Lombardy Region

Among the 20 Italian Regions Lombardy is the largest by population, and its residents enjoy an enviable economic well-being. Comparing the Gross Domestic Product per capita indicator across the country, (provided it would be a rough proxy of the residents’ wealth in the area) Lombardy ranks at € 26.581,00.

One of the main reasons why Lombardy is the most developed and industrialized Region in Italy is to be found probably in the richness of its territory and the presence of fertile plains, fruitful hills, high mountains, lakes and rivers, with a large availability of natural resources such as water and minerals.

Furthermore Milan, its chief town, has emerged in the past as a strategic commercial centre due to its special location at the intersection point of ancient routes crossing the Alps and connecting Central Europe to Southern Italy.

Italian industrial production is highly concentrated in Northern Regions and among them Lombardy Region plays a leading role. Lombardy in fact has 112.778 active companies employing 1.319.988 people.

Its leadership in the chemical sector is even more pronounced, ranking 2nd at European level after North-Rhine- Westphalia if we consider the number of people employed by the chemical sector, and ranking 1st if the number of chemical companies is considered.

The regional chemical sector employ about 40% of the people employed by chemistry at national level (about 43% excluding pharmaceutical employment data).

Lombardy has:

• 4 airports, of which 1 intercontinental and 2 international
• 6 Universities with chemistry-related departments
• 9 Public Research Centres with a direct/indirect interest in chemistry-related topics
• 7 Private Research Centres with a recognised specialisation in chemistry-related topics
• 5 Scientific & Technological Parks with chemistry-related competencies
• 4 incubators
• 4 Business Innovation Centres