Italy participates for the seventh consecutive time in Project Lebanon with a national pavilion covering an area of 270 square meters and comprising a selection of renown companies. Despite the current economic slowdown in Italy and the ongoing political unrest in the region, the Italian national pavilion has grown by 10% compared to last year. This growth confirms the great interest that Italian companies show for the Lebanese market in general, and the construction sector, which is one of the most promising sectors in Lebanon, in particular.
The value of Italian exports to Lebanon in 2012 has amounted to more than $ 8.1 billion, slightly less than it was in 2011, due to the drop in oil prices. Italy is the second-largest trading partner in the world to Lebanon after the United States, and the first undisputed European partner; Italian exports to Lebanon have doubled in size since 2006.
In an effort to promote additional trade, the Italian Embassy in Beirut and the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) support the Italian national at Project Lebanon 2013. This year, the Italian pavilion includes 31 companies represented by 72 delegates. Among the exhibitors we also have 11 commercial bodies comprising 6 chambers of commerce from the Piemonte region, Federlegno-Arredo, the Italian Federation of Wood, Cork, Furniture and Furnishing Industries that includes over 2,400 member companies which have a turnover of 32 billion euros annually. The Italian pavilion also includes 8 companies that participate for the first time while 12 companies have previously participated in Project Lebanon.
The Italian Pavilion features a wide range of exhibits covering building materials, natural stone, including marble, granite, onyx and limestone; products that Italy is famous of globally, as well as construction machinery, equipment and tools, in addition to management systems and technologies for buildings and facilities.
The Italian Pavilion also includes a section covering a 24 sqm area where representatives of the Italian Embassy and the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) will be present to answer all questions asked by visitors, in addition to making this area an ideal place for business discussions and for creating opportunities of cooperation and partnership between visitors and the Italian exhibitors.
To support the Italians exhibitors at Project Lebanon 2013, the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) has launched a major advertising campaign in the local media, in addition to direct marketing campaign targeting more than two thousand Lebanese businessmen and dealers involved in the construction sector.
It is expected that the Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, Giuseppe Morabito will attend Project Lebanon’s opening ceremony on June 4, 2013. He will also attend the next day, June 5, to participate in the ‘Italian National Day’ activities celebrated by the Italian exhibitors and the visitors alike.
ifpinfo
