Made in Italy: new strategies for agricultural machinery

The quality and tradition of Italian agricultural machinery have always been a fundamental factor for success on foreign markets, but a further leap in quality is needed. The machines made by our companies must be perceived as classic "Made in Italy" products, on a par with high-end automotive, fashion, and agrifood, not only on the traditional markets of Europe or the United States, but also on the emerging markets of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. This was underlined by FederUnacoma president Alessandro Malavolti, opening the Think Tank organised today at Rosciano Castle (Perugia) by the association of agricultural machinery manufacturers on the theme "Made in Italy, an added value for agromechanics".

The promotion of the agro-mechanical sector on global markets can count on the support of the Ice Agency, which - said the Agency's president, Matteo Zoppas - has extended its range of action with its new guidelines and its 78 offices located on every continent and organised precisely to work in close synergy with producer organisations. In the coming years – highlighted Zoppas - the North African and Balkan regions will be some of the priority areas for the promotion of Italian agricultural machinery.

Despite the growth of the sector's exports, which last year reached 6.5 billion euro (+3.6% over 2021), Italian agricultural machinery must face up to increasingly fierce competition from Asian countries, which exploit the price factor above all. In the agro-mechanical sector - the speakers explained, "Made in Italy is not sufficiently perceived as an added value, unlike traditional Italian excellence. Export data for the last ten years - presented by Emanuele Di Faustino, industry manager at Nomisma - show a growth in exports of agricultural machinery of 38% compared to a much greater growth in other sectors of Italian-made products (+66%). The promotion strategies of the Italian industry - stressed Domino's director, Dario Fabbri - must take into account all the geopolitical variables that condition the market, but they can leverage the strategic role that agricultural machniery is called upon to play at this historic moment, given that agriculture has become a leading sector for all the most important economic systems.

It is against this backdrop that the government's action has developed - noted by the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso - reaffirming the need to support and incentivise the technological innovation of Italian industries, in order to face competition from emerging countries. To this end, the executive is committed to a rationalisation and simplification of the public incentive system, which, Urso explained, must include streamlined procedures that are easy for companies to access in order to be even more effective.

The Think Tank's work concluded in the afternoon with panel discussions dedicated respectively to: "The value of Made in Italy in the marketing of agro-mechanics. The knowledge and evaluation of Italian products on domestic and foreign markets", coordinated by Sabina Addamiano, Professor of Specialist Marketing at the University of Roma Tre; "Global quality, a challenge for Italian industry. Design, reliability and services: the standards required on the main markets", coordinated by Roberta Giuglielmetti, Professor of Operation Management at the University of Roma Tre; "Social and environmental sustainability, a requirement for 'Italian quality'. Human and natural resources in product enhancement", coordinated by Luca Ferrucci, Professor of Economics and Business Management at the University of Perugia.