With more than 486,000 active companies at the end of 2025, Italy’s manufacturing sector continues to stand as one of the country’s economic pillars. As it moves into 2026, the overall outlook remains relatively stable despite mounting competitive pressures. The sector’s resilience is largely driven by the adaptability of its entrepreneurs. Nearly seven out of ten companies report that their performance is in line with the goals they set for the year, while overall satisfaction remains solid: around 30 percent of businesses say they are highly or very highly satisfied with their performance. However, uncertainty persists. About half of the companies surveyed say they are concerned about the potential impact of tariffs, while 55 percent consider the measures included in Italy’s 2026 budget law insufficient to support the sector.
In this context, businesses say their ability to steer industrial strategies according to market priorities remains the most decisive factor for competitiveness. Technological innovation and specialized expertise continue to play a key role in maintaining their position in increasingly competitive global markets.
Public incentives can provide support, but they are not seen as the only driver of growth.
These findings emerge from the MECSPE Observatory conducted by Nomisma for the third four-month period of 2025. The report was presented at the opening of the 24th edition of MECSPE, the leading Italian trade fair dedicated to specialized mechanics and industrial innovation, organized by Senaf and held from March 4 to 6 at BolognaFiere.
Looking ahead to 2026–2027, confidence among entrepreneurs remains cautiously positive: 56 percent report moderate trust in the future evolution of their sector, while 26 percent express high or very high confidence.