Express industry changes Italian business style
The express industry has become such a powerful fixture in Italy’s economy that the loss of night flights by the industry could reduce Italian GDP by up to €780 million a year, adding up to over €30 billion in foregone GDP over a period of 20 years, according to a study by Oxford Economic Forecasting and the Centro Studi Confindustria.
The figures highlight the radical inroads the express industry has made into the Italian economy.
Express carriers move over €14 billion of Italian exports
a year, which corresponded to 121 million shipments to, from or within Italy in 2002, accounting for more than
5.5% of total goods exports by value.
With over 24,000 employees and employment rising
7.7% annually, the express industry contributed €334 million to the Italian Treasury in 2002.
There were also intangible benefits, the study found.
“The express industry is helping Italian companies to implement best international business practice, improve their customer service and compete effectively in the
‘new economy’.”
54% of firms consider next-day express delivery services to be very important. 80% of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) expect that they would lose some export orders if next-day international deliveryservices were no longer available.
The economists expect the direct contribution of the expressindustry to Italian GDP to double to almost
€1.3 billion by 2013.
By contrast, constraints on the growth of express services, such as restrictions of night flights, would be more costly than just the loss in output from that sector. Italy would also lose out on the opportunity to become
the main hub for express operations in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
EUi Transport Report, 23 February 2004
