Abstract
The Logistics & Transportation industry plays a fundamental role in the development of the regional economy, both for its autonomous value creation capability, and for its essential role in ensuring a high level of competitiveness to the Lombardy manufacturing system in the international markets. The main purpose of the research presented in the current paper is to describe the evolution over time (especially during the recent crisis) of the Logistics & Transportation industry within the Milanese Logistics Region (MLR - including the provinces of Milan, Monza & Brianza, Lodi, Pavia, Como, Varese, Bergamo, Novara, Piacenza). Our study allowed also evaluating the effect of the deep crisis which recently involved the international marketplace, with particular reference to its impact on the network of companies operating in the MLR (both demanding and offering logistics services), and on the international trade flows in terms of economic characterization. Only by following the evolution over time of the organization of the supply chains it is possible to identify and define suitable economic and infrastructural policies for the territory and its companies.