This tour was to provide a unique opportunity to a selected number of prestigious Italian manufacturers and suppliers to the automotive industry to have a better understanding of the needs of US OEMs, First and Second Tier suppliers when they are sourcing new suppliers for their manufacturing and production needs.
 
The tour started in Detroit on March 9th, with meetings at Roush, followed by participating at the Italian Technological Excellence in the US conference hosted by Leonardo International at Wayne State University of Detroit. Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder and Consul of Italy in Detroit, Honorable Marialuisa Lapresa gave opening remarks, and evening’s event was supported by major Italian players in the US automotive market such as FCA, Brembo, Magnetti Marelli and Comau, just to name a few.
 
Next stop was Columbus, Ohio where the delegation meet with OSU’s Center for Automotive Research and its director, Giorgio Rizzoni and Mobility Research director, Carla Bailo.
 
Followed during the week were meetings at TS Tech, American Showa, Honda America, Jefferson Industries, FCA’s Jeep Plant, Toledo Molding & Die and Dana. It was then off to Chicago, concluding the tour where the delegation met with Navistar.
 
Collateral activities included the University of Toledo, where the delegation met with faculty to discuss innovation and research for the automotive industry and the various assistance programs available to the delegation to help them enter into the US marketplace.
 
Local partners strategically involved in the tour were the Italian Consulate of Detroit, under the Consul, Marialuisa Lapresa, Columbus 2020, JobsOhio and the Regional Growth Partnership of Toledo, Ohio.
 
The Italian Trade Agency conducts various tours of this nature for Italian manufacturers across diverse industries as automotive, aerospace, advanced research, 3D printing and more, showcasing the opportunities the US market offers Italian companies looking to invest and do business in the US.