Rome, 6 December. (Adnkronos Health) – Merck, a leading scientific and technological company, operates in 66 countries around the world with over 64 thousand employees, 22.2 billion euros in revenues and investments in R&D of 2.2 billion euros. A reality in which Italy plays an important role, with an annual turnover of 1.2 billion euros (sixth among the foreign-invested pharmaceutical multinationals present in the country), 1,200 employees and 23.8 million euros of investments in R&D . Present in our country for over a century, today it is a protagonist in all three of its business areas (Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics), with Research & Development, production and distribution activities. Today it is the only one among foreign-invested pharmaceutical multinationals in our country to cover all phases of the supply chain, in four regions: Piedmont, Lombardy, Lazio and Puglia. It is the photograph taken from the Report ‘The Value of Merck in Italy – Study of the impact of Merck’s presence in Italy for the creation of value for the reference territories and for the country’, created by The European House – Ambrosetti for Merck Italia and presented yesterday in Rome.
In total, Merck invested 319.5 million euros in Italy between 2015 and 2022 – we read in a note – with an increase of 6.5%, compared to a +3.3% of the pharmaceutical sector average. A value greater than the entire Pnrr financing for start-ups. In particular, 169.4 million euros have been invested in the Modugno (Bari) production site over the last 8 years, demonstrating the importance of this plant for the Group. Today, the drugs packaged in the production site reach 150 countries for an export value of 700 million euros in 2022, data which demonstrates a greater propensity to export than the average of foreign-capital pharmaceutical multinationals in our country (56% vs 44%).
The methodological approach used in the report – continues the note – takes into account the direct added value generated by Merck’s activities in our country, the indirect one, created by the activation of economic supply chains as a result of the purchases of goods and services and the related subcontracting, and the induced one, produced by family consumption as a result of the wages of Merck in Italy and of the companies in the supply chains involved. By applying this model, a total contribution to the Italian GDP by the Group of 403 million euros is obtained, as a result of an economic multiplier of “2”. Which means that for every euro of added value generated in 2022 by Merck in Italy, 1 additional euro will be activated in the entire economy of the country. This is a significant contribution for a country that is facing a series of important challenges.
“In a context of strong uncertainty due to ongoing geopolitical tensions, Italy must face the challenge of growth – said Veronica De Romanis, Economist, professor at the European Economics Luiss Rome and at Stanford University Florence – To do so, it has a new tool like the National Recovery Plan. At the same time, however, the enormous stock of public debt must be reduced to free up resources. It is crucial to invest in human capital and welfare to ensure inclusive and sustainable growth. We therefore need a long-term plan to redevelop and recompose spending. Furthermore, tidy public accounts allow for greater negotiating power at European tables. There are many dossiers under discussion, starting with the new fundamental budget rules to define the country’s future investment capacity”.
Merck Italia directly employs 1,190, to which are added the indirect and induced employment impacts. With an employment multiplier of “3.2” – the note details – for each person directly employed, the Group’s activity supports 2.2 additional jobs in the entire economy of the country, contributing overall to the employment of 3,754 people. Not only In the last four years (from 2019 to 2022), Merck Italia has increased the percentage of permanent employees, going from 95% to 98%, compared to 95% in the pharmaceutical sector and 83% of Italian companies.
The share of female employment out of the total employed is also higher than all benchmarks: 51.4% for Merck Italia, 44% for the pharma sector and 42% for the average of Italian companies. A “pink” reality – highlights the report – which also pays particular attention to female leadership: in the last four years Merck Italia has increased the percentage of women in managerial positions by 10.5%, reaching 43.3%, (vs. an Italian average of 29%). The company – concludes the note – then chose female figures for the top positions of its three Healthcare plants and for the Life Science and Electronics headquarters in Milan. The female percentage of research employees also sees Merck Italia above the sector average: 58% vs 53%. This is an important distinctive sign, in a country where women are still on the margins of the job market (55%) within the EU (average value: 71.8%). Furthermore, for new hires (210 in the last 4 years), Merck Italia has given great consideration not only to women (59%), but also to young people under 30 (34%). To create a greater balance between private life and work, Merck Italia offers its employees solutions that combine productivity and flexibility: smart working, flexible and part-time hours. In a national context where agile working is still not widespread compared to the average of EU countries (11.2% vs 22.4%), the Group stands out with 71% of employees who resorted to smart working in 2022.
