Weicon Italia s.r.l.
Weicon Italia s.r.l., that is the official name of the new branch office, is located in the harbor city Genoa in Northwest Italy. The city is the ideal starting point for economic activities. The subsidiary is managed by the local Managing Director Davide Merlo.
"In the last four years, we've been working very well with Davide. He worked for us as an Area Sales Manager in Italy. By setting up our new branch office, we want to strengthen our position in the Italian market. We are looking forward to a very promising future in Italy", said Ralph Weidling, Managing Director of Weicon.
Weicon in Italy
"Italy has always been an interesting market where we have been operating for a long time. The country is one of the largest industrial nations in the world and it is very important for us to be there. The most important economic sectors in Italy are mechanical engineering, aircraft, ship and vehicle construction, the chemical industry, the manufacturing of electronic products and the textile industry. Thus, Italy offers a strong sales market for our products. With our new branch in Italy, we want to use this positive situation", Weidling added.
The Italian economy
Italy has behind Germany, Great Britain and France, the fourth largest economy in the European Union and the eighth largest economy in the world. Italy's main trading partners are Germany and France.
Regional differences between north and south
Characteristically for the Italian economy are the differences between the regions.
The major economic centers of Milan, Turin and Genoa form the triangolo industriale (industrial triangle) in the north of the country. The north of Italy is one of the economically strongest areas in Europe.
The south of the country, on the other hand, is one of the most underdeveloped regions in Western Europe.
World-famous products
Although agriculture plays only a minor role in the economy, it produces products for which Italy is well known in the world: wine, olive oil, cheese and citrus fruits.
The strength of the Italian economy is manufacturing, especially in small and medium-sized family-run businesses. According to a central statistics institute, 95.2 percent of Italian companies have less than ten employees.
The most important industries in Italy include mechanical engineering, aircraft, ship and vehicle construction, the chemical industry and the manufacturing of electronic products. The textile industry also represents a significant economic factor with its well-known brand names.