Parma & its enterprises

Industry and Handicrafts in Parma

I ndustrial activity in Parma is strongly oriented towards the agro-alimentary sector and, in addition to large-scale pasta and baked goods and milk and dairy manufacturers that are world leaders in their sectors, there are over 150 medium- and small-scale companies that produce millions of Parma hams each year, as well as an equal number of dairies that make over a million wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) cheese. Local agro-processing companies also play an important role in tomato processing , in the processing and sale of preserved fish and mushrooms from Borgotaro ; some of the most highly-esteemed “porcini” mushrooms in the world. Also worth noting is the significant presence of businesses in the sectors of sugar production, bottled mineral water (springs with bottling facilities), and olive oils. Together, these enterprises account for more than 42% of the province’s entire industrial sales, without sacrificing on the high quality of their products. The leading role of Parma also extends to the production of food machinery, packaging and preservation machines and equipment .

Food preservation has also been a springboard for the glassworks industry, which in Parma includes world-leading manufacturing groups and plants. Quality industrial output from the Parma area involves also those sectors linked to personal care and well-being, such as pharmaceuticals and perfumery, clothing, footwear and home furnishings and, in the more recent years, two highly technological sectors have been on the rise: biomedical products and ICT .

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