Work: packaging valley, motors, agri-food, data
One of Italy's most solid urban economies: automatic machinery and precision mechanics, automotive and the Motor Valley, agri-food and cooperatives, the trade fair, ICT and the data hub at the Tecnopolo. Employment rates among the highest in the country and low unemployment; strong demand for technicians and engineers.
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Industry
The Bologna area is the heart of the "packaging valley": groups such as IMA, Coesia (GD), Marchesini and hundreds of suppliers make automatic packaging machinery for pharmaceuticals, food and tobacco exported worldwide. Automotive has Ducati in Borgo Panigale, Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese and a components supply chain extending to Modena and the Motor Valley. Agri-food includes Granarolo, the cooperatives and the logistics of the CAAB wholesale market; the fair (BolognaFiere) generates seasonal and related work.
Data, research, public sector
The Tecnopolo di Bologna, in the former tobacco factory in Bolognina, hosts the data centre of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), CINECA's Leonardo supercomputer and research laboratories: around it grows the "data valley" of ICT, artificial intelligence and digital service companies. The University, the hospital trusts (Sant'Orsola, Maggiore), the municipality and the Region are the large public employers; professional services, publishing and culture complete the picture.
Job market
The Bologna Chamber of Commerce publishes quarterly updates on the provincial economy and business data: the employment rate is among the highest in Italy and unemployment among the lowest, with shortages of technical, IT and healthcare profiles. Coworking spaces are widespread in the centre, in Bolognina and in the Serre dei Giardini Margherita; the municipality runs a Sportello Lavoro and the Region the employment centres. Italian is required in most manufacturing companies; English suffices in research and multinationals.
Missing: employment_rate, unemployment_rate
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/20/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-04-30
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