On Thursday 14th September at 11 a.m. the foundation stone of the Sacmi Nanhai plant will be laid. Its main facility is expected to become operational by February 2007 – yet the workshop will already be up and running by this coming December. This achievement is an important one for the Group, one that comes at the end of a long period of growing penetration of the Chinese market.
This latest Sacmi branch, designed to offer improved services to existing and potential customers, will produce machines and spare parts, mainly for the ceramic business. It will also be the reference point for technical assistance services. The workshop covers a good 6000 square metres, with the spare parts warehouse and technical services department covering another 2000. There are also, 1500 square metres of office space and 300 square metres dedicated to the canteen and other service buildings. And this is just the start, seeing as the plot will allow for the later addition of a further 23,000 square metres of factory or other buildings.
Participating at Thursday’s inauguration will be the Nanhai government authorities, then, for Sacmi, the Managing Director of the Ceramics Division, Claudio Marani, and the Managing Director of Sacmi Hong Kong, Mauro Masini.
The Nanhai appointment will not be Sacmi’s only opportunity to evaluate the possibilities offered by the Chinese market. In fact, the Group will form part of the official Italian delegation, led by Prime Minister Romano Prodi, on a mission to China from 12th to 16th September.
This governmental delegation will also include the Minister of Trade, Emma Bonino, and Ministers Rosi Bindi, Antonio Di Pietro and Fabio Mussi. The business community, represented by the President of Confindustria, Luca di Montezemolo, will be in China with 26 industrial associations, 20 banks and 450 companies plus the national association of small businesses and craftsmen. The aim, of course, is to draw up new trade agreements and promote the model of the Italian business district in China.
Representing the Sacmi Group in the delegation will be Eugenio Emiliani, general manager of Sacmi, accompanied by Mr. Marani and Carlo Marzi of Sacmi Forni. The backdrop to this “China mission”, which will include seminars, workshops, fairs and meetings, will be Nanking and Canton.