by InTrieste
Adolfo Urso – Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Massimiliano Fedriga – President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Andrea Di Paolo – President of BAT Trieste
Italy is placing renewed emphasis on what officials describe as the defining traits of the national brand — innovation and identity — as it seeks to strengthen its industrial base and expand its global reach.
Speaking at the British American Tobacco facility in San Dorligo della Valle, near Trieste, Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso said that government policies over the past three years have helped make the country more attractive to international investors. Italy has risen in global rankings of business competitiveness, climbing from 23rd to 16th place, he noted, pointing to industry as the “engine of the economy.”
The occasion marked the inauguration of new production lines at the BAT plant, which opened just two years ago, as well as the signing of a three-year memorandum with the Ministry of Agriculture. The agreement commits to the purchase of up to 15,000 tons of Italian-grown tobacco, a move aimed at supporting domestic producers while deepening ties between agriculture and industry.
Officials cast the expansion as a symbol of broader economic momentum in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and across Italy. For the government, it underscored a strategy that combines industrial development with the promotion of Italian heritage, positioning “Made in Italy” as both a cultural brand and a driver of international competitiveness.
Whether such policies will deliver lasting growth remains to be seen. But for now, the expansion in San Dorligo stands as a tangible example of the government’s ambition to reinforce Italy’s industrial identity while drawing greater investment from abroad.
