Apulia is one of the most economically developed regions of Italy. It's economy is really various from agriculture to the industry.
The most important agricultural products are:
- Grapes: Red Globe, Vittoria, Italia
- Vines: Moscato di Trani, Locorotondo white vine, Castel del Monte white wine, Cappello di prete red wine, Negramaro red wine and the king of the Apulia's wine that is the Primitivo. The Primitivo red wine is very famous all over the world, It is produced in different cities that gave him the name: Manduria, Sava, Gioia del Colle, Lizzano
- Bread: Altamura Bread is one of the most famous product from Apulia. It is exported to several countries all over the Eurpoe and even outside; Monte Sant'Angelo bread, Laterza bread, Triggiano bread.
- Chese: Caciocavallo, ricotta, stracciatella, burrata and the very famous "Mozzarella di Gioia del Colle"
- Tomatoes San Marzano and for salades (Puglia is the biggest tomatoes producer between the Italian regions)
- Artichokes
- Sugar beet
- Tobacco
- Grain and cereals in the Tavoliere zone near Foggia. This zone, already known as the "Italia's granary" is famous for is grain since the Roman's age. In Cerignola, a city near Foggia is possible to visit the Roman's underground grain storage This storage is a site with hundred and more cisterns excavated in the rock. It is located in the centre of Cerignola and was used up to the sixties last century.
- Olive Oil. This product is still made with proud in Apulia following the antiques rules. No other regions in Italy can be compared to Apulia looking at the amazing landscape made of Olive trees. From Foggia to Lecce is an unique subsequence of Olive trees countryside. The historical producers near Bari and Lecce didn't fall in temptation to mix the Apulia's olives with the Olives becoming from Other nations. The quality of the Oil that will be obtained starts from the tree and the way to collect the Olives. Important influences have the climate and the rain. The Extravirgin Olive Oil that reach the commercial channel in the 80-85% of the cases have nothing to do with the original Apulia's Olive Oil.
- Citrus fruits in the area around Taranto. In this area is produced the trademarked "Clementina del Golfo di Taranto" a very special mandarin.
Industrial economy is based on the Iron and the mechanical sector and for a growing part in services. Minor sectors are: transformation of the agricultural products and petroleum refinery. New industry sectors are aeronautical and aerospatial technologies.
A particular citation in the industrial sector needs to be done about the Divella industry. This very famous Italian's pasta producers has more than one century of history and is today exported all over the world, still keeping very high quality standards. Just after the local first pasta production in Gragnano (NA) Rutigliano and Noicattaro cities near Bari were involved in this industrial project. Thanks to the very high quality level reached in producing pasta in Apulia, some other Italian companies established their production in Apulia. Barilla has a big production site near Foggia. Minor pasta producers are: Ambra in Bari, Riscossa in Corato near Bari, Pasta Granoro in Corato, Tamma in Foggia, Tandoi pasta Pedone in Corato and in Corigliano D'Otranto.
Coming back to the industry the largest production site in Apulia is ILVA. This site in Taranto has more than 10000 employees and produce laminated iron. Around the ILVA site there are petroleum refinery and electrical energy production sites. ILVA was born in 1970 and is the European largest site for iron production. ILVA is part of the ILVA a world leader in Iron production. The site was built by the government and sold during the first privatization era. ILVA is the last "old fashion" iron industry in Europe with its own ecological problem. An apposite commission has been created in order to evaluate a new industrial plan for the ILVA area.
Here there is a picture of the ILVA's area:
It will be better to refocus the Taranto area on its historical Magna Grecia background. Taranto is full of treasures and archaeological sites that need to be revaluated and rediscovered. Tourists will be surprised visiting the richness of the Taranto history.
The Mechanical sector is huge and located around Bari. Here investors will find partners in the research and the precision mechanical sector. Many foreigner companies have invested in this zone receiving in change a wide offer of qualified handwork and very well prepared mechanical designers. The Politecnico di Bari is famous to be one of the best University in the engineering and technological sector. To have a better picture of the situation, please visit the Confindustria site about Apulia.
The picture of Bari industrial area:
The area is Huge, in the top left corner there is the international airport and in the bottom right corner the St. Nicolas Stadium.
Industries designing and producing mechanical and electromechanical products in Bari are:
Bosch automotive,
Getrag gearshifts and mechanical products,
Magneti Marelli Powertrain automotive components,
OM Pimespo industrial elevators,
GE Nuovo Pignone energy and petroleum,
Isotta Fraschini naval/industrial/train engines,
MER MEC S.p.A trains & railways control systems,
design and produce mechanical and electromechanical products in Bari.
Taranto and Bari have both a big commercial port. Bari port is going to be candidate as port of the Mediterranean sea for the commercial exchanges with the meddle an far east. The Taranto port is a strategic site for its position in the Navy military sector. Bari is on the route of the Costa cruisers and during the cruisers period over 8000 passengers a week visit the city. The Bari commercial port will double its capacity as HUB in the next few years.
Here you can see the pic of the Bari Port:
The Bari port is divided in four zones: Starting fro the top left to the bottom right it is possible to identify: The commercial HUB on the so called "Marisabella zone", the Ferry approach and the cruise approach in the big protected area. In the small protected area on the right of the old city on the sea there is the touristy port.
Here a pic of the Taranto port:
The Taranto port has different approaches: in the left part of the picture you can see the zone of the naval building site; in the first big circle there is the commercial HUB for the ILVA's raw materials and for the unrefined petroleum. In the so called "small sea", the second circle you can see, there is the military arsenal, with the Navy base. In the third circle, the so called "big sea", there is the Italian biggest production of depurated mussels. The water constantly flow out from these tree saline lakes, thanks to the Tara river. Around Taranto the Grottaglie new industrial area needs a mention. In Grottaglie the new aerospatial technology center of Alenia has born. Alenia is a Finmeccanica company who produce aeronautical and spatial components. In Grottaglie Alenia will product the tail of the new Boeing 787. The impressive plant has been built in 14 months by Matarrese costruzioni, an huge general contractor in Bari. Alenia working for Boeing will take advantage of the mechanical knowledge of the Politecnico's engineers. The Politecnico of Bari has a division in Taranto. For Alenia this is the second investment in Apulia after the site built in the 80s in Foggia. Near the Alenia's site there is the Atitech site who is a centre of excellence in airplane maintenance. This site born in the 2001 is capable of doing maintenance in almost all the type of Boeing and is the maintainer of Alitalia's planes. Grottaglie is one of the bigger and most famous site in the artistic ceramic production.
One other big port in Apulia is Brindisi, who have Ferry approaches. The Brindisi port has a strategic position thanks to the fact that is really close to the UN base. Brindisi is the world logistical support centre for the UN. In the Brindisi UN airport there is the Operative centre for all the UN operations all over the world.
Here a picture of the Brindisi Port and its UN airport:
Brindisi has a wonderful castle on the water that is possible to visit. Most of the ferry boat to Greece and to the Mediterranean sea leaves Italy from Brindisi. Brindisi port is a natural approach for the raw materials that can be reworked directly near the port. Brindisi has its origin in the Roman's age (and maybe before) as commercial port. Brindisi is at the end of the ancient roman "Appia" road (the actual SS7). Brindisi is candidate to become the Energy port of Italy. British Gas is the first company who has invested in Brindisi with the project of the re-gassifier. This re-gassifier should reconvert, from liquid to gas, the gas transported on sea from any country able to supply liquid gas. This project will give to Italy the opportunity to be independent from Russia gas duct, that actually is the only way to get gas in Italy.
Other important industrial sites in Brindisi are:
Enipower energy,
Augusta Westland helicopters,
SYNDIAL an ENI energy services company,
Powerco energy,
BASELL chemical,
Polimeri Europa chemical polymers,
Aventis bulk pharmaceutical,
AVIO aerospatial engine manufacturer,
EXXON MOBIL chemical,
ENEL energy production,
IBA Centro Meridionale constructions,
IPEM chemicals.
Via Appia in Brindisi
What about Foggia's industry? Foggia's economy is based mainly on agriculture, because the territory offer very good opportunity. The most resonant industries are:
Tozzi sud industrial electrical switchboards
S.C.S. special pyping and construction system
SOFIM Fiat Powertain group diesel veichle engines
Manfredonia Vetro Sangalli Group
Saline di Margherita di Savoia - Salt production site
Laterificio meridionale - building construction components
Do not forget that the Foggia province's coast is absolutely astonishing, so tourism is a real industry as well. All the seaside from Marina di Chieuti to Mattinata and Margherita di Savoia are wonderful and full of tourists attractions.
In Lecce Province there is the newest industrial area, the so called "Lecce - Surbo industrial area". Just few interesting industries are present there:
Lasim mechanical - iron metal sheets
Meridional Thermo mechanical constructions - Costruzioni termomeccaniche Meridionali
M.P.S. monte dei paschi di Siena personal Bank
Prototipo vehicle dinamic testing
Lecce Province is very tourists oriented, so we can consider the tourism as a real industrial resource in this area.
What is interesting about Apulia is the fact that there are a lot of Law to help industrial development and to help investors.
here the most common Laws helping the investors:
http://www.sistema.puglia.it in English, but the major part of the information are in Italian
P.O.R. Puglia the regional developing plan 2000-2006 in Italian
You may call the offices to speak with English speaking person.
Apulia is in the so called corridor eight of the European community development plan. The corridor 8 of EC will help the territory developing communications way, infrastructures and providing facilities to investor across this territory. The Paneuropean corridor 8 - Brindisi - Bari - Durazzo - Tirana - Plovdiv - Burgas - Varna is also known as "Traceca Program". You'll find better information in the European Community institutional Site.
Here the Corridor 8 satellite picture.