Attività economiche e innovazione

Industrial Districts are, according to law number 317/1991, local territorial systems, geographically limited and made up of contiguous areas, where a concentration of small businesses are found which are characterised by the same industrial specialisation. They are created in order to identify “ areas of productive excellence or centres of development with high technological potential”, for which governmental policies of targeted intervention are provided.

Lombardy was the first Italian region to set out a policy of  action, approving  regional law number 7 in 1993 and identifying 21  industrial districts. 

In 2000, following Regional Law 1/2000, 16 new Industrial Districts of Specialised Production were redefined and replaced the preceding areas.
 

The 13 City Councils of the province of Milan which are included in the new organisation of Districts for traditional industries are:

• District number 9 - EAST MILANESE (electrical, electronic, and medical apparatus): Carugate, Cassina de' Pecchi, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Liscate, Peschiera Borromeo, Pessano con Bornago, Pioltello, Rodano, Segrate, Settala, Trezzano Rosa, Vignate, Vimodrone.

 
Moreover, with the resolution of the Regional Executive Committee of October 5, 2001 number 7/6356, various Thematic Districts  (or Metadistricts) were identified. These represent thematic districts for invention which are defined horizontally – they are not limited geographically and are motivated by strong inter-sectorial integration, characterised by the transfer of knowledge to  the field of application.   They differ from traditional Industrial Districts in their independence from geographical limits - their classification is based on a common interest which unites even geographically distant localities.

The Lombard Metadistricts are:

1) Alimentary Biotechnology Metadistrict: This Metadistrict is spread over 121 boroughs of  Lombardy's 11 provinces These boroughs include Milan and 11 other boroughs of the province of Milan.  
2) Non-alimentary Biotechnology Metadistrict: Spread over 58 boroughs in 9 provinces of the region. These boroughs include Milan and 26 boroughs of the province of Milan,
3) Design Metadistrict: This is spread over 65 boroughs in 7 Lombard provinces. These boroughs include Milan and 6 other boroughs of the province of Milan. 
4) Materials Metadistrict: This is spread over 103 boroughs in 7 Lombard provinces. The boroughs include Milan and 30 others within the province. 
5) Fashion Metadistrict: This covers 126 boroughs in 9 Lombard provinces . The 126 boroughs mentioned include Milan and 19 other boroughs within the province.
6) Innovation and Communication Technology: A Metadistrict which covers 17 boroughs in the province of Milan (including Milan) and was singled out in March 2004 with D.G.R. n. VII/16917 of March 26, 2004. 
 

The Province of Milan, in the context of the first programme of support for Industrial Districts, played an active role in coordinating and supporting projects designed by various organisations. These projects were intended to :

• create centres for services and information for companies, research laboratories and centres for technology transfer
• support the internationalisation of the Districts
• reclaim brown-field sites to enable their re-use by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Lombardy Region has identified, with  resolution of the Regional Executive Committee n. 7942 – 30/072009,  7 experimental productive systems or clusters (Programma DRIADE)Metadistricts are:

The Province of Milan is institutional partner of ENERGY CLUSTER  supporting the development of the industrial  cluster for power generation, transmission and distribution .

All the photos are covered by Creative Commons copyright licenses.

 Images: Silvia La Ferla