Sardinia confirms its position as a key player in the national marble, stone, and ornamental stone extraction and processing industry.
According to the latest report "Marble, Trends in Summer 2026," compiled – based on ISTAT data – by the Research Office of Confartigianato Imprese, the island ranks second in Italy, preceded only by Molise, in terms of the proportion of stone quarrying workers in the total regional economy.
This figure underscores the dedication and specialization of Sardinian businesses, which have thrived despite a global landscape marked by significant uncertainty.
THE NUMBERS - The numbers also describe a regional sector of 416 companies, which employ 1,522 people, 182 of which are artisan businesses with 692 employees . At the regional level, the Sardinian province with the highest number of artisan stone businesses (185, of which 69 are artisan businesses) is Sassari-Gallura, followed by Nuoro (103, of which 58 are artisan businesses), Cagliari (87, of which 36 are artisan businesses), and Oristano (41, of which 19 are artisan businesses).
In terms of workers, between extraction and processing, the one that employs the most people is still Sassari-Gallura with 499 of whom 221 are artisans , followed by Nuoro with 373 of whom 160 are artisans, Cagliari with 299 of whom 75 are artisans, Oristano with 186 of whom 100 are artisans and South Sardinia with 166 of whom 135 are artisans.
"The data confirms that the stone and quarrying sector is a strategic asset for the island," comments Giacomo Meloni, president of Confartigianato Imprese Sardegna , "with a density of businesses and employees unmatched in Italy and a quality that makes them a leader in Italy and globally. However, these companies still suffer from their small size, exposure to significant energy fluctuations, and lack of familiarity with exports," Meloni adds, concluding, "which is why we believe it is necessary to rethink regional support both for reducing electricity and gas bills, a condition that risks eroding the competitiveness of our valuable materials on global markets, and for the internationalization of these small and medium-sized businesses."
In the ranking of the 53 Italian provinces with a higher employment rate than the national average, the province of Nuoro ranks fourth overall . Close behind are Oristano (11th), Sassari (20th), Southern Sardinia (38th), and Cagliari (45th). This means that, while regions such as Veneto and Lombardy lead in absolute employment (6,025 and 5,290 workers, respectively), Sardinia is the region where marble and ornamental stone have the greatest impact on the local economy. The heart of the Sardinian sector is, therefore, deeply artisanal.
"These numbers," emphasized Regional Councilor for Industry Emanuele Cani , "demonstrate that the stone sector represents an important component of the Sardinian economy and that our companies have the expertise, quality, and production capabilities to compete on national and international markets. It is a productive asset that the Region intends to continue supporting with concrete measures."
"The policies the Department of Industry is implementing to strengthen business competitiveness fit into this direction," the councilor continued, addressing Confartigianato's requests. Particular attention is paid to reducing energy costs , one of the main critical issues for companies in the sector.
At the same time, the Region is working on internationalization, "supporting the participation of Sardinian companies in the main trade fairs and specialized events in the sector , fundamental opportunities to promote the quality of the island's products, encourage meetings with new operators and consolidate presence on foreign markets."
