The Italian Technological Cluster (ITC) is the grouping that has so far demonstrated the most concrete evidence of what such an initiative can achieve. To date, the four member companies - precision mechanical manufacturers APR and Zeta-FPA, surface technologies specialist Praxair and sheet metal specialist Seren Gay - have won contracts totalling over €12 million ($15.3 million) as ITC since it began life in 2004.
And the cluster is set to grow dramatically: discussions are under way with eight more companies providing complementary products and services, and the key players in the consortium hope to have a new formalised structure, and a total membership of 12 companies, in place by the start of 2007. The cluster is targeting companies active in engineering and design test benches and rigs electronics special processes including surface and heat treatments as well as rapid prototyping and qualification and testing companies. ITC also sees the addition of a partner able to provide training for engineers within the group as key to its success.
New entrants will have to adhere to certain rules in areas such as certification and qualification, as well as agree to invest a pre-determined proportion of turnover in research and development. The cluster could number as many as 1,500 people if the planned additions take place. "It will allow us to have more muscles and more opportunities," says APR chief executive and ITC founding member Andrea Romiti.
There is a good balance between traditional companies and their more innovative counterparts: "The two together can co-operate very well and obtain some results," he says. The cluster is hoping to lure a large research entity based in Turin as it increases in size.
Within the cluster, member companies are growing fast. APR has 20 employees and posted a turnover of around €2.5 million in 2005. The precision mechanics specialist counts Avio, Aermacchi and Eurocopter among its customers. Romiti says the company is planning an investment of around €3 million over the next three years in new technologies, with particular emphasis on polymers and machines, creating a new production facility and keeping its current premises as a development facility.
The company is focusing on European markets, but "we are convinced the major chances in the US market will be offset opportunities. As ITC we have a plan to monitor all the offset opportunities with Italy - it could be a foot in the door," he says.
"ITC is a key to enter into new markets, but not necessarily the company that has to take the purchase order," Romiti says. Customers will be given the option of dealing with the cluster directly, or selecting one of the member companies as a systems integrator, responsible for co-ordinating the work with the other member companies. Sales and marketing manager Menotti Zinna adds: "By gathering different experiences and skills we are able to insert ourselves in a better way in the market."
ITC's leaders are keen to stress the cluster's "vertical" form. "You must be sure to have companies with overlapping skills only when there is enough work," says Zinna. The increased visibility with large customers is another key advantage of belonging to a cluster. "We have found work packages that as a single company we were not able to," he says.
ITC is convinced of the importance of involving public bodies, like regional industry association Finpiemonte as well as academic institutions, to ensure success for private clusters. Romiti says: "ITC's objective is to expand in foreign markets but we are also open to collaboration with Italian companies."
Source: Flight International
