January 9th - January 15th

Florence, Jan. 14th (Adnkronos) - Quantify quality, in other words translate how much quality productions and services weigh on the Italian economy into numbers: this is the objective of the PIQ, Prodotto Interno di Qualita’ (Quality Domestic Product). The PIQ was formally created today in Florence during the seminar on the soft economy organized by the Symbola Foundation.

Rome, Jan. 13th (Adnkronos) - Ferrero has won an important legal battle in China against the imitation of its products. The Nanjing Court has issued a definite sentence against the Montresor-Zhangjiagang Food Company, ordering it to withdraw its imitation Ferrero Rocher pralines from the market and pay a fine equalling €72,000.00. This was announced by Ferrero in a press release.

Shanghai (China), Jan. 13th (Adnkronos) - Lotto Sport Italia announced its joint venture with Scienward International Holdings Ltd for the creation of Lotto Cina Ltd. The objective of the new JV is to propose a performance and free time sportswear collection on the Chinese and Hong Kong markets, characterized by Italian design, elevated technology level and a style that cannot be copied. Office will open in Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Nanjing.

Florence, Jan. 13th (Adnkronos) – The Tuscany Region is participating in the 2nd GMO – Free Regions European Congress, scheduled this weekend in Berlin, with the objective of aiding in the growth of the GMO-free regions movement by offering its experiences in Tuscany and the experiences of the European network promoted by the Tuscany Region to the international community. The Tuscany Region will be in Berlin with a technical delegation.

Rome, Jan. 13th (Adnkronos) - ''We appreciated the choice made by Fiat in its relaunching strategies, which again aim forcibly towards the road to internationalization and it isn’t a chance that it chose the Indian market as a strategic one”, said Productive Activities Undersecretary with proxy to Foreign Trade, Adolfo Urso, commenting the news relative to an agreement undersigned by the Auto Company from Turin and the Indian Tata Motor, which beginning in March will distribute Italian autos in India.

Florence, Jan. 13th (Adnkronos) – A sort of States General on quality is the ambition of the seminar “Soft Economy – How many divisions does Italian quality have?”, organized tomorrow in Florence (9:30 am to 1:30 pm at Palazzo Medici Riccardi in Via Cavour 1) by the Symbola- Foundation for Italian quality in collaboration with the Province of Florence and Unioncamere and the sponsorship of the City of Florence. Ermete Realacci, the president of Symbola, Carlo De Benedetti, Diego Della Valle and Anna Maria Artoni are among those attending the seminar.

New Delhi, Jan. 13th (Adnkronos) – The Indian company Tata will distribute Fiat autos in India. This is provided for by an agreement reached between the Fiat Group and Tata Motors and announced today during a joint press conference at the New Delhi Auto Show. The agreement provides for the sharing of the auto dealership network, including the sale of Fiat autos through dealerships chosen by Tata in India.

Varese, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) – Varese represents the fourth Italian province in the number of employees working in the clothing-textile sector, with 27,000 workers, in the most important production sector of the area following the mechanics sector. According to the latest survey, the territory has almost 3,000 local enterprises and the province is ranked 9th in Italy in textile and clothing export flows, for a total export value of about € 850 million yearly.

Rome, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) - Air One is beginning phase two of its operations ten years after its creation: it is taking the giant step forward from the domestic market to the European and international one. Today, Air One undersigned a maxi-order with Airbus for 30 new A320 aircrafts for a value of $1.8 billion USD and plans to exercise an option to order other 60 aircrafts by 2010 (and an option to buy other 10 planes this year). The president of the airline company, Carlo Toto underlined the importance of this deal which will replace the B737 aircrafts currently making up the Air One fleet.

Rome, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) - AgustaWestland, a Finmeccaninca company, the world leader in the helicopter sector, is pleased to announce it has been awarded a major contact for the upgrade of 30 EH101 Merlin HM Mk1 helicopters for the UK Ministry of Defence used by the Royal Navy under the Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus (MCSP) programme, with an option for a further eight. The contract is worth approximately €548 million to AgustaWestland, underlined Finmeccanica in a press release.

Rome, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) - Airbus is aiming towards concluding a deal with Alenia Aeronautica by the middle of the current year on the participation quota relative to the realization of the new A350 aircraft. This was the expectation expressed today by the president of Airbus, Gustav Humbert, in Italy for the first time since being appointed to head the European aircraft company.

Brussels, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) – The European Commission will allocate approximately € 3 million to promote typical, POD and PGI Italian products. This measure is in the ambit of EU initiatives to market and promote farm products in the internal market. A press release from Brussels explains the EU Commission approved a total of 25 programs presented by the 14 member states, including Italy, for the second half of 2005.

Geneva, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) – In January 1906, a group of intellectuals fascinated with the Italian language founded a committee of the Dante Alighieri Society in Geneva to promote and valorise Italian culture in the heart of Switzerland. On Saturday, January 14th the 100th anniversary of this event will be celebrated with a cultural evening on the topic of “On the Trail of the Great Piedmont” at the Palace Hilton Hotel in Geneva.

Vicenza, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) –Vicenzaoro begins on Sunday, January 15th at the Fiera di Vicenza Expo Centre. This is the most important International exhibition of gold jewellery, silverware and watches with this year’s edition having over 1,600 expositors from 28 different countries promoting their products on a surface area of 66,500 m² in 13 pavilions and 24.5 km of exposition showcases until Sunday, January 22nd.

Rome, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) – Made in Italy autos and motorcycles will be the stars in Moscow for three weeks during the exhibition “Legend and Speed” which will be inaugurated on January 27th at the former stables of the Tsar. The objective of the exhibition is to represent Italian “talent” in the sector and it is the greatest event ever dedicated to the excellence of the Italian auto and motorcycle industry.

New York, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) –Altamura bread has also conquered an article in the New York Times following the article appearing in the French newspaper “Liberation” on January 3rd which for the first time praised the quality of this bread abroad. The prestigious USA newspaper claims this is a victory for traditional food, a sort of “humble David” against fast food defined as “the expansionist American Goliath”.

Naples, Jan. 12th (Adnkronos) –The new ro-pax “Euroferry Malta” will be delivered to the new Malta Motorways of the Sea Co, recently created by the Grimaldi Group of Naples in the ambit of its fleet expansion program. This new ferry will be used to connect the capital of Malta with Catania, Salerno and Genoa three times a week.

Rome, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) - ''The antidumping measure on the import of cathode ray TV tubes is another significant step forward in protecting Made in Italy products and the electronics market, which has a value of over €30 million in Italy”, said Productive Activities Undersecretary Adolfo Urso.

Milan, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) – The “Giorgio Armani Prive” haute couture collection is celebrating its 1st anniversary on January 23rd with the dress designer leading the festivities by opening the Paris High Fashion Week with a show. Indeed, one year ago, Giorgio Armani debuted in the high fashion world with a collection of formal gowns having a delicate and flowing silhouette and created out of precious fabrics. Each gown is unique and produced on order by expert craftspeople by the Giorgio Armani Prive’ in Milan.

Rome, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) - ''If an Italian product makes it, then the entire national sector receives an enormous benefit”, said Rocco Buttiglione, the Arts and Culture Minister, during the presentation of the Italian film nominated for an Oscar, “La Bestia nel Cuore” (The Beast in the Heart), directed by Cristina Comencini. According to the Minister, the success the film is having in the United States “represents a positive signal for the entire Italian film sector”.

Geneva, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) – The Dante Alighieri Society of Geneva, one of the most important and active Chapters in Europe, is celebrating its 100th anniversary (1906-2006) with a special evening. The 100th anniversary of the Dante Alighieri Society of Geneva will be celebrated with “On the Trail of the Great Piedmont”, organized by the Ca dj'Amis Cultural Association, in collaboration with the Township of La Morra (CN), the Municipal Wine Cellar and the Eventi&Turismo Association. This is a cultural and wine and food experience scheduled for Saturday at 7 pm at the Le Palace Hilton Hotel in Geneva.

Rome, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) - ''The issue of contaminated durum wheat underlines all of the serious problems today affecting Italian producers who are operating amid enormous difficulties, having to face low prices, alarming and continuous decreases in profitability and massive, uncontrolled and savage importation from abroad”, said the president of CIA – Italian Farmers’ Confederation, Giuseppe Politi.

Rome, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) – 82..7 % of the Italians believe that the enforcement of a law providing for the indication of the origin of durum wheat on pasta products labels would benefit consumers. This was stated by Coldiretti on the basis of a survey, which strangely enough, was proposed to Internet users at www.molinocasillo.it, belonging to the businessman who is alleged to have imported contaminated durum wheat.

Florence, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) - ''Quality is a Strategic Frontier for the Future of the Nation”: Alessandro Profumo, Carlo De Benedetti, Diego Della Valle, Ermete Realacci, Anna Maria Artoni, Giuseppe Mussari, Domenico De Masi, these are only some of the people meeting in Florence on Saturday January 14th during the 1st National Conference organized by the Symbola Foundation to discuss soft economy, the current Made in Italy situation and quality.

Rome, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) – The first “authentic” Florentine-style steak was sold following the 10 days necessary for the “air aging ” of the meat obtained from the butchering of a 16 month old bovine without removing the backbone, carried out with the arrival of the year 2006. This was announced by Coldiretti, which also underlined that the first Florentine-style steak was bought at a store belonging to the Firenzuola Farm Cooperative, in the Province of Florence, adjacent to the Mugello District Meat Centre in Tuscany.

Rome, Jan. 11th (Adnkronos) –The Parma Prosciutto Consortium closes the year 2005 with a 2-digit increase in the main markets outside of the EU and in the pre-sliced market segment. A press release from the Consortium states that even though the year was marked by a strong Euro and the tendential economic difficulties of some markets, there were record sales of Parma ham abroad. The Italian market absorbs 82% of the production against 18% in exports. Of the 1.5 million hams exported, about 74% remain in Europe while the rest go across the ocean.

Rome, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) - Lottomatica Spa, a De Agostini Group company, and Gtech Holdings Corporation have underwritten an agreement today for the 100% buy-out of the American company by Lottomatica for USD $35.00 (€29.04)/share spot price. This was announced by Lottomatica in a press release underlining that the total value of the transaction equals about €4 billion.

Rome, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) – The Italian Pasta Industry Association (UNPI) reassures consumers on the absolute safety and wholesomeness of Italian pasta referring to the news relative to the investigation of the alleged use of contaminated durum wheat from Canada. “In order to protect consumers following the announcement of possible risks – the Association declares in a press release – independent laboratories have carried out hundreds of special tests to verify the presence of eventual contamination in the wheat and in the pasta. The results demonstrated the complete conformity of the products to national and EU food safety regulations”.

Camerino (MC), Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) – The University of Macerata has begun an archaeological mission in Albania to which also two professors from the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Camerino have been participating. In fact, last October, Carlo Bisci and Gino Cantalamessa, both from UNICAM, went with their Macerata colleagues to the other side of the Adriatic, in an area which could correspond to the ancient Hardrianpolis, the city founded by the Roman emperor Hadrian, to check out the site. The two Italian geologists are trying to understand which processes and dynamics caused the theatre to be covered by 3 meters of deposits.

Milan, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) – The Ermenegildo Zegna Group closes the 2005 business year with a turnover equalling €713 million for a 12.5% growth rate. The retail turnover directly connected to the Zegna brand gave a decisive contribution to the total turnover at current exchange rates by increasing 17% with differentiated but highly positive results in Asia, Russia, North America, Latin America and Europe. The Zegna retail turnover demonstrated significant results especially in Germany where it registered a 31% increase.

Rome, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) - ''Mandatory labelling should be extended to all food products indicating the origin of cultivation or breeding of the farm products used in the foods to impede health emergencies also caused by criminal poisoning and fraud episodes translating into serious risks for public health”. This statement was released by Coldiretti referring to the arrest of the industrialist Francesco Casillo in relation to the alleged importing of Canadian ochratoxin contaminated durum wheat confiscated on a ship coming from Greece and flying the Hong Kong flag. Ochratoxin is a carcinogenic and toxic compound produced by moulds found in agriculture commodities.

New York, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) - One of the rarest drawings by Michelangelo still owned by a private party will be auctioned in New York on January 24th. This was announced by Christie’s, which underlined that the initial bidding price is estimated at around USD 4 million. It is a study of a male chest, realized by the Renaissance artist around 1550. According to experts, this drawing could have a connection to the preparation sketches of Christ for the world famous statue of the “Pieta’”, which is found in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Rome, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) – Oranges, apples, pears and kiwi are in season and they are sold at a cost over 10 times less the cost of imported fruit that is not in production in the Italian winter. This was revealed by Coldiretti which also underlined Chilean cherries can be found at the absurd price of €20.00/kilo and peaches from South Africa can cost up to €15.00/kilo. In commenting the World Health Organization guidelines released by the Health Ministry to fight the seasonal flu, which has arrived in Italy, Coldiretti invites consumers to always verify the presence of labelling indicating origin and “prefer seasonal fruit grown in hothouses and in fields which present the best quality characteristics and most convenient prices”.

Rome, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) Avio, an Italian company, which is a leader in the aerospace propulsion sector, has been awarded a contract for the revision of the PW100 engines of the entire Olympic Aviation regional fleet. Olympic Aviation is a part of the Olympic Airways Group, the main Greek airlines company. The value of the contract is estimated at over €5 million for the first two years with a one-year extension option. Avio has become the leading maintenance service provider in Europe for PW100 engines on the ATR with a share of over 20% while its share has increased to about 10% worldwide.

Florence, Jan. 10th (Adnkronos) - Gabriel Batistuta is launching his GB men’s wear collection at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence. Tomorrow, Wednesday, January 11th, following the presentation of the committee and the dinner at Palazzo Corsini, Gabriel Batistuta will be at the Universal Discothèque for the debut of his men’s wear collection open to the general public. The new GB collection will be: formal, informal and sportive. The clothes are produced by Giupel SpA in Florence but will be marketed in Milan, Rome, Paris, London and Madrid and in some cities in Latin America.

Trento, Jan. 9th (Adnkronos) – Following entry into the Austrian, German and English markets, the S. Michele all’Adige Agriculture Institute, in the province of Trento, has begun exporting some of its most representative wines into the USA, the main market for Italian wines. “Vias”, an export company with headquarters in New York and run by Fabrizio Pedrolli from Trentino, began distribution of the wine from the Institute in the most important USA States beginning with New York, Florida, California and Illinois, on January 1st.

Detroit, Jan. 9th (Adnkronos) – Maserati sold 5,600 autos in 2005 and plans on doing better in 2006. This is confirmed by the Maserati MD and head of the Alfa Romeo-Maserati sports segment, Karl Heinz Kalbfell, from the Detroit Auto Show. “The year 2005 was one of success for Maserati. We sold 5,600 autos, of which 3,600 “quattroporte” series and 1,550 sold here in the United States. This is an important result because selling autos here in the USA means we are an international brand. However, Italy remains our second world market and we are convinced that we can still grow a little in 2006 with respect to the past year”.

Detroit, Jan. 9th (Adnkronos) - ''Ferrari closed the 2005 business year with extremely positive results in terms of sales and with a turnover and profit forecast in significant improvement with respect to the previous year”. The Deputy General Director of Ferrari, Amedeo Felisa, is visibly satisfied at the inauguration of the Detroit Auto Show and underlined “5,409 autos were delivered in 2005 for a 9% increase with respect to 2004 and the first 20 FXX autos have already been delivered to their respective clients”.

Milan, Jan. 9th (Adnkronos) – Over 5,000 Ferrari autos were sold in 2005 for historic record sales by the sports car producers from Maranello. This was announced in a press release explaining the F430 and 12 Scaglietti models. Ferrari’s objective in 2006 is to reduce the waiting period for the delivery of the new autos to satisfy requests above all from the new markets.

Florence, Jan. 9th (Adnkronos) – The new “Simbols Culture” Fall/Winter 2006/2007 collection is inspired by the early 20th century Italian emigrants, in the ambit of the project “Symbols of Belonging”, created from the desire of fashion designer Franco Fauzzi to celebrate Italian style and made in Italy, forever a characteristic mark of the company. The collection will be presented next Wednesday at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence.

Florence, Jan. 9th (Adnkronos) –The textile businessman, Brunello Cucinelli, a football fan, will present a soccer ball covered in cashmere, as a tribute to the 2006 World Championship, at the Brunello Cucinelli stand starting Wednesday at Pitti Immagine Uomo in Fortezza da Basso in Florence. The pentagons of the ball will be grey and white cashmere and the ball will be sold on the world markets.