2023-11-23 19:28:17
53% of Girona’s large companies admit that they have had to reduce costsor plan to do so in the short term, and one in five thinks it will be seen ready to make layoffs. It is one of the conclusions of the ‘Girona 100’ study, carried out jointly by the KPMG consultancy and the University of Girona (UdG). The report states that, in fact, the two main concerns that companies now face are the increase in raw materials that day decrease in profitability. On the contrary, it lowers the uncertainty for energy prices. This contrasts with the fact that the large Girona firms closed 2022 on the rise. Because 87% admit that they grew in turnover – especially those in the food sector – and 73% increased staff.
The ‘Girona 100 SA’ study, now in its thirteenth edition, has two distinct parts: one quantitativewhich takes as reference the latest published data (in this case, those of 2021) and another from qualitative. The managers of the hundred largest companies in the demarcation are surveyed here. They are asked, among others, what it is current situation of the firmshow they closed the last financial year, how they see the evolution of the economy and what are the main shortcomings and concerns.
At the outset, the study highlights that 2022 was a year of growth. Because up to 87% of large companies go close financial year increasing turnover73% grew in staff and one in two moved abroad.
“In general, therefore, we can say that the turnover has been the variable with a better trend”, highlights the study. And if it is analyzed by sector, the food industry is, in fact, the one that presents more good records. Because in this case, 94% of the firms surveyed have closed the year on the rise and the other 6% have maintained turnover. Which is not the case with trade and services (where 6 and 7% of companies admit that they have closed the financial year with less turnover).
But beyond the numbers, there are also concerns on the march of the economy. And here, when they are asked about their prospects one year from now, the ‘Girona 100′ study shows that the managers’ vision is different, depending on whether they run a family business or not.
In the first case, 72% believe that the situation is positive or very positive, compared to only 44% of the others. And this is also seen when analyzing those more pessimistic views. While only 7% of Girona’s large family businesses believe that the situation will get worse, up to 25% of non-family businesses respond that their perception of the economy is negative.
Raw materials and profitability
The ‘Girona 100’ study also goes into analyzing which are, at this time, the main concerns of companies. In this case, the one that is at the top is the increase in the cost of raw materials – pointed out by 38% of the companies – followed at a short distance by the decrease in profitability (36%) and the difficulties in finding , and retain qualified staff (31%).
Unlike last year, however, the report also states that uncertainty has decreased due to the increase in energy. In fact, just compare one study to the other. Whereas in the 2022 edition this was the second concern of the big Girona companieshas now moved to fifth place (16%), behind the fear of a decline in consumption and, consequently, turnover (24%).
53% reduce costs
As the study underlines, one consequence leads to another. Because more than half of the companies – specifically, 53% – admit that this 2023 they have had to reduce costs beyond energy costsor plan to do so in the short term, to try to cope with the situation.
In addition, there are also 33% of Girona’s large firms that are betting on lowering the electricity bill (among others, promoting self-consumption systems). And those who admit that they will have to do without staff and make layoffs are growing. Because while in last year’s edition, 11% of companies admitted that they should reduce staffthis percentage has now grown to 20% (ie one in five).
Finally, in terms of what are the main demands of companies, the one that comes first is asking for investment incentives (44%). Behind them are the reduction of bureaucracy (42%) and labor agreements are simpler and more flexible (38%); this, linked to the request for public administrations to give aid to reduce labor costs (29%).
Yes, in relation to last year, however, the demands for administrations to give aid to face the rise in raw materials and energy (which in the 2022 edition were at the top of the list) have lost importance ).
In 2021, a year of growth
The other great pillar of the ‘Girona 100 SA‘, the quantitative part of the study, collects the data of the large companies of the demarcation during 2021. And here, the report highlights that this was a recovery exercise after the loss caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
Broadly speaking, the report emphasizes that the global business figure grew by 16.8%, standing at 12,632 million euros (compared to 10,819 million euros in 2020). The meat industry continued to lead the ranking, because the cluster turned over up to 3,644 million euros (although it closed the year slightly lower, with a fall of 0.46%).
Within the quantitative section, the ‘Girona 100 SA’ study also shows that, by activity sector, the one that concentrates the most companies in 2021 is manufacturing. Specifically, 25 (compared to 2020 it adds one more firm, because then there were 24). The report also highlights that, within the group of large companies, those family members represent up to 73% of turnover and 87% of employment.
6,508 other workers
Finally, the study by KMPG and the UdG also specifies another data derived from the departure of the covid: the outstanding increase in jobs. During 2021, the workforce of large companies in the Girona counties grew by 6,508 workers (to a total of 42,028).
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