Libotte: Qatari market interested in quality design, high-end products.

At least 25 leading Italian companies are in the country for a networking session that aims to boost the bilateral trade relations between Qatar and Italy, the chairperson of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Qatar said.

Palma Libotte told Gulf Times that the Italian chamber will be conducting the networking session in co-operation with the Italian Trade Commission and the Qatar Chamber.

Libotte said the participating Italian companies provide expertise in the following industries: furniture, design, construction, building materials, domotics or home automation, lighting, cladding, renewable energy, anti-fire systems, solar shadings, and industrial machinery, among others.

Aside from guaranteeing the “right counterparts,” Libotte said the networking session will be highlighted by a presentation on domotics by Italian engineer and inventor Daniele Trinchero, who is a professor at Qatar University.

She said among the participating firms is Cambiano-based car designer and coachbuilder Pininfarina, which had worked for long-established brands like Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Fiat, GM, Lancia, and Maserati, among others.

Pininfarina, she said, is eyeing the Qatari market for high-end residential projects, particularly in architecture and interior design.

Also participating in the networking session is Falegnameria Aresi, which specialises in windows, stairs, shutters, mouldings, and other home installations and decoration. Libotte said Falegnameria Aresi had been awarded a substantial contract with the Banana Island Luxury Resort for a wide range of joinery and window works.

She also noted that the 25 participants of the networking session were shortlisted from the 120 Italian companies joining the “11th International Construction Technology & Building Materials Exhibition” of the five-day Project Qatar starting today at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).

The pre-selected companies, which Libotte described as having “interesting profiles” for the Qatari market, will be introduced to Italian Ambassador Guido De Sanctis during the networking session.

She stressed that IFP Qatar, the organiser of Project Qatar, has confirmed that Italy has the biggest presence among European firms in the construction and building materials expo with a confirmed 120 companies in attendance.

She said the Qatar Chamber is supporting the networking session by encouraging Qatari businesses to maximise the opportunity to forge partnerships with Italian enterprises.

Libotte stressed that the Italian chamber and the Italian Trade Commission are the only two official governmental bodies that promote bilateral business relationships between Italy and Qatar.

She added that the chamber is planning to conduct two to three trade missions every year in Qatar to bring “reliable” Italian companies and products that can cater to major ongoing and future projects of the country.

“Rather than go to other countries in the Gulf region, Italians have understood that the Qatari market is really interested in quality design and high-end products. This is why these enterprises are prioritising business mission and trade exhibitions here,” Libotte revealed.

 

 

 

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