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National Day of Italy
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007
The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Photo: AP
Exports float on
a reputation for
style and quality
Italian goods are renowned for their excellence,
but the nation offers much more than fine food,
fast cars and fashion, writes Bruce Bannister
J
ust as Venice for many
centuries served as a
commercial and cultural citystate gateway for continental
Europe, Hong Kong, to a
great extent, performs the same role
for the mainland today.
The Italian influence on current
Hong Kong consumer markets is
highly conspicuous, and
increasingly visible north of the
border too.
From high fashion to fast cars,
designer luggage to restaurants and
wine cellars, the sights and smells of
Italy abound. The southern
European country is viewed as chic,
stylish and desirable.
Yet, Italian companies play a far
deeper and more expansive role in
other, some less glamorous,
industries such as machinery,
spectacles, finance and chemicals.
“Hong Kong is a big consumer
market, so fashion is what catches
the eye. But what we are trying to do
is also focus on other industries that
are very strong,” said Nicola Lu,
secretary-general of the Italian
Chamber of Commerce.
“Italy is strong in concepts and
design, but there is a background
industry in technology and
machinery that goes hand in hand.
Once you have a design, you need
machinery that can make it, such as
with jewellery. They are all
connected. Leather goods are
accessories but we also have the
machinery and technology to make
them.”
Most things can be
copied these days, but
it’s not possible to
copy our creativity
ROMANO BARUZZI
ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSIONER
The Maserati Quattroporte is one hot Italian item in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong’s love affair with all
things Italian is blossoming. While
the Italian population in Hong Kong
is small at around 1,500 people,
there are more than 300 Italian
companies based in the city, a
number that is growing steadily.
Hong Kong imports from Italy
rose 5.62 per cent last year, reaching
about US$4 billion and accounting
for a 1.2 per cent market share.
Among European Union countries,
Italy ranked third behind Germany
and Britain, but ahead of France.
Exports from Hong Kong to Italy
grew 13.88 per cent to US$3.88
billion.
Italian Trade Commissioner
Romano Baruzzi said of
Hongkongers’ affinity for Italian
goods: “You have to look at it in
terms of creativity, style and
concept. Italian design is very
important in terms of creativity. Our
products have high value-added.
Most things can be copied these
days, but it’s not possible to copy
our creativity.”
The past 10 years have seen more
Italian companies move into Hong
Kong. The Italian Chamber of
Commerce in Hong Kong launched
in March, 1997 with 21 founding
members, replacing a smaller
Italian business association. It
became fully recognised by the
Italian government in 1999 and has
since grown to 150 members.
Mr Lu said: “There’s a slow but
steady growth. The reason is simple:
the brand awareness of Made in
Italy is very strong. And Hong Kong
is a portal to China.”
Many of the products exported
to Hong Kong are re-exported to the
mainland, with US$3.6 billion of the
goods imported last year heading to
the mainland.
Mr Baruzzi said Hong Kong was
important as a gateway to China
and because of its role as an
international commerce hub.
“There is the possibility in Hong
Kong to meet representatives from
companies around the world such
as the United States, China,
Southeast Asia and Australia,” he
said, citing the large number of
• CONTINUED ON S2
S2 National Day of Italy
SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Italy
POPULATION
58.1 million
CAPITAL
Trieste
Milan
V
Venice
Geno
Genoa
Rome
Pisaa
Florence
ETHNIC GROUPS
Rome
Italian
LANGUAGES
Naples
Sardin
Italian (official), with Sardinia
German-, French- and
Slovene-speaking
Mediterranean
minorities in border areas S e a
Palermo
o
Sicily
RELIGIONS
Roman Catholic
Others
90%
10%
HEAD OF
STATE
President
Giorgio
Napolitano
GDP (US$)
1.78 trillion
CLIMATE
Mediterranean; Alpine in far
north; hot and dry in the south
HEAD OF
GOVERNMENT
Prime Minister
Romano Prodi
NATURAL RESOURCES
Agricultural products, fish
MAJOR INDUSTRIES
Flavours of home never far
away for passionate Italians
Expats have a broad menu of restaurants to
choose from, each with a distinctive style.
Libby Peacock discovers a few favourites
I
talians have a reputation for
living passionately – and this
also goes for preparing and
enjoying food. So where do
Hong Kong’s resident Italians
go when they crave a taste of home?
Company director Federica
Betteto, who has been in Hong
Kong for three years, said: “My top
Italian restaurant is Isola in the IFC.
Apart from the great indoor and
outdoor atmosphere, the chef is
really skilled, and all the ingredients
– from the tomatoes to the fish – are
imported from Italy.”
Ms Betteto also likes Gaia in the
Grand Millennium Plaza between
Central and Western on Hong Kong
Island. “I love the location – it
reminds me of an Italian square in a
seaside town.” Another favourite is
Grissini in the Grand Hyatt Hotel,
offering “good cuisine in a nice
environment – I often take
customers there for business
dinners. It is really elegant.”
A favourite lunch spot is DiVino
on Wyndham Street in Soho, where
the custom of serving a glass of wine
as an aperitif reminds her of home.
“The food there is simple but always
tasty. I love their spaghetti with
fresh tomato, which is always good.
I also recommend Pane Vino [on
the Mid-Levels escalator], where
you eat like you eat in Italy. The food
is very simple – like you’ll do it at
home – but very tasty.”
Italian deli owner Massimo
Sfriso, originally from Venice, likes
stylish Aqua in Tsim Sha Tsui “for
the friendship, atmosphere and the
modern Italian dishes”. He said:
“It’s a unique place. The chef
combines a southern Italian
influence with modern Australian.
One special dish is a kind of
handmade pasta from Calabria
known as pasta al ferro. To get its
particular shape you have to use
your hands and an iron ‘stick’ to roll
it [ferro means iron]. I enjoy this
with a spicy, tomato-based sauce.
They also serve a very classical fish
dish with a salt crust, which is very
simple but tasty.”
Mr Sfriso also enjoys Cinecittà
on trendy Star Street in Wan Chai.
“The chef is very young and talented
and he usually does Roman dishes. I
like the atmosphere, which
combines a rustic feel with scenes
from the movies.”
Another new favourite is
Cecconi’s Cantina, which recently
opened in Elgin Street, Soho. “The
chef is Australian and the food not
100 per cent authentically Italian,
but it has an interesting flavour, and
the menu is innovative and
affordable.” He recommends the
baccalà vicentino (a dish of cod fish
served with polenta).
Edoardo Vittucci, a controller for
an Italian fashion company, enjoys
all types of cuisines, but when it
comes to Italian he seeks out
restaurants with Italian chefs, such
as Da Domenico, a Rome-style
trattoria in Causeway Bay. “The
owners come from Rome and they
serve authentic food.”
Mr Vittucci also enjoys eating at
Cova, where he always finds the
food “very good”. He, too, votes for
Isola (where “the food is not too
complicated, but they use goodquality products and fresh food”)
DINING OUT
Aqua 3427-2288
Cecconi’s Cantina 2147-5500
Cova 2524-6470 (Central)
Da Domenico 2882-8013
DiVino 2167-8883
Gaia 2167 8200
Grissini 2584-7933
Pane Vino 2521 7366
Toscana 2532-2062
Tuscany by H 2522-9798
Auto industry is a recent star performer in HK
• CONTINUED FROM S1
major trade fairs in the city. Italy
had interests in “small but
important” sectors such as
electronics, communications,
technology and environmental
goods.
“We have a lot of cards to play,”
he said. There were more than 800
Italian companies at a trade fair in
China late last year looking for ways
to explore the vast market and for
joint venture partners.
Imports of machinery and
electrical machinery grew by 8.3 per
cent last year, chemicals and raw
materials by almost 12 per cent and
spectacles by nearly 16 per cent.
Handicrafts and metal goods saw an
increase of more than 20 per cent.
While clothes and leather goods
imports continued to rise, some
traditional Italian industries such as
footwear, furniture and lighting,
food and wine, and watches and
parts saw a decline.
Among recent star performers is
the vehicle industry. Vehicle exports
to Hong Kong soared 43 per cent
last year as Asia took over from
Europe as the world’s top market for
leading marques.
In his official capacity, Mr
Baruzzi has opened showrooms for
Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and
Lamborghini.
In hot demand now are cars and
motorcycles such as the Alfa Romeo
Brera, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano,
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder,
Maserati Quattroporte automatic
and the Piaggio Quasar 250 scooter,
all of which will be on display at an
Italian trade show in Hong Kong
next week, part of the ¤2 million
(HK$21.03 million) which the trade
commission spends annually on
promotion in Hong Kong.
Small and medium-sized
businesses make up 96 per cent of
Italy’s economy and Mr Lu said the
chamber’s role was to help them
move into a bigger market through
partnerships or joint ventures.
Mr Baruzzi said that as China
opened up, Italian firms had
important years ahead, and Hong
Kong would continue to prosper as
a gateway. “It can only benefit.”
and Gaia (“because you can sit
outside”).
Ludovica Ricci, originally from
Rome and now a lecturer at the
Chinese University, describes
DiVino as a great place for wine,
companionship and dishes such as
burrata, a delicate, fresh cheese
made from mozzarella and with a
cream centre. “It’s made in the
south of Italy and even in Rome it is
difficult to find every day. But
DiVino receives it twice a week by
Cathay flight – that is a bit special.”
Financial controller Sabrina
Marsic doesn’t mind paying for
excellent and authentic Italian food,
using the best-quality ingredients.
“Even in Italy, the best restaurants
no longer serve ‘mamma’s food’ –
they are top establishments and you
pay top prices. My favourite in Hong
Kong is Toscana in the Ritz-Carlton
Hotel – the chef is just a magician. I
also love Tuscany by H in Lan Kwai
Fong, and DiVino is my second
living room. It’s like home –
everyone knows me there and
sometimes I just spend time there
hanging out.”
Tourism, machinery, iron and steel,
chemicals, food processing,
textiles, motor vehicles, clothing,
footwear, ceramics
KEY TRADING PARTNERS
Germany, France, United States,
Spain, Britain, Netherlands,
China, Belgium
SCMP GRAPHIC
SOURCE: CIA FACT BOOK
ITALYQUIZ
Test your general knowledge.
The answers are below.
1 What did the word Italy originally mean?
2 What is the sea between Italy and Croatia?
3 What does it mean when the Colosseum in
Rome is illuminated? 4 Marco Polo was the
governor of which Chinese city? 5 Which two
instruments of the following were invented by
Italians: trumpet, harp, piano or violin?
6 Which Neapolitan song is always associated
with Italian culture? 7 In which Italian region
was the Pinocchio story set? 8 Which 1960s
Italian spaghetti western was described by
Quentin Tarantino as “the best-directed film of
all time”? 9 Who is the most famous Italian
plumber? 10 Which Italian fashion designer did
a cameo role as himself in the film The Devil
Wears Prada?
Answers
1 Land of calves 2 Adriatic Sea 3 It is a show of
support whenever a death sentence is
suspended or commuted anywhere in the
world 4 Hangzhou 5 Piano and violin 6 O Sole
Mio 7 Tuscany 8 The Good, the Bad and the
Ugly 9 Mario 10 Valentino
Al fresco dining at Gaia in Grand Millennium Plaza, where some locally based Italians find the ambience not too far removed from restaurants back home. Photo: SCMP
Architectural splendour built on
a rich fusion of Adriatic cultures
Ed Peters
Hong Kong’s unofficial chronicler,
Jan Morris, nurses a particular
fondness for Trieste, and devoted
her final travel book to the Italian
port city, which sits on the eastern
coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Morris was by no means the only
literary star to be attracted by
Trieste; over the years the city also
hosted actor Richard Burton and
Irish writer James Joyce. It is an
quirky metropolis, blending Latin
and Slav elements with ancient and
modern cultures and architecture.
Largely built by the Austrians as
the Hapsburg Empire’s southern
port, it lapsed into obscurity after
the first world war and is only now
coming to prominence once again.
Many of Trieste’s visitors arrive
aboard a cruise ship, pouring down
the gangplank and making a beeline
for the central Piazza dell’Unità
d’Italia before marching up San
Giusto hill to the cathedral of the
same name. The hill is also home to
the Castello, the remains of a 15thcentury Venetian castle, which
reopened last year after extensive
renovation. The commanding view
from the ramparts is more
impressive than the castle’s slightly
fusty museum which is piled high
with carpets, furniture and armour.
The cathedral is typical of
Trieste’s predilection for fusion, and
was formed in the 14th century by
knocking three adjoining churches
into one, with a chaotic blending of
Venetian, Byzantine and Gothic
styles.
The road leading into town, via
della Cattedrale, is one of the city’s
oldest, and the site of the well
interpreted museum Museo Civico
di Storia ed Arte, which is devoted to
art and history in equal measure.
Near the port towers the palatial
Museo Revoltella, once the home
base of the city’s most powerful
Trieste’s grand municipal building stands in the Piazza dell’Unità d’Italia.
merchant, and now crammed full of
modern art. Just opposite, the
Museo Sartorio, with an arresting
selection of icons, ceramics and
Venetian paintings, is now open
again after months of renovation.
A little outside the city proper,
Miramare Castle, built by Archduke
Ferdinand Maximilian, is a
fabulously flamboyant pile. It was
raised after the monarch’s marriage
to Charlotte of Belgium. However,
he was shot dead in Mexico in 1867
and, as a result, she descended into
madness. Legend has it that anyone
spending a night in the castle will
suffer a similar fate. As well as a
hilariously decadent interior and
picturesque park, Miramare hosts a
marine reserve. The best view of this
fairy tale castle is from the tram that
runs by the piazza Oberdan.
To really get the flavour of this
most unusual of European cities,
drop by one of its better known
cafés. The grandest of the city’s
literary cafés, the Caffé degli
Specchi, in the piazza dell’Unità
d’Italia, was established in 1839.
With fairy tale castles and
churches, and a culture that never
seems to be quite able to make up its
mind if it is Latin or Slav, you can see
why Morris entitled her literary
swansong Trieste and The Meaning
of Nowhere.
National Day of Italy S3
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007
Prada, Gucci, Armani? Now that’s amore
Hongkongers just can’t get enough of shopping,
and when it comes to top Italian brands, they
are spoilt for choice, writes Libby Peacock
A
t Armani’s flagship
megastore in Chater
House, Central, brandworshipping
Hongkongers have
everything at their fingertips: from a
florist and a bookshop to clothing
outlets and the trendy Armani Bar.
What may have been overkill
elsewhere, seems natural in this city,
whose residents, according to a 2006
survey by global market researcher
ACNielsen, came up top in the world
for shopping twice a week just for
“something to do” (93 per cent of us
admitted to shopping for
entertainment). Tellingly, in the
same poll, only one European
country made it into the global top
10 ranking for clothes shopping
being the “favourite” thing to do: the
Italians.
Italian Trade Commission figures
indicate that there are about 300
Italian companies with regional
headquarters, branch or
representative offices in Hong Kong
and Macau. A fifth of those deal with
consumer products such as clothes
and food.
According to the commission,
imports from Italy to Hong Kong
grew by 5.6 per cent last year, to
US$4.02 billion. In this period,
clothing imports grew by 8.4 per
cent and leather apparel by about 10
per cent. Statistics look even better
this year. From January to March,
imports from Italy grew by 13 per
cent compared with the same
period last year, totalling
US$1.02 billion. Over the threemonth period, clothing imports
from Italy increased by 10 per cent,
leather goods by nearly 16 per cent
and jewellery products by almost 29
per cent, compared with the first
quarter last year.
Valeria Azario, former general
manager of Valentino, who has also
done marketing for Salvatore
Ferragamo, said, “Hong Kong
people have a fascination with highend brands and Italian ones in
particular. They are in awe of the
Italian culture.
“There is an incredibly strong
background to Italian products.
Most Italian companies are still
much smaller than luxury-goods
companies from other nations. The
craftsmanship is still very much
there. I also think that because
Italian goods are based on quality
and simple lines, they transcend
time and place.
“We have some unbeatable
designers like Valentino, who stand
in a category of their own. To work
with – and be able to afford –
Valentino is an unforgettable
experience.”
Ms Azario said Diesel, which had
“transformed the world of jeans”,
was an inspirational company. She
appreciated Dolce & Gabbana “for
the way they’ve gone to the core and
roots of Italian style”, and Max Mara
was a bastion of Italian fashion.
“Their T-shirts are just as well-made
as their coats,” she said.
So who are the big-brand buyers?
“Hong Kong people have the means
to try out products and it’s totally
across the board. There is a small
pocket of extra-wealthy [consumers]
and then there is the working
Hong Kong people
have a fascination
with high-end brands
and Italian ones in
particular. They are in
awe of the Italian
culture
VALERIA AZARIO
FORMER GENERAL MANAGER, VALENTINO
professional. But especially when it
comes to leisure and fashion the
consumers are pretty much
anybody who is employed,” Ms
Azario said.
Hong Kong’s first Gucci store
opened in 1974, and there are now
eight dotted across the city. A public
relations executive for the Gucci
Group said one of the brand’s
greatest successes was the “strength
of its icons”.
“Uncompromising
craftsmanship and outstanding
quality matched with our
unwavering ‘Made in Italy’ strategy
are the keys to the success of the
Gucci brand.” She said Gucci
customers in Hong Kong were
mostly high-income men and
women who appreciated the quality
of the products.
Brunella Bighi, who works on
strategy, branding and marketing in
Asia for upmarket Italian homeware
brand Alessi, agreed that Italian
brands were performing extremely
well in Hong Kong.
“It has to do with the fact that
Italian people and goods have
creative spirit. Italy has always been
a creative hub, and we have a
tradition for high-quality products.”
Ms Bighi’s personal style has
changed through the years. “When I
was younger, I wore a lot of funky
stuff, such as Dolce & Gabbana and
Fendi. As I’ve matured, I’ve kind of
grown out of it, although I still wear
some Dolce & Gabbana, as I really
like what they do, and some
Gianfranco Ferre. I really like their
dramatic style, especially for more
formal occasions.”
Apart from “a house full of Alessi,
which I love and use”, she enjoys
Italian furniture brands such as
Cappellini and Moroso. And when it
comes to shoes, comfortable brands
such as Tod’s are tops.
Alexandra Stoller, managing
director of exclusive Italian watch
brand Panerai, said Hong Kong was
one of the top global markets for
luxury consumption, and Italian
brands were known for their design
and strong sense of originality,
which appealed to Hong Kong
buyers.
“Panerai has been growing
tremendously and 65 per cent of the
clientele at our Prince’s Building
boutique are locals.”
While Panerai is strong on design
Venetian chronicled China travels
when planet was much lonelier
Ed Peters
Marco Polo, depending on
travellers’ perspectives, conjures up
visions of a hotel chain, a historic
bridge, a frequent fliers club or a
long-horned sheep.
The peripatetic Venetian’s name
has been borrowed by several
entities down the centuries, from
bus manufacturers to confectioners,
shipowners to television producers.
And then there is the rapper from
the hip hop group INI and Eurobeat
musician Marko Polo.
So it is no great surprise that
Venice’s international airport is
named Marco Polo after the city’s
best known citizen who – as the
Tony Wheeler of the Middle Ages –
reportedly trekked to China and
back and wrote a best-seller (Il
Milione or The Million – but
generally rendered in English as The
Travels of Marco Polo) about his
adventures at a time when the
planet was lonelier than it is now.
Polo was by no means the
original China explorer. Near
contemporaries such as the
Moroccan Ibn Battuta and the
Flemish Franciscan missionary
William of Rubruck, trod a similarly
ambitious path. But Polo’s account
of his travels – with its catchy strapline The Description of the World –
fired Europe’s imagination just
when the continent was looking for
new horizons. Ever since, Marco
Polo has been synonymous with the
triumphs – and trials – of travel.
The original text of Il Milione was
lost, but several copies survive,
however they do not always agree
with each other due to differences in
translation. But the general facts of
Marco Polo’s life are pretty much
assured. He was born into a family of
well-established traders in 1254, and
first travelled to China with his
father, Nicolo, and uncle, Maffeo,
(both of whom had made the
journey before) in 1271. Their
odyssey lasted 17 years, and Marco’s
ability to tell a good story endeared
him to the ruler of China, Kublai
Khan, who subsequently sent him
on diplomatic missions and even
made him governor of Hangzhou,
near Shanghai, for three years.
After turning down several
requests to be allowed to return
home, Kublai Khan despatched
Marco Polo on his final quest, that of
escorting a Mongolian princess to
her betrothed in Persia. Sailing via
Sumatra, India and Sri Lanka, the
Polos eventually made their way to
Trabzon on the Black Sea, and
finally returned to Venice in 1295.
Marco Polo
Their arrival was greeted with
astonishment and disbelief, even
though the three men brought a
cargo of precious stones with them.
Three years later, Marco was
captured in a minor skirmish
between Venice and the city of
Genoa, and spent his incarceration
dictating his memoirs to a fellow
prisoner, Rustichello da Pisa, which
in time were to form the basis of Il
Milione, which was unkindly
dubbed A Million Lies by some of its
more sceptical and parochial
readers.
The book’s popularity, at a time
when printing was unknown in
Europe and literature could only be
“mass produced” by hand, was due
to its intriguing blend of apparent
fantasy and hard fact.
Over the years, Marco Polo has
attracted a fair share of controversy.
Tourism authorities in Croatia
stoutly declare that he actually came
from the island of Korcula, which
was under Venetian rule at the time.
Frances Wood, head of the Chinese
department at the British Library,
wrote a book querying whether Polo
ever got further than the Black Sea,
citing the lack of any reference to
him in Chinese records. Whether
Polo was really an adventurous
traveller – or simply a highly
imaginative writer – remains open to
debate. What is not in doubt is his
gift of inspiration – even Christopher
Columbus took a copy of Il Milione
on his voyage to the Americas.
As the old Italian proverb runs: if
it is not true, it is a happy invention.
and quality, the watches’ appeal in
Hong Kong depends on a
combination of factors, including
face and status. Many buyers in
Hong Kong are connoisseurs who
own several watches worth anything
from HK$25,000 to HK$800,000, Ms
Stoller said.
“About 80 per cent of our
customers are men with a certain
lifestyle.”
According to architect Vicky
Lam, Italian products are uniquely
crafted and she particularly likes the
patterns and materials.
Favourite designers include
Emilio Pucci for day wear, Dolce &
Gabbana for evening wear and for
shoes, Roberto Cavalli and Sergio
Rossi.
Ms Lam said Hong Kong people
generally liked high-end luxury
items, and because they had the
money they could afford the latest.
For her, it doesn’t stop with fashion
– her last two cars were both Italian
(a Ferrari and a Maserati).
Former broker and real-estate
agent Lisa Hung enjoys travelling to
Italy to shop, and she particularly
likes high-end timepieces (she
collects Panerai watches and has at
least 30). For fashion, she likes Dolce
& Gabbana (“very classy and longlasting”), Gianfranco Ferre (for the
“cut and fabrics”) and Sergio Rossi
(for shoes).
“I love shopping, but not only for
expensive things, and I like beautiful
things. I prefer watches to jewellery
and handbags, because of the
movement inside – they are artistic
masterpieces. I also love Italian food
and often go to the Grand Hyatt to
eat at Grissini.”
Banker Rebecca Wu loves Italian
brands because she identifies with
the lifestyle. But her personal style is
eclectic. “I pretty much go with
whatever looks good on me … some
Prada, some Missoni, some
Armani,” she said.
“There’s a wide range on offer
here and Hong Kong people have
the disposable income. [Buying
high-end brands] is one way to
flaunt their status and their wealth.
Some people tend to go for the stuff
with the biggest monograms and
logos, but I sometimes think it’s a bit
tacky.”
She prefers a more interesting
personal style, combining designer
items with regular items.
Known for its clean, tailored lines, the Giorgio Armani collection represents the ultimate in fashionable Italian style.
S4
SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
Fuel systems maker in drive for
bigger business in the mainland
Global leader in natural gas and LPG systems for automotive applications is expanding its distribution network
Reports by Pamela Sun,
Michèle Schmit and Megha Joshi
hina is becoming strategically
important for Italian company
Landi Renzo, the international
leader in natural gas and LPG
systems for automotive
applications. Landi Renzo not only sees
China as a growing market for its products,
the family-owned business also values the
country’s cheap raw materials and lowcost but quality labour.
As the Chinese government continues
to institute reforms in the energy sector to
address the petroleum shortage and the
alarming pollution, the demand for
alternative fuels is seen to increase. This
scenario is very favourable for Landi
Renzo to grow its business in China.
From a representative office set up in
Beijing in May 1998, the company opened
the Beijing Landi Renzo Autogas System in
2005.
The Beijing branch distributes Landi
Renzo products in China and provides
services for the whole Landi Group,
particularly purchasing and after-sales
services. The company is also opening a
research and development facility in
C
Stefano Landi says his company advocates social responsibility.
Beijing this year to better address the
needs of Chinese carmakers. In the
pipeline is the establishment of a chain of
Landi Renzo conversion workshops. If
business in China continues to grow, Landi
Renzo may also consider setting up a
manufacturing facility in the future as well
as expanding its distribution network in the
region.
As a manufacturer of advanced fuel
supply systems, Landi Renzo works very
closely with OEMs in the automotive
industry to safeguard the environment.
Carmakers are turning to alternative
power supplies to differ from the
competition and to meet strict
international standards, particularly
regarding fuel consumption and
atmospheric emissions.
Landi Renzo supplies components or
complete systems to well-known car
manufacturers including Ashok Leyland,
Brilliance Jinbei Automobile Company,
Chevrolet, Daihatsu, DaimlerChrysler, Iran
Khodro, Mahindra Mahindra, Maruti, Opel,
PSA, Piaggio, Renault, Saic Chery
Automobiles, Seat, Skoda, Suzuki, Tata,
Toyota and Volkswagen.
The Italian firm prides itself on its ISO
TS16949 certification, specifically for
companies operating in the automotive
sector. The Landi Renzo Quality System is
the first in the sector to be issued this
certification by the Bureau Veritas Quality
International.
“Landi Renzo is an international
company and can adapt itself well to the
globalisation trend. We are not only
seeking to maximise profit. We also
advocate social responsibility and try to
contribute to make the world a better
place to live. We also care for the needs of
our customers,” managing director
Stefano Landi said.
For its China operations, Landi Renzo
hopes to win more deals from local
carmakers as well as the after market. Its
target in China is to get at least a 30 per
Landi Renzo is an
international company
and can adapt itself well
to the globalisation
trend
STEFANO LANDI
Managing director, Landi Renzo
cent share of the after market and at least
50 per cent market share of OEMs.
Currently, China represents only 3 per cent
of the company’s total revenues but the
Italian firm expects the figures to soar in
the coming years.
“The automotive market is developing
very fast in China. We foresee huge
development in the industry especially in
big cities where the pollution problem is
becoming more alarming,” Mr Landi said.
As part of its growth strategy, Landi
Renzo is expanding its distribution network
in China to include other regions outside
Beijing. Initially, the company is looking at
Changchun, and Shanghai. It also wants to
use its China office as a base to reach
other markets in Southeast Asia.
As a distributor for Landi Renzo, the
company expects its partners to share its
strategy for development, be financially
capable, and most importantly have the
necessary technical expertise to offer
excellent after-sales support to its clients.
Landi Renzo attributes its international
success to several factors. Its presence in
more than 70 countries and its capillary
distribution network in these countries
allow the company to be closer to its
customers. Through its branches and
distributors, Landi Renzo is able to provide
technical assistance at a local level. The
company’s already wide portfolio of fuel
systems also continues to grow through
constant innovation and development of
new products.
The company spends about 10 per cent
of its budget annually on R&D. It works
closely with universities and research
institutions. Recently, the company opened
the LandiRenzo Corporate University,
which was established to serve as a
centre of excellence at a national and
international level for training and topics
related to sustainable mobility.
It is important to note that Landi
Renzo’s products can be used for
applications other than the automotive
industry. Its technology can be used in all
applications that require fuel pressure to
be reduced from a high level to a low level.
It can be used in industrial environments to
produce power energy, in diesel engines
transformed on auto cycle, and other
applications requiring a fuel with a defined
pressure.
There are definitely more prospects
going for this family business which is in
the process of entering the Italian stock
exchange.
Francesco Parisi, chairman and managing director
200 years and moving
forward in China
The Italian freight forwarder Francesco
Parisi celebrates its bicentenary this year
and is enhancing its long history by taking
root in China.
Parisi’s third party logistics business
has been serving the two-way trade
between Europe and China since 2004
from its Hong Kong subsidiary.
“We are better than any shipper or
airline because we sell all services, just
like a travel agency is better than any
single hotel chain,” said Francesco Parisi
the company’s chairman and managing
director.
In February 2007 the Parisi Group
established a joint venture with Grand
Smooth Air Limited, a freight forwarding
company based in Hong Kong with
mainland branches in Guangzhou,
Shenzhen and Shanghai.
The new joint venture company is
called Parisi Grand Smooth Logistics and
employs a staff of about 130.
“China represents less than 10 per
cent of our sales but I expect our
business in southern China to become the
second largest in our operations, even
maybe exceeding our Italian office,” said
Mr Parisi who is from the eighthgeneration of this family business.
Based in the Italian port city of Trieste,
Parisi operates a network of 17 offices in
Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Mr Parisi said the company’s strength
comes from a commitment to long-term
growth which was an asset shared by
family-owned companies in both Europe
and Asia.
“We don’t work for ourselves, we
work for the next generation.”
Parisi also attributes its longevity and
stability to a hard-working and loyal staff
that delivers personalised, tailor-made
service to its customers. Working
together with Chinese partners, in turn,
will introduce new business sensibilities
to Parisi.
“We are learning from China the
speed of business transactions and fast
decision-making,” Mr Parisi said.
Professional brand
for hotels in China
One prominent brand stands out inside
the kitchens of top hotels such as the
Shangri-La, Peninsula and Mandarin
Oriental in China and Hong Kong:
Electrolux.
Electrolux Professional, the Italian
subsidiary of the Swedish group, enjoys
market leadership in the food service
industry on the mainland, in Hong Kong
and Macau.
Aside from food service equipment,
Electrolux Professional also covers
commercial laundry systems.
The professional group was formed in
1995 following a series of acquisitions by
its parent company. Brands under the
subsidiary include Electrolux, Zanussi,
Molteni and Dito-Electrolux.
The subsidiary attributes its success
to strong customer orientation, high
quality and product flexibility.
It’s wide-reaching after-sales service
network also has the technical
competence to support the equipment
during its operational lifetime.
Electrolux Professional’s fully
equipped test kitchen and spacious
classroom facilities in Shanghai has
served as a training and demonstration
kitchen for many hotel groups, including
the Westin Shanghai’s 120-strong kitchen
staff.
“They produced everything in our
kitchen and trained everybody on the
menu. From day one they replicated what
they did in our kitchen and our set-up,” Dr
Detlef Münchow, president of Electrolux
Professional, said.
The test kitchen has also played host
Detlef Münchow, president
to the two week pre-opening training
sessions for the kitchen staff of the
Ramada Plaza Pudong, as well as 43 topnotch chefs from the Shangri-La’s AsiaPacific regional food and beverage
cluster.
Asia is an important market for
Electrolux. It yields 15 to 18 per cent
growth annually and contributes 35 per
cent to the company’s total turnover.
“We supply China with the latest
technology; our products are not cheap,
but we are extremely competitive in the
relation of price towards innovation,” Dr
Münchow said.
Electrolux Professional is setting up a
joint venture agreement with Chinese
partners to manufacture its products
locally and meet the requirements of the
Chinese and Asian markets.
S5
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
Maimex delivers fashion
from Asia to the world
Specialist freight forwarder puts garments on the fast track to global customers
I
n the world of textiles and fashion there are
few companies that deliver the goods –
literally – as well as Maimex. The Italian
freight forwarding and logistics company
specialises in getting Italian-designed
garments and accessories from factories in Asia to
customers around the world.
Maimex brings decades of experience to the
job. The company started in 1971 as one of the few
firms that could steer textiles through the elaborate
maze of Italy’s customs clearance system.
Customers were so impressed that they eventually
asked Maimex to develop forwarding services.
That led to the opening nearly 20 years ago of
Maimex Hong Kong. By the mid-1990s, Maimex
needed a greater mainland presence, so it opened
a Shanghai office. Today, Shanghai is the home of
Maimex Far East, the company’s Asian
headquarters. Maimex also has offices in Beijing,
Shenzhen, Ningbo, and Xiamen. A Dalian office is
under consideration.
Maimex’s “inbound service” includes not just
port-to-port transport, but door-to-door service,
involving customs clearance, documentation and
duties.
“There are many examples of goods getting
stuck in port or confiscated, but not with us,” said
Raffaele Salsi, managing director of Maimex. “If
goods come into our inbound system, we check the
product’s composition – whether it’s knitted or
woven – which is not a transportation related detail.
This is an expertise that very few people have in the
market. Our difference is in these details.”
In 2004, Maimex opened a new company,
Maimex Logistics. Using a hub-based system that
collects garments and accessories from China,
India, Vietnam and Indonesia, Maimex Logistics
mixes the goods, checks for quality, does picking
and packing and distributes the products
throughout Asia and the United States.
Maimex also offers fiscal representation for
foreign customers wishing to sell their products in
Europe. That means that Maimex will handle all of
the book-keeping and payment of value-added
taxes, so the manufacturer can avoid setting up a
whole financial operation in the market.
All of these services are individually tailored for
customers, and backed by Maimex’s industry
expertise.
“It’s a magic combination,” said Mr Salsi. “The
competition did not understand what these
industries need. We just give them what they need.”
Maimex has seen huge growth in China and
India in the past five years. Mr Salsi predicts more
expansion in the medium term: “I can still see large
development in terms of new customers, new
logistics activities and additional quantities of
business. The future is definitely very positive.”
Daniele Signorini, CEO
OM aims to
build
a global
identity
Two years ago, OM sponsored the Ducati
motorbike race in Shanghai, and invited
its dealer network. It also helped sponsor
a Rolling Stones concert there, bold
publicity for a B2B company.
The manufacturer of forklift trucks
and warehouse lifting equipment has
already established a big presence, with
80 per cent of its value brand segment in
the Chinese market, where it has been
operating for just two years. It began
production in Xiamen in a group factory
and opened a commercial office in
Shanghai.
“We provide more technologically
advanced trucks, with more features,”
said Daniele Signorini, chief executive of
OM Carrelli Elevatori. “They are more
reliable and have less defects than
Chinese models.”
The firm recently earned an award
for Best Company in the Logistic
Business, in China. It offers a full range of
products, which are easy to use,
maintain, repair and control, and meet
the highest western safety standards.
Training and qualified spare parts
centres in China support customers’
long-term needs.
The distribution industry will become
a key market target for OM’s warehouse
range and logistic platform tools. The
company also intends to double its
network of 30 dealers by 2011, to reach
more Chinese cities with nearby service
points. The company is seeking
additional representatives – who must be
professional and proactive.
The overarching challenge is to build
a major global brand. Since the Linde
Group took over OM entirely from Fiat in
2000, the manufacturer has been busy
positioning its brands and renewing its
strategy. It has redesigned its product
range, investing in new product design,
while restructuring the organisation.
“We will always be dynamic and
passionate about what we do,” said
Francesco Chinaglia, group commercial
director. “That means providing a good,
reliable product at an affordable price.”
Skylogic offers broadband
with a global footprint
During the 2006 Turin Olympic Games,
Skylogic introduced its services in China
by transmitting television signals to CCTV.
It also broadcast 50 TV channels to 12,000
meeting points in Turin and the
surrounding regions and provided
internet broadband services to mountain
villages.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of
Eutelsat, Skylogic operates 15 antennas at
its SkyPark teleport in Turin, Europe’s and
one of the world’s largest broadband
teleports. Its internet protocol services
can reach 80 per cent of the world’s
population. With its universal global
platform, the company can offer a onestop shop, with the same installation,
connectivity and pricing in every location.
Telecoms operators and corporate
ISPs gain access to the entire footprint
provided by the seven satellites in
Eutelsat’s fleet. “We complement
terrestrial connections, to make
applications available everywhere,” said
Renato Giacomo Farina, deputy executive
director and commercial director of
Skylogic.
Innovations for business users
include systems for clients who are
willing to participate in their own network
operations, and point-to-point
connections. The latter form a proprietary
data highway, instead of shared
Renato Giacomo Farina (left), deputy executive director and
commercial director with Luc Temmerman, marketing adviser
bandwidth. The company is also entering
the mobile market with new transportable
mobile uplinks which can provide
broadband connectivity for trains, aircraft
and ships.
Another important step will be
Skylogic’s entry into the Chinese market.
Last September, Skylogic signed a
memorandum of understanding with
Sinosat to integrate applications together.
As the agreement evolves, Skylogic will
define its role in technology, back office
systems and network management, while
Sinosat will contribute local marketing
expertise.
Five-year old Skylogic opened an
office in Beijing last year and foresees
dynamic growth over the next few years.
“We are delighted to be working with
Sinosat and are convinced that the
coverage supplied by satellite and the
broadband technology we have
developed will benefit communications
between China and Europe,” said Mr
Farina. “We bring to the table our
experience and knowledge.”
IMR taps into mainland growth
Raffaele Salsi sees new customers, new logistics activities and additional quantities of business.
Most homeowners may not have heard of
IMR, but every time they open their
bathroom or kitchen taps, they benefit
from the company’s innovative
technology and products.
IMR is a private Italian industrial
group, founded in 1959 and now
recognised as the world leading designer
and manufacturer of high quality
machinery, brass taps and valves.
Today, the company’s products
include gravity and low pressure die
casting machines, induction furnaces,
core blower machines, sand mixers,
transfer machines and machining
centres.
IMR allocates substantial resources
to research and development. It develops
new patents every year and produces
turnkey projects for complete faucet
businesses. In fact, it has been given the
UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 quality certificate
as proof of its continuous excellence of
products and services.
Igor Diracca, president
What sets IMR apart from
competitors are its capability to design
and install a whole range of state-of-the
art machinery and production systems
and its excellent foundry know-how
developed over the past 47 years.
“IMR is the most famous brand name
in this field,” Igor Diracca, IMR president,
said. “About 60 per cent of all tap
producers in the world such as American
Standard, Delta, Grohe, Hans Grohe and
Kohler use our machines.”
IMR is firmly committed to China. It
has had a representative office in Beijing
since 1985. Its factory in Shanghai went in
full production last year offering its
machines at competitive prices. IMR has
installed 450 machines in China where
half of the world’s output of faucets are
produced.
“China will be central to our
worldwide operation. We believe that our
factory in Shanghai will grow very soon
and it will become our key to increase our
presence in the Asian market,” Mr.
Diracca said. “IMR is a partner to your
needs and a steadfast name in the
industry.”
S6
SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2007 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Sponsored section in co-operation with Discovery Reports
Established group looks good on paper
Fedrigoni is expanding across Asia through partnerships while focusing on the pursuit of environmentally friendly manufacturing processes
he tradition of the Fedrigoni
family in the paper industry
dates back to 1717, beginning
with its takeover of a paper mill
near Trento, Italy.
After 100 years of producing paper,
the family then established the Verona
Mill, and despite two world wars it was
able to expand the business further by
acquiring the Varone Paper Mill in 1938
and building the Arco Mill in 1963.
The group diversified into the self-
T
adhesive market in 1989 with the creation
of Arconvert and the purchase of
Spanish company Manter in 1993.
Following its merger in 2002 with the
prestigious Italian brand Fabriano Paper
Mills, Fedrigoni became one of five
European companies producing and
distributing speciality papers.
The commitment of the Fedrigoni
paper mills is to promote, produce and
distribute an integrated range of special
and quality products.
“My father and grandfather decided
to enter the speciality business, rather
than the commodity side,” said
Alessandro Fedrigoni, deputy chairman
and chief executive of Fedrigoni.
The company offers a wide range of
products for use in commercial,
technical and office applications as well
as for securities systems, publishing,
bookbinding, digital and traditional
printing, packaging and labelling, graphic
arts and fine arts. Fedrigoni’s mills have a
capacity of more than 390,000 tonnes of
paper per year.
The company now has 2,000
employees around the world and an
annual turnover of HK$5 billion, with the
Asia market accounting for 5 per cent of
that.
The company, which has been active
in Asia for more than 30 years, entered
China 10 years ago.
Fedrigoni established a subsidiary
last year in Hong Kong to work closely
with partners in Asia. With this new
office it hopes to double its business in
China over the next five years from the
turnover of HK$53 million now.
“What matters is increasing quantity
while asserting our own distinctive
Italian style,” Mr Fedrigoni said.
Fedrigoni paper is sold in more than
80 countries through its global network of
distributors and two logistics centres that
operate around the clock.
Environmental awareness is key in all
of its operations. Research and
development is focused on developing
innovative products that are mindful of
ecological principles of the Stewardship
Council and the European Ecolabel.
Close attention is also paid to
controlling and reducing emissions,
power consumption, producing highquality paper with sustainable processes
and responsible environmental
considerations according to ISO 9001
standards.
Alessandro Fedrigoni, CEO
Danieli relishes challenge
of competition in China
Tough competition in the Chinese steel
industry looks likely to intensify. The
market has been consolidating,
supported by the potential of local
engineers, who constantly improve their
standards of quality.
Recognising this challenge, Danieli
opted to establish a wholly owned
production facility last year near Beijing
to serve the Chinese market. Another
larger factory will soon open near
Shanghai, geared to both local and export
sales.
“Our typical customers are from the
private sector,” said Gianpietro Benedetti,
chairman and chief executive of Danieli.
“They appreciate our speed, reliability,
competitive pricing and technology.”
The firm, founded in 1914 as a
machinery designer and electric arc
steelmaker, is known for its innovations.
The family-owned business pioneered
the minimill concept in recent decades.
Scrap is melted down to the final product
Gianpietro Benedetti, chairman
and chief executive of Danieli
in a fully integrated factory to minimise
transport costs. This process has evolved
from producing bars to sections and flat
rolled products. These sheets are used
for ships, cars, white appliances, roofing
and other applications. Since 2001, Danieli
has expanded its market share in China
for flat products, launching several thin
slab casting plants. Last October, it
received an order for two new two-strand
machines, designed to produce more
than 7 million tonnes per year of qualified
slabs.
Danieli complements its production
with after sales service and maintenance.
Service is critical in the industry, because
large cast iron parts cannot easily be
manufactured. Equipment must last 20
years, with spares readily available,
otherwise a shutdown in a customer’s
operations could be catastrophic.
Demand from Chinese consumption
has recently lifted global steel prices.
Danieli signed its first contract in the
mainland in 1965. “In five years, we will
have our two factories fully active, with
500 to 1,000 people,” said Mr Benedetti.
“That is proof that we trust and believe in
such an important market.”
Sales brewing for coffee maker
Boldrocchi produces heavy duty centrifugal fans and industrial process air coolers, and plans to expand operations in China next year.
Fan supplier has sights set on Asia as
it edges toward a century in business
For nearly 100 years, Italian company
Boldrocchi has been supplying custom
made heavy-duty fans for customers in
Europe and around the world across
almost all industrial sectors.
From the first centrifugal fans it
produced in 1909, Boldrocchi has
diversified its products to cover four main
lines: ventilation, heat exchange, air
pollution control and industrial noise
protection.
As the company moves to its
centennial in 2009, Boldrocchi is taking
bolder steps to conquer the Asian
market. The company has made
significant headway in India, where the
local market yields about 7 to 8 per cent
of Boldrocchi’s HK$800 million annual
turnover.
Currently working on a joint venture
with Indian partners, Boldrocchi expects
to further strengthen its presence in India
when it opens its own shop there this
year.
The fan maker is also planning to
open a shop in China next year. Although
the Chinese market is not yet as strong
as in India, Boldrocchi is expecting it to
grow as the company finds a suitable
partner to represent the Italian brand to
Chinese customers.
The company currently sells its
products to China mainly through
European engineering companies.
Boldrocchi executives have been
visiting China more frequently in the past
two years to look for potential partners
with a wide network and experience
among large industries.
The company has also participated in
trade fairs and exhibitions to promote
awareness of Boldrocchi’s products to
local industry players in Greater China.
Through China, Boldrocchi intends to
reach other neighbouring countries in
Asia like Laos and Vietnam.
The third generation of the
Boldrocchi clan is now running the
family-owned business. It has 260
employees, with almost half working in
the technical and research and
development departments.
One century of experience in
manufacturing tailor made products
makes Boldrocchi able to satisfy any
customer needs.
To promote a coffee culture in a tea
drinking nation is one of the biggest
aspirations of Rancilio for China. The
Italian coffee machine maker hopes its
tastefully designed products will become
fixtures in many Chinese restaurants,
cafeterias and bars.
“I hope all the Chinese people will
drink coffee at least once a day,” Giorgio
Rancilio, president and chief executive of
the company, said.
Founded in Italy in 1927, Rancilio has
for 80 years been at the forefront of
innovation in the espresso coffee
machine business. Its line of products
has expanded to include related items
such as ice makers, glass makers and
dosing grinders. It recently acquired 25
per cent of Egro Coffee Systems, a Swiss
company specialising in fully automatic
coffee machines.
The move was meant to accelerate
Rancilio’s entry into the fully automatic
segment, which accounts for the bulk of
the market in Asia and the United States.
Rancilio produces traditional coffee
machines that are manually operated
and the company decided to invest in
Egro rather than develop its own
automatic line.
Rancilio’s distribution network covers
more than 100 countries in all five
continents. Rancilio started distributing
its coffee machines in China about four
years ago.
The company has a national
distributor based in Shanghai and has
Asian Market Access as its partner in
Hong Kong.
Clients of Rancilio can rely on quality
service and after-sales support because
its distributors have been trained at the
Giorgio Rancilio hopes all Chinese will drink coffee at least once a day.
company’s technical training centre in
Italy.
If necessary, the company conducts
local training normally in the distributor’s
premises.
Innovation marks Rancilio’s
competitive thrust, always merging the
best design and technology for its
espresso makers.
A coffee machine, after all, is often a
cafeteria’s main attraction. With Rancilio,
creating flavourful coffee blends can
indeed be easier and more enjoyable for
baristas.
Innovation behind drive for lighter cars
Matteo Rossini, CEO
Ranger’s production facility in Jiading,
north of Shanghai, will be completed in a
few months and will serve as the
company’s headquarters for its activities
in China.
The Italian company develops and
produces parts, systems and modules
using plastic materials for the vehicle
industry and other fields.
Its plastics and composites are also
used in the furniture industry. Ranger is
an established supplier for leading
European carmakers such as Porsche,
Renault, Volkswagen and Ferrari.
“The Chinese market is interesting
due to its fast growth and need for quality
improvements. As a European company,
we can transfer to China all the knowhow used with European OEMs,” Ranger
chief executive Matteo Rossini said.
With China’s booming automotive
industry, Mr Rossini sees much
opportunity for Ranger which codevelops plastic solutions with its clients.
“The Chinese market could find very
interesting solutions working with us,
thanks to our deep technical experience
and wide range of technology,” Mr
Rossini said.
Carmakers are increasingly using
plastic for parts to produce lighter cars
that consume less fuel. Plastic solutions,
which make cars lighter, make more
environmental sense than steel.
Plastic components, which require
less investment than steel, offer car
manufacturers in the mainland more
flexibility.
One of the key technological
innovations Ranger is pursuing is glazing,
which would substitute glass in cars with
plastic and polycarbonate.
The innovative company spends 2 per
cent to 3 per cent of its more than HK$8
billion turnover on research and
development.
Chinese car producers may find it a
lot easier dealing with a smaller company
such as Ranger than working with bigger
players.
The 1,000-strong family-owned firm
prides itself on being flexible and making
fast decisions.
In China, Ranger plans to be the
strongest company in its field.