World of Concrete welcomes the Italian delegation. Objective: valorise the national concrete value chain on the US market
World of Concrete, Las Vegas – 02-05 February 2009. Market, innovation and opportunities: these topics were discussed by representatives of the Italian concrete and cement value chain during the Press Conference organised at World of Concrete. The event also saw the official launch of the international cooperation agreement between Samoter and World of Concrete, the reference event on the American market for the concrete sector, organised by Hanley Wood, the exhibitions organizer and leading US construction industry publisher.
The Press Conference, which also presented the 28th edition of Samoter (2–6 March 2011), saw Augusto Federici – President of Federbeton, the Federation of Associations of the cement and reinforced concrete value chain, present European and Italian market data for a field where Italy boats more than 4000 companies with 94,000 employees generating turnover of 28,345 million euro.
In 2008, overall Italian production came to 8,212 million Euro, a figure corresponding to 0.5% of national GDP and 4 % of production in the entire building sector. This highlights the importance of cement in Italy, a key material that is used in the residential / non-residential market and civil engineering works, particularly transport infrastructures.
The 2008 European ranking for cement consumption sees Italy in sixth place (followed by Rep. Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Portugal and Spain), with expenditure of 212.3 million Euro, down by -5.7 % compared to the previous year. Yet as regards per capita cement consumption, Italy posts 719 kg per year, a figure very similar to the result in emerging countries characterised by strong developments-redevelopments within the scope of constructions, and without doubt much higher than the average for European countries.
Federici emphasised the importance of this material in the Italian construction culture, where its use is by now strong-rooted and equally divided between new installations and renovations.
The facts and figures for the Italian market are reflected in the reality and best practice of the sector - especially in Abruzzo. Following the earthquake, Progetto Concrete - an initiative supported by the most important reinforced concrete trade associations, was identified by the ForCASE Consortium, delegated by the Department of Civil Protection, as a suitable subject for the definition of special tender technical specifications concerning concrete and steel for reinforced concrete for the production of seismically isolated plates.
Since 15 June 2009, Progetto Concrete has been active in L'Aquila in the C.A.S.E. Project sites, providing support fot the Direction of Public Works to ensure correct application of these dispositions.
Yet Federici's report also aimed to provide some strategic factors for the future development of the market: qualification, selection, innovation and approach to marketing.
"The cooperative agreement between Samoter and World of Concrete thereby found its first implementation, with the purpose of offering business opportunities to concrete sector companies in Italy, Europe and America.
The evident objective of VeronaFiere is also to valorise the world del concrete, thereby confirming the leadership achieved with the series of events – Samoter, Marmomacc, Progetto Fuoco, Legno & Edilizia - involving the building universe.
Verona, 5/3/2010
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