July 2 – The partnership between the Cooperative Credit Banks in the province of Bergamo and Confcooperative finalized the steps towards the creation of an initiative designed to facilitate the entry of SMEs in foreign markets. Promos, the Special Agency for International Activities of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, offered to provide its employees to the mission, with the goal to “create concrete opportunities for companies operating in our territories,” said Marino Ghilardi Coordinator of the Bergamo CCB. To defeat the crisis, one of the moves that we think will be positive is internationalization via openness to foreign markets that are receptive and interested in marketing our product that represent Italian excellence.” 35 companies to date have seized this opportunity, asking for a direct consultation with Promos via the nine Cooperative Banks in the province of Bergamo, in these first two months of collaboration. These companies are active in the food industry, mechanical goods production, construction, fashion, and medical services. With 11 offices in strategic business areas on the international scene, Promos has an operating unit in Bergamo that works closely with the Bergamo Chamber of Trade, and is to direct efforts and expectations of the participating companies. “The activities that we structure – explains Andrea Bonalumi, manager of Lombardy Network Promos – are designed to guide a company on the international market, from their first steps to the effective realization of their business, by providing necessary skills to be effective and competitive such different realities. In addition to organizing collective business missions at international fairs, we offer seminars on real business opportunities in foreign markets, the provision of support services tailored to the needs of each company and information “practices” on foreign trade, the New Institute for International Business, established in 2009, offers young entrepreneurs, export managers and consultants specific internationalization training.
