Italy is still the leader in Europe in pharmaceutical CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing). The confirmation comes from the Prometeia study (consulting firm, software development and economic research), now in its third year. A good Italian reality that today has made a green choice.

Pharmaceutical CDMO: the Italian supremacy

The balance sheet data confirm the first place of Italy in the European Union for the value of production in the pharmaceutical CDMO. With 1.9 billion euros it exceeds Germany (1.7 billion euros) and France (1.5 billion euros). The evolution from 2010 to 2016 shows a strengthening of the leadership at European level, with a share of the total increase from 22% to 24% and the contribution to the highest growth among all countries (€ 511 million out of a total of 1,620, 32%).
The development of CDMO in Italy is driven by export, which represent 74% of turnover. Almost 90% of exports are directed to advanced markets: Europe, USA or Japan. In 2017, compared to 2016, the value of the production of pharmaceutical CDMO in Italy grew by 14%, well above the manufacturing average (+ 4%), mainly due to the development of more complex production segments (+ 20%) and thanks to the liveliness of exports (+ 23%).
These data confirm that the pharmaceutical CDMO in Italy is intercepting global demand and reinforces its competitiveness on types of production with greater added value.

CDMO: a green culture sector

In addition to the analysis of balance sheet data and sector performance, the survey also examined the relationship between CDMO and environmental sustainability. According to the Prometeia survey, 8% of total third-party investments are in environmental protection, about twice the industry average. 50% of these dedicated to the reduction of pollution and the other 50% to clean technologies or “integrated technologies” (compared to a manufacturing average of 32%). These are equipment and plants that reduce or reduce the impact of pollution at source.

Almost all companies have planned further investments in technologies with a lower environmental impact in the near future, in particular in the adaptation of existing plants, but also in the purchase of new ones.

Investments for environmental sustainability


Investments and expenses in environmental protection have produced significant positive effects in terms of production efficiency and environmental sustainability. In fact, the data show that between 2010 and 2017 energy and water consumption are, in relation to production, in sharp decline.

  • -44% average consumption of water;
  • -22% average energy consumption.

Among the technologies adopted by the companies are cogeneration plants (ie plants that produce both thermal and electrical energy at the same time, which bring various advantages: reduction of atmospheric emissions to the recovery of unused thermal energy, greater energy efficiency), plants refrigerators (chillers) with lower energy impact, photovoltaic systems, use of LED technologies.