APCOM

Milanese companies grow and gain strength. In 2007 the big and medium-big companies have increased respectively by 5.1% and 5.9% compared with the previous year. Big companies, those with an invoice that is over 10 million Euros, are 1.4% out of the total. In Italy one company out of five is based in the capital of Lombardia. This is the main data pointed out by a survey that Milano's Chamber of Commerce conducted through the Lab MiM, the laboratory monitoring Milanese companies.

Hotels, restaurants (+21.7%) and transports (+9.6%) lead the big businesses' boost, while the growth of medium-big ones, which excel the national average by 3%, is first of all pushed by agriculture (+19%). Then come hotels and restaurants (+11.6%) and transports (+10.2%). Medium-small firms grow as well: turnover from 250 thousand euros to 1 million euros. It means +5.5%, the same as the Italian datum.

In the national ranking, Milano proves to be at the first place in all the companies' categories: among the small ones with almost 292 thousand companies (6.1%, Roma is second with 4.6%), among the medium-small ones with 12.5% (Roma follows at 5 percentage points) and among the medium-big ones with 13.2% (twice as Roma) and among the bigger ones with 18.4% (6.3% for Roma). Carlo Sangalli, president of the Chamber of Commerce, explains the positive trend: "The secret of the success is that Milanese companies work, cooperate and compete as they can count on an entrepreneurial fabric which gathers both small and big realities, everyone with its peculiarities and strengths."