Figure 1 Value of required processing in third countries
(% on value of goods exported for processing), 1996-2000
Source: elaborated on OPT data from ANCI (2001)
Pattern of ID
As regards the segments of production outsourced abroad, from the available data it
is possible to distinguish between two types of delocalisation: delocalisation of pre-
assembling or intermediate processing (measured by the relevance of OPT in parts), and
delocalisation of assembling or final processing (measured by the relevance of OPT in
finished goods, i.e. pairs of shoes). As regards intermediate processing, from 1996 until
2000 (when data on OPT in pairs of uppers are available), only 16 province out of 43
practised OPT continuously. Among these, Lecce ranked first (more than 115 million
pairs of uppers), followed by Bari and Verona (80 million upper pairs each). Together,
these three province accounted for over 53% of total OPT in uppers (ANCI, 2001). As
regards final processing, only 10 province practised OPT continuously. Among these,
firms in Marche and Veneto ranked among the first, whereas firms in Puglia had no
significant levels of final processing outsourced abroad during the second half of the
1990s (ANCI, 2001).
We now compare the information above with new evidence for 2001, although
differences in the unit of measurement of OPT in intermediate goods between 1996-