The Car Industry speaks Italian

Friday, 07 July 2006

Rome - Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Lamborghini are some of the most famous Italian car manufacturers in the world.

But Italy occupies a leading international position above all in the induced activity revolving around the industry, with a dense network of companies specialised in the production of spare parts and accessories, equipment for workshops and garages, traction and braking systems, and automated systems. Some of these products will be on show in Mexico City between 12 and 14 July, on the occasion of Paace Automechanika Mexico (www.paaceautomechanika.com), the most important fair in the sector in the whole of the NAFTA area.
Twelve Italian companies will be taking part, and the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) has organised an exhibition space of 216 square metres for them.

The show attracted an impressive 16,000 visitors in 2005, 14% up on 2004. This year it is estimated that the number of participants will show a further increase. The event is an important opportunity for professionals in the sector, who will have the chance to get to know the products in a sector that in Italy accounts for 2500 businesses, all distinguished by a high degree of specialisation, and 18,000 jobs. Amongst other things, these companies produce equipment for car repairers, panel beaters, car electricians, engine tuners, specialist tyre retailers, service stations, carwashes, assistance and maintenance centres, as well as means of transport.

According to the Italian Automotive Service Equipment Manufacturers Association (AICA, www.asso-aica.it), Italy boasts the largest concentration in the world of companies specialised in the sector. Also according to AICA, 40% of production is concentrated in Piedmont, thanks to the induced activity of the Fiat group, which provides work for around a thousand companies.

For Italian automobile components the foreign market is worth more than the domestic market. Out of an overall production value of €24bn in 2004 (+7% on 2003), exports in fact accounted for €13bn, 54% of the total. Italian companies are appreciated above all in Europe (which absorbs 75% of exports), but are building increasingly strong bonds with the Americas (12% of exports), and Asia (8%). The Italian Association of Automobile Industries (ANFIA, www.anfia.it) considers Japan as one of the most interesting trade partners in coming years.

To provide incentives for their business, Italian companies are moving towards greater diversification and specialisation: new American distributors, constant large-scale investments in research and new machinery are the keystone of their success. The Turin Chambers of Commerce, in a study on Italian car components, has shown that the complex network of companies in the sector is increasingly less dependent on major centres such as Fiat, Alfa Romeo or Ferrari, and are coming out into the open to launch themselves independently on international markets. This will lead to ever-higher product quality and increased competitiveness on foreign markets.

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