In a phase of great dynamism within the infrastructure sector, we need to create a solid entrepreneurial system able to bring the supply chain's expertise alongside big companies that can invest in safety, innovation and legality

Role of design firms is crucial:  in the 2021-23 period, Webuild assigned €800 mln in contracts for design and engineering services, of which €210 mln to Italian firms  

ROME, July 11, 2023 – “The infrastructure sector is growing, and it is giving a boost to the gross domestic product, and to employment. This is also thanks to the PNRR (National Plan for Recovery and Resilience). We must seize this positive moment in terms of investment and available resources to look beyond the PNRR and plan the Italy that we want to see in the coming years from a production, infrastructure and social point of view. We need to dedicate intellectual, entrepreneurial, and financial resources to this broader project,” Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini told a convention organised by the Associazione delle organizzazioni di ingegneria, di architettura e di consulenza tecnico-economica (OICE) and entitled “Dal PNRR al Green Deal, passando per il Ponte. Le sfide dell’Ingegneria e dell’Architettura” (From the PNRR to the Green Deal via the Bridge: Engineering and Architectural Challenges) in Rome.

"It is important that we overcome the issue of fragmentation. We must do it with a solid entrepreneurial system led by a larger company that acts like a main contractor for a supply chain of smaller companies. In the sector of large infrastructure projects, the size of companies is crucial in order for them to keep up with the rise of technological content in public works. It is crucial to be able to carry out the required safety training, and to implement the most advanced monitoring systems for transparency and legality. It is also crucial to be able to deal with sudden shocks like the rise in raw materials prices,” added Salini. With regard to safety, he recalled that "just in 2022, Webuild managed to provide almost one million hours of training, of which almost 700,000 were dedicated to the environment, with the engagement of our suppliers". 

In this context of growth in the infrastructure sector in Italy, the importance of design and planning comes into greater focus, both internally as well as externally with the support of specialist firms.  When it comes to Webuild’s growth strategy, one of the biggest investments it has made has been in internal engineering services, with more than 1,000 people dedicated to engineering and design activities. During the 2021-23 period, the Group also assigned approximately €800 million worth of contracts for external engineering services, of which approximately €210 million to those based in Italy.