnic University of Milan, the Normale public university in Pisa and the universities of Paris and Genoa. “A concept can be manufactured, too. This is why we need a seedbed where new entrepreneurial activities can blossom”, insists Piano, referring to the intellectual and economic relationships interlinking across the north-west region of Italy, driven by a strong belief in the creation of sustainable development linking Europe and the Mediterranean area.
Piano has been very busy in this part of the world – renovation projects pertaining the Port of Genoa (where he still retains one of his main studios); the “Spina” development, i.e. the Pirelli industrial plant in Settimo Torinese, a bright and transparent “beautiful factory” set amongst cherry trees; the Intesa San Paolo skyscraper in Porta Susa in Turin; the former Il Sole24Ore building and the new Polytechnic University campus in Milan. Experienced as he is in civic architecture, he’s fully aware of how productive territories can become sites for enhanced growth, taking into consideration environmental and social sustainability as well as a more balanced and, at the same time, competitive European context.
Piano’s project, then, could inject new energy into the more general plans that have been debated by entrepreneurs in Turin, Milan and Genoa, by the leaders of Confindustria‘s three entrepreneurial organisations and by the three cities’ councils, banking institutions and universities, all aiming to join forces as part of a strategy to boost production and competitiveness in an area that drove the Italian financial boom in the 1950s and 1960s.
Nicknamed the “industrial triangle” in the past, it now goes by the acronym “MiToGeNo”, a combination of the Greek terms for “thread” (míto) and “to generate” (genein“), emphasising the focus on stimulating development and growth, and thus prove, as per a study by Prometeia, the benefits of working together.
Indeed, those territories generate almost 20% of Italy’s GDP and 60% of the entire wealth produced in the north east, thanks to the activities of 730,000 enterprises employing 3.5 million people. The manufacturing industry is their key asset, worth over 213 billion and closely tied to the logistics related to the Port of Genoa, while the turnover deriving from the so-called “knowledge economy” and “health economy” – the key pillars of economic and social growth – amounts to a further 170 billion.
And, in mid-July, some significant news corroborated the continued strengthening of this industry: Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, in agreement with the Italian government, committed to have up to 1 million cars manufactured in the country, thus overturning the current declining manufacturing trend and doubling production. An agreement that “demands an unprecedented rush”, as headlined by Il Sole24Ore (16 July) and that will relaunch the entire automotive sector, starting in Turin and the Piedmont region and then spreading to all territories involved in the supply chain, from the Lombardy region to the so-called “Motor Valley” in Emilia-Romagna, as well as traders in the north east and specialised areas in the south of Italy.
If we were to look at a map showing the interconnections between manufacturing supply chains (not merely for the automotive, but also for the aerospace, mechatronics, robotics and chemistry industries, ‘Made in Italy’ sectors such as agrifood, furnishing and fashion), high-tech services, the financial relationships revolving around the three main Italian banking institutions (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit and BPM), the research and educational structures devoted to the “knowledge economy”, life sciences networks, and all tangible and intangible infrastructures, we’d plainly see that this is one of the most competitive systems in Europe, closely linked with all production areas situated in the so-called “mega region” lying along the A1/A4 motorways.
This really seems to be a new era for the automotive industry, not only marked by Stellantis’s commitment but also by the focus applied by the other great German and French manufacturers in fostering reshoring within Europe – conceived now as a great production platform – which, also driven by sophisticated technological innovation and productivity, is also reviving the north west of Italy as a key actor in the country’s industrial recovery. Indeed, this is a territory rich in medium and large companies, the most suited to cope with the demands of the environmental and digital twin transition and to best take advantage of the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence, as by extending the process to their production chains, they actually steer smaller suppliers onto a path leading to high-quality manufacturing.
Such a path requires robust investments in both innovation (after all, innovation is what enterprises do, and should be encouraged in this by appropriate fiscal measures, such as the one that eased the transition to Industry 4.0) and, of course, infrastructures – the PNRR (Italian recovery and resilience plan) is certainly a key tool to achieve this.
In fact, thanks to studies undertaken by Prometeia, entrepreneurial associations Assolombarda, Unione Industriali Torino and Confindustria Genova have established that the impact of the PNRR on the territories – an impact currently amounting to 28.6 billion in terms of businesses – could rise to 36.7 billion if all possible collaboration opportunities are exploited: those between public and private sectors, local authorities, universities, research centres and foundations, all leading to a more effective investment of available resources.
Which infrastructures should we invest in? Well, we should strengthen those involved in the logistical activities connected to the Port of Genoa, which would improve links with industrial areas in the Liguria, Piedmont and Lombardy regions; the Third Railway Pass, which would boost the remaining network for the European Corridor 5; the high-speed railway between Turin and Lyon; the motorway tunnel in the Susa Valley; and so on. As part of their dialogue with entrepreneurs, mayors Beppe Sala in Milan, Stefano Lorusso in Turin and Marco Bucci in Genoa, have declared to be ready to play their part in engaging with the Italian government and the EU Commission in Brussels. Moreover, the three regional councillors – Guido Guidesi for Lombardy, Andrea Benvenuti for Liguria and Andrea Tronzano for Piedmont – are very aware of the strategic significance of this North-West project (“Green light for the 2.0 industrial triangle agreement” headlined la Repubblica on 18 July).
Underlying it all, is a “polytechnic culture” strongly rooted in economic and industrial history, as well as embodying future prospectives. A corporate culture that ties together manufacturing, finance and services into a number of top-quality, globally-inspired training paths as well as widespread awareness in sustainability. All dimensions that are based on firmly interwoven values generating economic and social wealth. A key driver for employment, innovation and, indeed, development – and one to be harnessed in a much more effective way.
(Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
“The factory of ideas” – this is Renzo Piano‘s captivating description for the large space he’s designing at the heart of the Port of Genoa: a three-storey building right in the Waterfront di Levante, conceived to house research centres and innovative startups, in collaboration with Columbia University, the Polytechnic University of Milan, the Normale public university in Pisa and the universities of Paris and Genoa. “A concept can be manufactured, too. This is why we need a seedbed where new entrepreneurial activities can blossom”, insists Piano, referring to the intellectual and economic relationships interlinking across the north-west region of Italy, driven by a strong belief in the creation of sustainable development linking Europe and the Mediterranean area.
Piano has been very busy in this part of the world – renovation projects pertaining the Port of Genoa (where he still retains one of his main studios); the “Spina” development, i.e. the Pirelli industrial plant in Settimo Torinese, a bright and transparent “beautiful factory” set amongst cherry trees; the Intesa San Paolo skyscraper in Porta Susa in Turin; the former Il Sole24Ore building and the new Polytechnic University campus in Milan. Experienced as he is in civic architecture, he’s fully aware of how productive territories can become sites for enhanced growth, taking into consideration environmental and social sustainability as well as a more balanced and, at the same time, competitive European context.
Piano’s project, then, could inject new energy into the more general plans that have been debated by entrepreneurs in Turin, Milan and Genoa, by the leaders of Confindustria‘s three entrepreneurial organisations and by the three cities’ councils, banking institutions and universities, all aiming to join forces as part of a strategy to boost production and competitiveness in an area that drove the Italian financial boom in the 1950s and 1960s.
Nicknamed the “industrial triangle” in the past, it now goes by the acronym “MiToGeNo”, a combination of the Greek terms for “thread” (míto) and “to generate” (genein“), emphasising the focus on stimulating development and growth, and thus prove, as per a study by Prometeia, the benefits of working together.
Indeed, those territories generate almost 20% of Italy’s GDP and 60% of the entire wealth produced in the north east, thanks to the activities of 730,000 enterprises employing 3.5 million people. The manufacturing industry is their key asset, worth over 213 billion and closely tied to the logistics related to the Port of Genoa, while the turnover deriving from the so-called “knowledge economy” and “health economy” – the key pillars of economic and social growth – amounts to a further 170 billion.
And, in mid-July, some significant news corroborated the continued strengthening of this industry: Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, in agreement with the Italian government, committed to have up to 1 million cars manufactured in the country, thus overturning the current declining manufacturing trend and doubling production. An agreement that “demands an unprecedented rush”, as headlined by Il Sole24Ore (16 July) and that will relaunch the entire automotive sector, starting in Turin and the Piedmont region and then spreading to all territories involved in the supply chain, from the Lombardy region to the so-called “Motor Valley” in Emilia-Romagna, as well as traders in the north east and specialised areas in the south of Italy.
If we were to look at a map showing the interconnections between manufacturing supply chains (not merely for the automotive, but also for the aerospace, mechatronics, robotics and chemistry industries, ‘Made in Italy’ sectors such as agrifood, furnishing and fashion), high-tech services, the financial relationships revolving around the three main Italian banking institutions (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit and BPM), the research and educational structures devoted to the “knowledge economy”, life sciences networks, and all tangible and intangible infrastructures, we’d plainly see that this is one of the most competitive systems in Europe, closely linked with all production areas situated in the so-called “mega region” lying along the A1/A4 motorways.
This really seems to be a new era for the automotive industry, not only marked by Stellantis’s commitment but also by the focus applied by the other great German and French manufacturers in fostering reshoring within Europe – conceived now as a great production platform – which, also driven by sophisticated technological innovation and productivity, is also reviving the north west of Italy as a key actor in the country’s industrial recovery. Indeed, this is a territory rich in medium and large companies, the most suited to cope with the demands of the environmental and digital twin transition and to best take advantage of the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence, as by extending the process to their production chains, they actually steer smaller suppliers onto a path leading to high-quality manufacturing.
Such a path requires robust investments in both innovation (after all, innovation is what enterprises do, and should be encouraged in this by appropriate fiscal measures, such as the one that eased the transition to Industry 4.0) and, of course, infrastructures – the PNRR (Italian recovery and resilience plan) is certainly a key tool to achieve this.
In fact, thanks to studies undertaken by Prometeia, entrepreneurial associations Assolombarda, Unione Industriali Torino and Confindustria Genova have established that the impact of the PNRR on the territories – an impact currently amounting to 28.6 billion in terms of businesses – could rise to 36.7 billion if all possible collaboration opportunities are exploited: those between public and private sectors, local authorities, universities, research centres and foundations, all leading to a more effective investment of available resources.
Which infrastructures should we invest in? Well, we should strengthen those involved in the logistical activities connected to the Port of Genoa, which would improve links with industrial areas in the Liguria, Piedmont and Lombardy regions; the Third Railway Pass, which would boost the remaining network for the European Corridor 5; the high-speed railway between Turin and Lyon; the motorway tunnel in the Susa Valley; and so on. As part of their dialogue with entrepreneurs, mayors Beppe Sala in Milan, Stefano Lorusso in Turin and Marco Bucci in Genoa, have declared to be ready to play their part in engaging with the Italian government and the EU Commission in Brussels. Moreover, the three regional councillors – Guido Guidesi for Lombardy, Andrea Benvenuti for Liguria and Andrea Tronzano for Piedmont – are very aware of the strategic significance of this North-West project (“Green light for the 2.0 industrial triangle agreement” headlined la Repubblica on 18 July).
Underlying it all, is a “polytechnic culture” strongly rooted in economic and industrial history, as well as embodying future prospectives. A corporate culture that ties together manufacturing, finance and services into a number of top-quality, globally-inspired training paths as well as widespread awareness in sustainability. All dimensions that are based on firmly interwoven values generating economic and social wealth. A key driver for employment, innovation and, indeed, development – and one to be harnessed in a much more effective way.
(Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)