Discussion with Zeina Touqan and Tareq Abu Ghazaleh to develop new opportunities for the Italian mechanical engineering industry
Anima Confindustria promoted an institutional discussion in Milan with Jordan on business and investment prospects for the Italian mechanical engineering industry . The roundtable, organized in collaboration with the Joint Italian Arab Chamber of Commerce and Assolombarda , brought together Jordanian businesses and institutional representatives to identify concrete opportunities for Italian companies.
The meeting was attended by HE Zeina Touqan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan; HE Tareq Abu Ghazaleh, Minister of Investment ; and Raffaele Cattaneo , Undersecretary to the Presidency for International and European Relations of the Lombardy Region . The two representatives of the Jordanian government met with several Italian companies during the morning. In the afternoon, the round table was chaired by Alberto Zerbinato, Vice President of Anima Confindustria with responsibility for internationalization.
The discussion allowed for a deeper exploration of projects and collaboration opportunities in sectors of interest to the Italian mechanical engineering industry , including water and wastewater management, waste treatment, hydroelectric power, construction and tourism infrastructure, and technologies and machinery for the pharmaceutical sector.
" We want to strengthen trade relations with Jordan and develop new cooperation opportunities for our companies. Our goal is to consolidate dialogue and create concrete opportunities for collaboration in the industrial sectors we serve best ," said Alberto Zerbinato , vice president of Anima Confindustria with responsibility for internationalization.
For the Federation, the meeting represented an opening towards a market where excellent opportunities can emerge related to investment, infrastructure, sustainability, and innovation. Anima thus brings the Italian mechanical engineering sector into direct dialogue with Jordanian public bodies and businesses.
The meeting was a stepping stone to the Jordan-EU Investment Conference , scheduled for November 19th at the Dead Sea , attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and attended by a delegation from Anima Confindustria. The conference will focus on investment and cooperation opportunities between Jordan and the European Union and will provide a further opportunity for economic operators to engage in dialogue.
Steel exports: the top ten hubs are worth €6.9 billion.
In the first half of 2026, exports from the main steel districts grew by 1.9%. Imports decreased by 9.2%. The Italian steel industry is holding up on foreign markets, but at very different rates across regions. In the first half of 2026, exports in value of steel products, pipes and other products from the first transformation of steel from the top ten Italian steel hubs reached almost 6.9 billion euros , compared to 6.7 billion in the same period of 2025, marking a growth of 1.9% . The data for the top ten hubs is more dynamic than the overall export trend: overall, they fell by 0.1% in value in the half-year, compared to a 0.2% increase in volume . This slight decrease, explains the siderweb Research Office, is due to lower sales prices. The rankings confirm Brescia at the top. Udine maintains second place, and Cremona third. However, the rankings show significant changes: Milan gains two spots, Reggio Emilia gains one, while Bergamo loses two and Lecco loses one . Brescia strengthens its leadership. Milan climbs. The Brescia hub remains Italy's leading steel hub in terms of export value, recording growth of 7.1% . This increase allows Brescia to widen its lead over Udine: the gap between the top two hubs increases from 74.7 to 96.5 million euros . Udine maintains second place with a 5.3% increase in exports. However, Cremona recorded the strongest growth among the top ten hubs, consolidating its third place: +12.6%. Mantua , fourth in the ranking, saw a 5.8% drop in exports. Milan saw significant growth, rising two places with a 4.5% increase. Vicenza retained its sixth position, with export values essentially unchanged compared to the first half of 2025. The most negative figure in the ranking is that of Bergamo , which recorded a 19.5% contraction in exports and dropped two positions. On the other hand, Reggio Emilia recorded one of the most significant increases, with an 11.1% increase, and rose one position. Terni grew by 7.8% and maintained its eighth place. Lecco rounded out the top 10, with exports down 3%. Taranto , home to the Acciaierie d'Italia steelmaking hub, is also outside the top 20 in the first half of 2026. Exports fell by 86.5%. In 2025, the value had fallen by 40.3% compared to the previous year, stopping at 42 million euros (362 million in 2022). Imports: €500 million less from the top ten hubs The picture is changing for foreign purchases. In the first half of 2026, imports from the top ten steel hubs decreased by 9.2%, from 5.8 to 5.3 billion euros : approximately 500 million euros less in a year. At the national level, the contraction is even more marked: imports of steel products, pipes, and other products from the first steel transformation decreased by 13% in value and 15.9% in quantity. The different dynamics between European and non-EU suppliers is particularly significant. Imports from non-EU countries decreased by 22.5%, equal to approximately 1.6 million tonnes, while those from EU countries decreased by 2.1%. In the context outlined by the analysis by the siderweb Research Office, the reduction in non-EU purchases is also linked to the full implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) .
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