Expensive energy, 881 thousand SMEs and 3.5 million jobs at risk

Expensive energy puts 881,264 micro and small businesses with 3,529,000 employees at risk, equal to 20.6% of employment in the Italian business system. Confartigianato notes this in a report that highlights the increasingly vast and heavy impact of the mad rush in gas and electricity prices on companies in 43 sectors. The businesses most exposed to the threat of energy lockdown and even closure are energy intensive: ceramics, glass, cement, paper, metallurgy, chemistry, oil refining, food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, rubber and plastics and metal products. Read also But the increases in energy prices, according to Confartigianato, ” also suffer from 16 other manufacturing sectors in which textiles, woodworking, printing activities, the production of electric accumulators and appliances for domestic use stand out , of engines and car accessories, the supply and management of water and waste ”. According to the association’s analysis, the effects of expensive energy do not spare the services sector, with 17 sectors under pressure due to the escalation of electricity, gas and fuel prices. These are the trade in agricultural raw materials and food products, catering, residential social assistance services, nursery school services, sports activities such as swimming pools and gyms, amusement parks, laundries and physical wellness centers. To these are added the transport sectors affected by the increase in the cost of diesel: from road freight transport to moving services, taxis, car and bus rental with driver, sea and water transport. The risks also extend to logistics, with activities such as warehousing and transport support activities that suffer heavy increases in bills for the refrigeration of perishable goods. on the employment of small businesses is Lombardy: 139 thousand companies with 751 thousand employees are at risk. It is no better for Veneto where 77 thousand small businesses with 376 thousand employees suffer. Close behind are Emilia-Romagna (72,000 small businesses with 357,000 employees), Lazio (79,000 businesses and 304,000 employees), Piedmont with 62,000 businesses employing 262,000 employees, Campania (77,000 businesses with 240,000 employees), Tuscany with 63,000 businesses and 228,000 employees, Puglia (57,000 small businesses and 177,000 employees) and Sicily (63,000 businesses with 165,000 employees).