Interview Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi -President, ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers)
ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers) is a private national body that gathers Italian textile machinery companies producing more than 80% of the entire Italian textile machinery production, and some associated members (consortia, technical schools, technical magazines, research centres).Its main purpose is to promote Italian textile machinery sector and support activity, mainly abroad, through the most updated and innovative promotional means, constantly improved during its over 60 years of existence. To promote and spread Italian textile machinery knowledge throughout the world, ACIMIT provides information on the activity of the producers through a wide range of promotional activities (like exhibitions, technical seminars, missions in Italy and abroad etc.), usually in collaboration with ICE (Italian Trade Commission). Besides, ACIMIT appraises its member companies about commercial, financial and technical problems and solutions sourced from diverse markets in order to facilitate their entry. Leading an association of 200 Italian textile machinery and accessory companies is indeed a position of great respect and responsibility.
Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi is the President of ACIMIT, who was born in Bellano (Lecco), into a family whose roots are deeply set in the textile industry. Having completed his studies in industrial mechanics in Milan, and after a few years’ experience at various companies in the machining and metalworking sector, he embarked on his own business venture in the textile machinery industry- the Salmoiraghi SpA, company that builds automated handling systems, storage and robotization installations for the chemical fibre, machinery and foods sectors. Exports represent a major share of the company’s overall earnings, in some years even exceeding 90%.
Over the years, Mr Salmoiraghi has held important positions in Confindustria (the Confederation of Italian Industry); the most noteworthy of which are his appointments as President for Small Industry and Vice President of Confindustria. He is currently Vice President of the machining and metalworking group and a member of the Board of Directors of Confindustria Monza and Brianza, as well as sitting on the Central Council for Small Industry at Confindustria. He has been a member of ACIMIT’s Board of Directors for many years. Two months back, in May 2009, Mr Salmoraighi assumed the position of President at ACIMIT.
In a one to one with Face2Face team, Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi depicts about the issues textile machinery industry confronts worldwide today.
fibre2fashion:
Mr Salmoiraghi, Face2Face extends its best wishes on your new role as President of ACIMIT. How would you express your feelings on this recently assumed role and responsibility?
Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi
Thank you. Well, this is not an easy time for the industry at a global level, and in taking over as president of ACIMIT I fully grasp the implications of this situation and the difficulties our manufacturers are presently encountering. So I see it as an additional stimulus to do an even better job.
fibre2fashion:
Our pleasure sir. You are right, industry, indeed, is looking forward to you in confidence! In our earlier Face2Face with former President Mr Banfi, we had a brief about activities at ACIMIT four years ago. Taking the talk ahead, we wish to know transitions at ACIMIT in these years, say, in terms of activities/services or sectors?
Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi
I believe the work carried out by my predecessor was nothing short of excellent. In these years, ACIMIT’s Board of Directors, of which I was also a part, was fully committed to ensure maximum support for its associated members. As such, thanks to public support from the Ministry for Economic Development and the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, promotional initiatives increased involving a growing number of our businesses and the markets in which they operate. ACIMIT has also been committed to informing its members on new market opportunities, even niche sectors, and innovative trends in sectors of the industry downstream.
fibre2fashion:
Well, we admire the way ACIMIT is always vigilantly active for industry! Continuing the trend of bringing to date picture of the industry to our members/visitors, shall we now request your make of the current situation in the global textile machinery industry as it is performing today?
Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi
The current crisis covers the entire global textile machinery industry, and the overall slowdown in consumer spending has had repercussions, with a chain reaction in our sector as well. Textile manufacturers have blocked investments, as they wait for the situation to improve. The recovery is taking time to materialize, which is placing additional stress on the majority of textile machinery builders worldwide.
fibre2fashion:
In continuation of above note, can you also delve out about exports your country made in sector for last two years?
Mr Sandro Salmoiraghi
In the primary markets for our exports, China, India and Turkey, sales of Italian machinery and technology have dropped considerably over 2008. For China and India, this slowdown arrived after a period of several years in which export trends had remained substantially positive. Italian export figures grew in very few markets during the course of 2008. Among these were Brazil and Russia.
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