In hard times such as these, institutions must be as supportive as ever. “Roughly 80% of production in our sector is directed at foreign markets,” attests Salmoiraghi. “This high propensity towards exports, combined with the comparatively small size of our manufacturers, means that they absolutely must be supported in order to face up to international competition.”
Salmoiraghi's appraisal for the reconstruction of the ICE – Italian institute for foreign trade, is accompanied by the hope that the agency will rapidly return to full scale operations. He concludes, “The ICE is an essential element in a mosaic that must be completed with a greater level of support from the banking system, which many Italian SMEs have called upon to ease access to credit during these difficult times.”
Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT)