Identity Through Italian Excellence

If we Italians stopped “being Italian” and decided to become someone else, the world would lose a certain something. (Domenico Calabria)

In the capital good sector, the fulcrum of every manufacturing chain, Italy can boast sets of skills excellence, placing it at the top of the global rankings, in production, exports and technological innovation. Only Germany scores higher in terms of mechanical industrial competitiveness. Proof that “Made in Italy” has been able to re-position itself, to face the challenge of an ever more globalized world, bringing the ancient artisan approach and knowledge of our forefathers combined with commitment and belief, to allow modern companies to thrive in the international market. The economic fabric is made up of small and medium sized firms applying their know how across a huge variety of strategic sectors – mechanics, automation, fashion, design, food, home – not forgetting the one of the essential bedrocks of the economy – tourism, with its incomparable archeological and artistic heritage. It is no surprise, that Italy possesses the biggest number of UNESCO sites in the world. True excellence. Since March we have been living through one of the most difficult and dramatic periods of economic and social upheaval. Right now, we are facing up to a collapse in demand and supply which will probably come to cost us around 10% of GDP. The business community has, as always, shown itself ready to confront this toughest of situations, rolling up its sleeves and getting down to work. Governmental support, however, has sadly so far ignored the voice of the business community, the very people opening the factory gates every morning to safeguard turnover and employment. We are back in the phase of bold declarations, but we need action not a bail out of billions of promised euros which never actually arrive. For years the problems facing Italy – investment in infrastructure, innovation, research, environment, social cohesion, health, incentives creating jobs etc. All this has been sacrificed for gaining easy votes on empty promises. If we want to protect the future of this country, its companies and the families that depend on them, there must be immediate action to eliminate its stifling bureaucracy and get the economy back to work. We await the arrival of autumn, fearful that the Government will still be mired in legislative confusion leaving business people with less certainty than ever. We try to stay optimistic in the hope that Italy and the UE will pull out all the stops to protect their citizens from this unprecedented crisis whose consequences risk destroying our social and economic way of life. Italy will make it through and will remain a global centre of EXCELLENCE.