Baroncelli: «Rilanciare l’industria toscana puntando su aerospazio e rinnovabili»

Toscana president Lapo Baroncelli stresses the need to reindustrialize the region, focusing on aerospace and renewable energy sectors. Tuscany's growth has been minimal, with only a 0.5% increase this year. To restart the process of revitalization, the president advocates for industrial policy to prioritize manufacturing, high-value-added development, and skills.

He suggests bringing back lost manufacturing functions to the territory, such as through collaborations with established companies like Leonardo in aerospace. Creating an aerospace district would be crucial for attracting skilled workers and counteracting low-wage labor. The president also emphasizes the importance of providing housing for workers, noting that a project has been developed in collaboration with Firenze city, using a standardized apartment module designed by architect Marco Casamonti.

The textile industry, particularly accessories manufacturing, is another area in need of revitalization, and the president highlights a project with Scuola Sant'Anna and PwC to repurpose metal accessories manufacturing skills for other sectors, such as robotics, nautical, and component manufacturing. Tuscany is behind in renewable energy installations, and accelerating this process is essential for creating an industrial territory.

The energy theme is critical, and the president encourages decisive choices. He urges the political leaders not to chase the same landscape, but to work on suitable areas for renewables and streamline procedures. Additionally, the president suggests revisiting nuclear energy on the region's territory. Looking at the Costa toscana, the president expresses concern over the Ukrainian company Metinvest's delayed construction of a 3.2 billion euro steel plant in Piombino.

Instead of being discouraged, he advocates for supporting investors like Jsw Steel Italy, which is set to transform an ex-Lucchini steel plant with a new railway production line, contributing significantly to the region's reindustrialization. Livorno, which has been waiting for 30 years for the Darsena Europa project to expand the port for larger ships, also needs to overcome time constraints to increase competitiveness.

Ultimately, the president foresees incredible opportunities for Tuscany and the Costa if these projects are executed quickly; otherwise, they will be lost.