Sassuolo focuses on the e-tile

Apr 10, 2003

Sassuolo focuses on the e-tile10/4/2003 - According to the 2003 report on "Digital production districts", unveiled yesterday at the headquarters of the Associazione Industriali in Bologna, the Sassuolo tile manufacturing area is one of the Italian industrial districts most sensitive to the diffusion of new ICT technologies (information and communication technologies). Along with the chairman of Federcomin, Alberto Tripi, and the director of Censis, Giuseppe Roma, the conference was also attended by the chairman of Acimac (Italian ceramic machinery manufacturers' association), Franco Stefani, who additionally brought to the meeting his experience as chairman of System, one of the leading plant manufacturers in the Sassuolo district.

Diffusion of ICT
According to the Report, a total of 5,846 local industrial units with more than 50,000 employees operate in the Sassuolo production area, which comprises ten municipalities in the provinces of Modena, Parma and Reggio Emilia. From the Censis figures it emerges that more than 75% of companies use email, 30-50% use mailing lists and the Internet to send and receive information, 10-30% use the Internet regularly for research and communication, while fewer than 10% have an Internet portal. The number of innovative initiatives based on ICT is fairly high, with between 30% and 50% of companies adopting solutions for administrative management, human resource management and safe management of company data. Between 10% and 30% have implemented remote access systems including solutions for connection between purchasing offices and suppliers. Fewer than 10% of companies use ERP and Supply Chain Management systems, sales force automation, personnel selection solutions, e-commerce and e-procurement models, or services for optimising electrical energy costs. The applications that are already shared at a district-wide level include databases, systems for network purchasing of telephone services, inter-company portals for contact with customers and suppliers, websites for the exchange of information and B2B and B2C e-commerce models.

Positive approach to innovation

As regards infrastructures and cabling, broadband communication networks have been established in some areas of the tile manufacturing district and wireless transmission services (WLL, WI-FI, Satellite) are available in the area. "The real problem for the companies in the area," explained Franco Stefani "is not so much that of digitalising information but of applying the new technologies to processes. Ceramic machinery manufacturers are already able to monitor their customers' factories telematically through the use of electronics, wireless systems and WI-FI, and likewise they are networked with their suppliers. What limits the diffusion of ICT is the procurement of human resources and the absence of prospective analysis. The level of awareness on the part of smaller companies must be increased from the bottom up." According to the Censis survey, the companies in the Sassuolo area adopt a positive approach to technological innovations. Over the next few months entrepreneurs are expected to display an attitude of challenge and reactivity. The main problem that the area will have to address is recruitment of highly-qualified professionals. According to companies, the main obstacles to the diffusion of the Internet and ICT technologies are the need for autonomy (very important) and difficulties in sharing information, followed by investment costs and recruitment of qualified personnel.
(Paola Monoliti)