With the pandemic and the post-Covid-19 gas crisis, rising sea freight costs, Russian aggression on Ukraine, inflation, rising rates, slowing markets and the Red Sea blockade, these have not been easy years for Italian industry. "Made in Italy, however, has shown extraordinary resilience," says Matteo Zoppas, President of ICE, the Foreign Trade Institute, which works alongside Italian SMEs by bringing buyers from all over the world to trade fairs and accompanying small companies to markets they could not reach with their strength alone. What have been the effects of the general slowdown in trade caused by increasing conflict? "Italian companies are among the best in the world because they know how to create new trends globally. They must continue to invest in research and innovation while also seeking outlets in new markets, but overall the reaction to the disruptions of the past few years has been positive, considering that 2023 closed with 626 billion euros in export turnover, more than 30 percent more than 2019, the pre-pandemic reference year, which closed with 480 billion euros. This is a sign of great resilience of companies, thanks also to the strength of a brand like Made in Italy, which we perceive in our business day after day".
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