March 21st - March 27th

Milan, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - There was a massive presence of Italian enterprises exhibiting their goods at the 1st edition of ISPO China, the international sportswear and articles trade show held in Shanghai from March 14th to the 17th. Italy numbered the most enterprises with 31 expositors out of a total of 148, followed by Germany with 21 enterprises, the USA with 19, China 8 and the remaining 69 enterprises from the other 23 countries present. The fact that China is an important market for Made in Italy products justifies the great number of enterprises present at the trade show: the Chinese sportswear and articles market should reach a value of about 50 billion USD (a Euro Asia Consulting estimate) in 2006 so generating a 94.2% growth rate with respect to 2001.

Rome, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - ‘’Never before do we have to well analyze the trend of our industry to understand which sectors are in a crisis period and instead which ones we can wager on”. This comment was made by the deputy secretary general of the UGL, Renata Polverini, following the ISTAT figures on sales volumes and turnovers. “The progressive and constant loss of appeal of some of the typical Made in Italy products, such as textiles, clothing or footwear, which up to a short time ago, thanks also to the creation of industrial districts guaranteed a strong employment impact, is quite worrisome”, continued Ms Polverini.

Rome, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - The largest hydrogen energy plant in the world will rise in Venice in 2007. This was announced in a press release by Enel, which defines it “our most important project in the field of research and innovation for the development of hydrogen applied technologies, the energy vector of the future”.

Palermo, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - “Inaugurating the Italy Pavilion at the World Expo 2005 is an honour, a privilege and a pleasure for me” began the vice-president of the Sicily Region, Francesco Cascio in his speech today at the opening ceremony of the Italy Pavilion at the World Expo of Aichi in Japan. There are 124 countries and organizations participating in the 2005 World Expo and 15 million visitors are expected from March 25th to September 25th 2005 in the Aichi district, near Nagoya, the third industrial area of Japan following Tokyo and Osaka. There will be six months of entertainment, events and exhibitions which will compete in recomposing the mosaic of the most diverse world cultures.

Milan, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - ‘’Made in Italy’’ is losing ground in one of its most traditional sectors: textiles and clothing, a former feather in Italy’s cap and now threatened by Chinese competition. This is the result of a survey carried out by Suitex International, a headhunting company, realized on a sample of 731 enterprises in the sector.

Aichi, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - The World 2005 Expo will be inaugurated today in Aichi, Japan. The absolute star of this Expo, scheduled until September 25th 2005 on the eastern hills of Nagoya, the third industrial area of Japan, will by the Dancing Satyr. The giant pearl of the Mediterranean, 11 meters high, was fished out from the Sicily Canal in two different periods, first a leg in 1997 and then the torso in 1998, and it was brought back to its ancient splendour thanks to a complex restoration intervention carried out by the Central Restoration Institute, which lasted four years. Now the Dancing Satyr is on exhibit inside the Italy Pavilion and it can be admired by an estimated 15 million visitors for this 2005 edition of the Expo.

Rome, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) -’’Delocalizing is a choice dictated by the market” said the president of Geox, Mario Moretti Poligato, who has no doubts on the matter: “a lot of companies would have closed if they hadn’t delocalized”, he stated in an interview with “Radio Anch’io”, speaking about the protection of Made in Italy products.

Rome, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) -’’The issue of imitation products is a serious one. Intellectual property has to be respected. Tons of imitation products are confiscated every day. We protect farm products in Europe while we having a hard time protecting a sector such as the textile one”, said the president of the National Italian Fashion Chamber, Sante Versace, interviewed by “Radio Anch’io” speaking about the protection of Made in Italy products.

Rome, Mar. 25th (Adnkronos) - ‘’Labelling of goods from outside of the EU is on its way. We are fighting to make this mandatory and I am quite optimistic” said Productive Activities Minister, Antonio Marzano, speaking about the measures to protect Made in Italy products during an interview with “Radio Anch’io”. “Labelling the origin of a product is not protectionism - Minister Marzano continued - We want a competitive market but we also want a transparent one. You cannot fool the consumer, competition has to be fair. WE not only want to protect the market but we want to guarantee products to the consumer and this is rational behaviour”.

Rome, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - Eni has underwritten a MoU with the Egyptian government in Cairo, in the presence of the Petrol Minister, Sameh Fahmy, establishing the norms regulating the supply of gas from the second LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) production line at the liquefaction plant of Damietta on the Mediterranean. Eni, BP and EGAS will supply the second line that will be constructed - a press memo from Eni states - and added on to the Damietta plant (completed in October 2004 and which began production of LNG in December 2004), with gas from the important source discoveries carried out in the Nile Delta area, an area that confirms being an elevated gas source.

Rome, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - The British Minister of Defence today chose AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica subsidiary, as the company to develop the Future Lynx project for the realization of a fleet of helicopters to be used on the ground and at sea. The agreement provides for the undersigning of an over 1 billion GBP contract (about € 1.5 billion) within a year from the MoU. This was announced in a press release by Finmeccanica.

Rome, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - ‘’Made in Italy products are being threatened by these fluctuating oil prices. We absolutely have to reduce our crude oil dependency as it has already caused evident damage including the significant increase in the price of raw material that determined an increase in the negative trade balance even though our exports demonstrated a good trend and an 8% increase on average”, declared Productive Activities Undersecretary with proxy to Foreign Trade, Adolfo Urso.

Treviso, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - The Board of Directors of the Monti Textile Group of Maserada sul Piave (Tv) has approved a € 9 million investment for a production plant, complete with finishing and dyeing plants in Kolhapur, India, the industrial area where the Monti India Textile plant has been operating for over two years producing over 5 million mt/year of cotton fabric for the shirt industry.

Milan, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - Costa Crociere closed the 2004 business year with consolidated operating profits up 89.8% at € 210.64 million with a total turnover of € 1,061.83 million for a 35.1% increase with respect to the € 785.64 million registered in 2003. These are the main figures of the company approved by the Board of Directors today. The number of passengers hosted on the pleasure cruise ships also rose to over 729,000 with respect to the 557,000 registered during the last business year (+31%) with the number of daily presences up +35% to over 5.8 million with respect to the 4.3 million in 2003.

Milan, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - Indesit closed the 2004 business year with net consolidated profits at € 116 million for a slight downturn with respect to the € 120 million in 2003. The Board of Directors of the company today approved the 2004 final balance and proposed the distribution of a € 0.361/ordinary share dividend (the same as the previous year) and a € 0379/savings share dividend (the same as in 2003). The gross operating margin of the Group equalled € 405 million (€ 387 million in 2003) while the turnover for the Group was € 3,177 million (an increase with respect to the € 3,008 million in 2003). The BOD also approved the proposal of an optional savings shares into ordinary shares conversion, an operation foreseeing one ordinary share for each savings share without surcharge or company capital modification.

Milan, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - Sirti enters into the Impregilo operation. The Board of Directors, the company from Milan announces, today approved the proposal to join the Techint Group and constitute a new vehicle company with Sirti in the minority shareholder position to “participate in the initiatives promoted by Techint with Argo Finanziaria, Autostrade and Efibanca for the recapitalization and relaunching of Impregilo”.

Turin, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) - The new industrial reality integrating all of the innovative capacities and experience of the Fiat Group in the engine and gear sector will be called Fiat Powertrain Technologies and the powertrain activities, resources and employees of Fiat Auto, Iveco, Magneti Marelli including Motor Sport, Iveco Motoren Forschung, the Fiat Research Centre and Elasis will all flow into this one company. This new company will begin activities with a € + 6 billion turnover of which 20% belonging to services and it will have over 23,000 employees.

Chiang Mai, Mar. 24th (Adnkronos) -The historical Dante Alighieri Society, the most important institution involved in the spreading of the Italian language and culture in the world since its foundation, has officially set up a chapter in Thailand and exactly in the city of Chiang Mai, about 700 km north-east of the capital city Bangkok, where there is already a Dante Alighieri Committee. The institution of an Italian language and culture school, the promotion of numerous activities to spread Italian art, history and civilization and the strengthening of Italian relations with the rich and prestigious historical tradition of Thailand are among the projects of this new chapter.

Segrate (Mi), Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) – The Mondadori Group has an availability of € 300-500 million to invest in new acquisitions in the periodical magazine, education publishing and radio sectors. This was confirmed by the MD of the Group, Maurizio Costa during a meeting with the Segrate financial analysts. Relative to the periodical magazine sector, he said “we have the chance to significantly grow outside of Italy and in particular in an area between Germany and Russia and in Spain. The Group has an availability of about € 300 to 500 million and we have to take advantage of every significant opportunity also outside of our national borders”.

Rome, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) – The Senate has given its go-ahead to the measures for the internationalization of enterprises and has delegated the government to reorganize the agencies working in the sector. The decree is now a law following the positive vote given by Palazzo Madama (the seat of the Italian Senate). The objective of this law is to supply the Italian business system with new operational, organizational and unification instruments consenting a growth in the presence of Italian enterprises abroad and also favouring synergy among the organizations and agencies today active in the internationalization of the economic and productive systems.

Rome, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) - ‘’In February, exports towards countries outside of the European Union repeated the vivacity demonstrated during the recent months (+12.8% bimonthly) with a tendential growth rate of 7.7% in value”, said the President of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE), Beniamino Quintieri, commenting the ISTAT figures on Italian trade with countries outside of the EU. He also said that at the same time “the value of imports was driven by the increase in the cost of raw material, also in Euro, and so increased 15.7%”.

Milan, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) – The Mondadori Group closed the 2004 business year with net profits at € 104.1 million, up 26.8% with respect to 2003. The Publishing Group from Segrate announced that its 2004 gross operating margin (€235.5 million, +11%), its operating result (€ 201.1 million, +15.6%) and its turnover (€ 1,650.2 million , +7.4%) also demonstrated interesting growth rates. A € 0.35/share dividend, against the € 0.30/share dividend of 2003, will be proposed to the shareholders.

Florence, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) - Carapelli Firenze is the extra-virgin olive oil most recognized by the Italians and it is the symbol of quality Italian extra-virgin olive oil abroad and the ambassador of the traditional Mediterranean diet. These affirmations are confirmed by the results obtained in the 2004 business year: Carapelli Firenze consolidated its leadership on the extra-virgin olive oil market in Italy with a 13.6% market quota (Nielsen Retail Index) and reached a € 243 million turnover. The oil producing company continues its expansion of the foreign markets, present in over 50 countries: the 2004 export growth rate was up 15% with respect to 2003 with a 30% incidence on the turnover (in 2003 the incidence equalled 28%).

Florence, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) – Carapelli is launching its new oil, Olys, the first oil made from grains (wheat, corn and rice germ) and fruit (walnuts and currants), on the market. This oil is a well balanced mix of nutritional elements and it is innovative both in its composition and in its one litre modelled bottle. Olys – affirms an announcement by the company from Florence – is the only table oil that unites the nutritional properties of grains with the beneficial ones of fruit; it is not an enriched oil, but it is made of ingredients naturally rich in vitamins and Omega 3.

Milan, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) – The Guaber Group closes the 2004 business year with a growth in results, against the trend of the substantially immobility of the reference markets. During the 2004 business year, Guaber registered a consolidated turnover of € 165 million for a 13% increase over the previous year. This was announced by the Group underlining that this growth rate was particularly due to the increase in international sales volumes, which registered a 27% increase.

Milan, Mar. 23rd (Adnkronos) - ‘’I think that relations with the Central Hispano Santander Bank, which began many years ago, could advance in the future”, said the MD of San Paolo Imi, Alfonso Iozzo, today during a press conference in Milan. Mr. Iozzo continued saying that “relations are reciprocally satisfying” between the Italian and Spanish banking institutes.

Milan, Mar. 22nd (Adnkronos) – The FMC Fiera di Milano Congress Centre will have 16 new conference rooms bringing the total number of conference rooms managed by the Fiera Milano Congress Centre in the legendary trade fair districts in the centre of Milan to 32 and with an added 1,008 seats. The new areas will be created from the renovation of the ground floor of the “Gardella” Pavilion 17, the headquarters of the FMC Centre.

Milan, Mar. 22nd (Adnkronos) –Net profits for the Pirelli Group were definitely up with the 2004 business year closing at € 274 million with respect to the € 4 million in 2003, according to a press release from the Group. The net pertinence performance of the holding company equalled + € 217 million against a negative € 39 million in 2003 and proceeds (€ 7,114 million, +6.6%), gross operating margin (€ 725 million, +15%) and operating result (€380 million, +42%) were also positive. ROS (return on sales) was up 5.3% against the 4% in 2003. The net financial position of the Group at the end of the year 2004 shows a € 1,469 million deficit against the € 1,745 million deficit at the end of 2003.

Rome, Mar. 22nd (Adnkronos) -’’The constitution of formative poles for the footwear sector is a correct choice: five such poles have been instituted and financed with € 3 million to create super-technicians, human resources that are ever more qualified and who will favour the surpassing of this short-term and organizational crisis of the sector, so aiming at an increase in competitiveness of our enterprises on the international markets and a consequent increase in employment”, affirmed the Education, Research and University Undersecretary, Maria Grazia Siliquini, representing Minister Moratti, at the conference “Education and Training for the Competitiveness of Made in Italy”, promoted by Micam-Shoevent.

Verona, Mar. 22nd (Adnkronos) – Over 300 Italian and foreign olive oils will participate in the 3rd edition of the International “Golden Sun” Oil Competition, on e of the main events of SOL, the International Extra-Virgin and Virgin Olive Oil Salon, scheduled from April 7th to the 11th , together with Vinitaly, at the Veronafiere.

Caselle (Turin), Mar. 22nd (Adnkronos) – Twelve C-27J Spartan military tactic transportation aircrafts born from the 50-50 Alenia Aeronautica (Finmeccanica) – Lockheed Martin joint venture will be delivered to the Greek Air Force by 2006. This was announced this morning by the president and CEO of Alenia Aeronautica, Giorgio Zappa and Giovanni Bertolone, presenting the first model of the aircraft that will also be used by the Italian Air Force beginning at the end of this year.

Rome, Mar. 22nd (Adnkronos) – A board has been constituted that will treat the internationalization of the sports crafts sector and it will be inaugurated tomorrow in Genoa at the “Auditorium” of the Liguria Region by the Productive Activities Undersecretary with proxy to Foreign Trade, Adolfo Urso. “The Italian boat industry – explained Undersecretary Urso- leads Europe in sports crafts production value and it is 2nd in the world, behind the USA. Italy also is first in the world as the builders of super-yachts with a 37% market quota”.

Rome, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) – The Gemina BOD has given the go-ahead to the entry of the Impregilo capital into the concert party led by Marcellino Gavio and the Rocca Group. The BOD met today, a press release from Gemina states, and examined and approved the agreement with Techint European Holding Bv (Rocca Group), Argo Finanziaria (Gavio Group), Autostrade per l’Italia and Efibanca relative to their entry into the Impregilo capital “in the modalities, conditions and terms dictated by the market”.

Rome, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) – “Our clients are all multinational tea companies, from Unilever on down, even single companies” affirmed in an interview with the “Il Sole 24 Ore” financial newspaper, Alberto Vacchi, the MD and shareholder of the Bologna Group, Ima, which produces tea and machines for the packaging of pharmaceuticals.

Milan, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) – Autogrill closes the 2004 business year with a net consolidated result equalling € 52.7 million for a 5% increase with respect to 2003 (+8.2% at constant currency exchange), a gross operating result at € 438.9 million (+13.4%), an operating result at € 201.6 million (+6.1%) and consolidated proceeds at €3,182.1 million (+1.3%). This final balance was examined and approved by the Autogrill board of directors during a meeting today.

Milan, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) – Marzotto and Verzoletto have reached a joint venture agreement in the pure wool, wool -acrylic and carded wool yarn for knitwear sector. This is a 50-50 joint venture with an aggregate turnover of € 122 million, of which € 69 million generated by Marzotto and €53 million by Verzoletto and a total yearly production of 15 million kg.

Milan, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) – The Bipielle Investimenti board of directors, presided over by Piero Giarda, approved its 2004 final balance today which shows net consolidated profits at € 149.9 million (+119.37%) and a dividend of € 0.35/share (coupon expiration on May 2nd 2005 , payment on May 5th 2005).

Rome, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) -Less expensive and lighter that the current satellite telephones and even than some GSM mobile phones, the Thuraya satellite telephone system is now available also in Italy thanks to an agreement between Intermatica (Italian provider service) and the Telemar General Company, the world leader in the distribution and services of navigation and communications systems, who will distribute it in its sales network. A press memo from Telemar says the phone can be purchased for €830.00 with a monthly subscriber’s fee of €21.00 and a €33.00 activation cost.

Rome, Mar. 21st (Adnkronos) - ‘’Greece was the first nation to choose this aircraft for its Air Force. It chose the C27J over its competitor the C-295 because of the advanced technology it is supplied with”. Filippo Berselli, the Undersecretary of Defence, commented the delivery of the C27J aircraft to Greece. The consignment ceremony will be held tomorrow, at Torino Caselle, in the presence of Undersecretary Berselli and Greek officials. “Alenia Aeronautica and Lockheed - the Undersecretary continued - are currently competing in the USA for the supply of C27J aircraft to the Army and US National Guard”.