ANFIA Component Industries at SAE '99

1 March 1999
ANFIA Component Industries at SAE '99
    DETROIT, March 1 -- SAE '99 -- one of the world's most
prestigious conference and exhibition events devoted to technological
innovation in motor vehicles -- opened in Detroit today.  The exhibition
section of SAE includes the most significant products developed by the world
component industry, and again this year ANFIA is present with its own stand,
organized in cooperation with the Turin Chamber of Commerce and the Foreign
Centre of Piedmontese Chambers of Commerce.
    For the Italian component industry SAE provides an important showcase for
the North American market, in a context which includes leading members from
the world automotive industry.
    The participation of Emilio di Camillo, General Manager of ANFIA and
President ad interim of OICA, who also represents ANFIA's Car Coachbuilder
Group and Alberto Bombassei, President of the Automotive Component Industry
Group, underlines the importance given to SAE.  Besides presenting a brief
overview of ANFIA's role, di Camillo will also outline the current situation
in the world automotive industry, while Bombassei will outline the superb
results achieved by Italy in the component sector.
    The 21 members of the Car Coachbuilders Group include many names which
have made an important contribution to the history of world car design.
During the course of 1998 this important manufacturing sector produced around
61,000 vehicles, an increase of 21% over 1997.  The Coachbuilders sector is
unique to Italy, and is based on a complex system of specialised companies
capable of covering all product phases -- from styling renderings to prototype
design right through to the engineering of standard production models.
    As far as the Italian component sector is concerned, it continues to grow
at an increasing rate, gaining significant market share throughout the world.
This is not only thanks to the competitiveness of its products but also their
really high quality level.
    Speaking of this, it should be remembered that ANFIA produced the AVSQ '94
- Quality System Evaluation Guidelines.  These have become a benchmark for the
entire Italian automotive sector and have also obtained recognition in the
corresponding French and German Guidelines.
    In addition ANFIA is a member of the IATF, the Europe-USA Task Force that
has developed a single benchmark model for Quality Systems at international
level.
    In order to give an immediate idea of what the Italian component sector
represents today, it can be mentioned that 1998 turnover for original
equipment and aftermarket components exceeded 40,000 billion lire, with an
increase of more than 11% over 1997.  And 1997 already represented a growth of
12.5% over the previous year.
    Also global exports rose again, in spite of the economic and financial
difficulties affecting some important countries.
    In fact during the first 10 months of 1998 exports amounted to 15,222
billion lire, compared to 7,355 billion for imports -- a positive trade
balance of 7,867 billion lire for the period.
    Total exports for 1998 are forecast at over 17,500 billion lire, up from
16,500 billion in 1997.