The international exhibition on the construction industry and architecture will open its doors next October 2. Priorities: relaunching the construction industry to help the country start again.
Last May 27, Triennale in Milan hosted the presentation press conference dedicated to press and exhibitors for the upcoming edition of
Made expo 2013 – Milano architettura design edilizia, scheduled from 2 to 5 October 2013 at Fieramilano Rho, a reference event that this year becomes biennial, in odd-numbered years.
Besides the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructures Maurizio Lupi and the President of Confindustria Giorgio Squinzi, the conference also featured speeches by Paolo Buzzetti (president of Ance), Roberto Nicastro, general manager of Unicredit bank, Roberto Snaidero, President of FederlegnoArredo. A video was also shown to deliver the message of Andrea Negri, president of Made expo, while Giovanni De Ponti, Managing Director of Made expo, attended the event though a live stream video connection.
Urban regeneration, protection and maintenance of territory and infrastructure, earthquake prevention and energy saving are the key issues for the relaunch of the country. But we must be practical and take action, we cannot wait any longer.
In particular, the issue of bonuses for renovations and energy saving, as well as the important issue of safety, represent an opportunity to renovate our construction heritage and to reinvigorate the domestic market, through incentives and tax reductions to promote investment. The Italian Parliament’s Environment Committee recently unanimously approved a 55 percent tax credit on measures to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings.
An issue strongly urged by Confindustria, as indicated by Giorgio Squinzi, and also supported by Maurizio Lupi, who presented an integrated plan to accelerate
great infrastructural projects and construction sites, roll out a maintenance plan for school buildings,
extend energy efficiency tax
incentives to include earthquake prevention, and pass into law an existing agreement between the Italian Banking Association (
Abi) and the Italian association of private construction contractors (
Ance) to boost home loan approvals and thus forge new ties between the construction industry and the banking sector. Steps in this direction have already emerged from Made expo with a unique financial product offered to exhibitors by leading Italian banking group UniCredit.
Few days after the press conference, the law-decree for the extension of the 50 percent tax reduction on renovation was extended until the end of 2013, also including furniture items.
Ance reports that in 2012 investments in construction slumped by 7.6 percent (inflation-adjusted), reflecting an even worse situation than in 2011 (when investments went down by 5.3%); the scenario is more disappointing than the estimates that came out last June, which predicted a 6 percent downturn; it is expected that investments in construction will continue to decrease in 2013 by around 3.8 percent in real terms compared to 2012.
These figures stress the importance of embarking on effective measures to help the sector pick itself up, but this obviously demands a reliable flow of resources. It is crucial, however, to put in place a medium term strategy to give operators a stable scenario, which in turn can favorably impact the real economy. Ance also reports that, between 2008 and 2013, investments in the construction industry will have dropped by around 30 percent, touching the lowest level in the past four decades. All industries do suffer: it is estimated that in 6 years, new home constructions will have decreased by 54.2 percent; private nonresidential buildings will be down by 31.6 percent, while investments in public works will have declined by 42.9 percent.
Home refurbishments are the only sector that seems to be doing satisfactorily, with extraordinary construction maintenance up by 9.3 percent in the period 2008-2012 and expected to grow by 3 percent in 2013.
Technology, innovation and sustainability represent the solutions to create suitable conditions for recovery and Made expo is the ideal platform in such a strategic industry. Internationalization at Made Expo is renewed with a great project of international meetings to promote export and penetration of companies on strategic markets: a committee was formed for the internationalization of exhibiting companies, headed by Silvio Santambrogio, which has allowed the establishment of contacts with the biggest international developers, also to invite them to the event in Milan. Promotional activity continues with Road Shows: 27 promotional initiatives are organized in 18 countries, the latest last week in the United States, precious opportunities to present the event to qualified groups of operators.
Made expo will be staged at the Milan Fairgrounds Rho from 2 to 5 October, and comprises six specialized shows: “Construction and Building site”, “Building envelope and Windows”, “Interiors and Finishings”, “Energy and Plants”, “Software and Hardware”, “Cities and Landscape”. This is Made expo’s answer to the need of companies to ensure the direct contact between demand and offer in an increasingly international perspective.
In this context, Made expo 2013 will also feature the “Made 4 Ceramic” project, the hall dedicated to the excellence of the ceramic world.
