The energy chaos brings together the energy-intensive industry in Torbole Casaglia. “The Italian manufacturing sectors are facing a dramatic increase in the costs of energy commodities, which is putting the survival of many companies at risk”. A situation that entails a drastic increase in energy supply costs for Italian manufacturing, which mainly impacts on energy-intensive sectors: the steel, paper, cement, ceramics, chemicals, foundries and of glass and lime are in the concrete impossibility of continuing with production activities ». This is the alarm cry of the energy-intensive industries launched at a press conference held at the Fonderia di Torbole, in the province of Brescia.
From foundries to ceramics
The entrepreneurial front was represented by Fabio Zanardi and Enrico Frigerio (respectively president and vice president of Assofond), Roberto Vavassori (vice president of Anfia), Michele Bianchi (presidency committee of Assocarta) and Franco Gussalli Beretta (president of Confindustria Brescia), to whom Giovanni Savorani (president of Confindustria Ceramica), Roberto Pierucci (presidency committee of Assovetro) and Davide Garofalo (councilor of Assomet) are added in connection. The world of politics and institutions, on the other hand, saw the presence of the Northern League leader Matteo Salvini and the Councilors for Economic Development of the Lombardy Region, Guido Guidesi, and (in connection) of the Emilia-Romagna Region Vincenzo Colla. “The companies in the energy-intensive sectors have a key role in the Italian industrial fabric – underline by Assofond – they generate 88 billion a year of added value, with a strong export vocation that is worth about 55% of their turnover, and support 350,000 jobs. of direct work, a number that doubles to 700,000 people, also calculating the related activities. The prospect for these companies is to no longer be able to guarantee semi-finished products and products to customers and to open up the prospect of layoffs for a large number of workers. A further risk is that the circular economy will slow down and stop: many of the energy intensive sectors are, in fact, also recyclers of waste and secondary raw materials ».
Politics
The demands of the business world are on the political agenda. “Within the week there will be proposals to the government to get out of this national emergency,” said Lega secretary Matteo Salvini from Torbole Casaglia (Brescia) where he met entrepreneurs worried about the energy crisis and the consequent repercussions on work. “I shared with President Draghi that the danger of a cold and dark winter can become a social bomb. Concreteness and speed: total commitment of the League to intervene as soon as possible to lower costs and reduce bills ». «I heard this morning – added Salvini – Minister Cingolani, who is working on it. I had heard it before Christmas and within two or three days proposals arrive. I heard Descalzi yesterday, and Enel’s Starace to whom I take the liberty of remembering that profit in a moment like this must be decided and shared, because there are some energy sources, I am thinking of hydroelectricity and renewables that are making extra margins that the manufacturing company then pays “