IRC - 2011

This project will involve the sharing of know-how and competences on products and suppliers , through information collection and exchange aiming to make purchases more effective and more efficient and to start a collaboration process in one of the key pillars for quality and competition. The “Network Contract” will be the implementation tool and will include detailed information on participants, courses of actions and strategic goals of the Network.

Companies subscribing the AIERETE contract are operators of the building supply chain, where - from design to realization – a more and more accurate selection of materials, technologies and products is required. It was therefore necessary to supply these Companies with a common information tool, able to select products and suppliers meeting the requirements of EC Regulation No. 305/2011. Moreover, the establishment of the Network enables the acquisition of a common organization process leading to a real performance improvement in terms of: reduction of supply costs, control and increase of product quality and production processes.

AIERETE is a firmly established reality and, thanks to its support, members succeeded to develop a solid and continuous cooperation, exchanging information and industrial, commercial and technological services in order to increase their innovation capacity and their competitiveness.

AIERETE Programme

AIERETE programme involves different areas of interventions:

• Selection of products meeting the requirements of EC Regulation and entailing control procedures relating to: mechanical resistance and stability, fire safety, hygiene, health and environment, use safety, acoustic protection, energy saving and thermal insulation.
• Market surveys and researches for innovative products carried out in cooperation with the research world in order to gain knowledge of experimentation and innovation in each industry.
• Supplier selection, in order to build and manage a supplier register (ruled by the relevant regulation) where reliable suppliers are registered, on the basis of their specialization and experience.
• Price negotiation through coordination of purchase policies and creation of a “Purchase Club” which, grouping together purchases from each member, will be entitled to negotiate with suppliers and obtain price reductions for all network members.
• Code of conduct and definition of contract terms guaranteeing transparency of transactions, fair behaviors and respect of principles of free and loyal competition.

The project will be devoted to the development of common activities related to the knowledge of residential market both from a demand evolution and from a supply dimension point of view. Promotion will include the research for new sale tools entailing economies of scale and high exposure, thanks also to the creation of a distinctive brand enabling end users to recognize quality and reliability of purchased products. It will bring into being an online sales channel for network members, a “virtual” center of excellence allowing economies of scale and assuring high exposure.

Network activities

At an early stage, membership rules will be established through participation guidelines defining the base requirements needed to access the online catalogue constituting the portal database. This preliminary step will also include activities relating to design and registration of the product distinctive brand.

The network will carry out the following activities:

• Creation of a technical department in charge of document verification;
• Drawing up of a “Building Booklet”, through a single set of rules that all builders will have to follow, and advice and support for compiling the booklet itself;
• Monitoring and market research for market trends and living styles;
• Design of an information platform which will become the real-time point of reference for private customers;
• Communication activities to support a widespread knowledge of the tool.

15 associated Companies operating in the real estate industry attended the meetings required to define the network contract and showed their interest already in a start-up phase.

The network envisages the participation of external business partners with highly qualified competences such as an IT Company for the setting up and maintenance of the digital platform and a finance broker in charge of equipping the portal with a calculator of the economic and financial profile of the real estate transaction.

“Housing Evolution – A research on housing demand trends” study and CRESME studies within the framework of IRC2011 project are available for associated Companies interested in this initiative.

As stressed by CRESME research, on the difficult present-day scene characterizing the building supply chain, internationalization is sparking a growing interest among Companies operating in the building industry. The enlargement of European Union boundaries towards the Balkans on the one hand, and the shattering rebellion against the totalitarian regimes in North African and Middle Eastern Countries on the other hand – probable signs of a democratization process in the Mediterranean Basin - push towards an urgent and careful consideration of the new geopolitical order: neighbor Countries with rapid infrastructural growth and characterized by remarkable GDP increase rates, such as Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, for what Balkans are concerned, and Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt for the Mediterranean Basin, can become natural end markets for small and medium-sized businesses in the building industry. A competitive commercial strategy and innovative quality products could enable the Italian construction industry to penetrate aggressively also more mature and strongly competitive markets, namely the American and Canadian ones, or those of the Gulf Region and Far East, confirming the excellence position of other “made in Italy” industries..

These are the preconditions for the Network Project for Internationalization designed for building a world excellence brand of supply chains, promoting high quality turn-key products by means of alliances with suppliers and a single and integrated marketing strategy for the “made in Italy” building industry, and choosing selected targets in the reference market.

It is therefore necessary to identify management training tools and ways for a gradual approach of entrepreneurs to the theme of “doing business abroad”, discovering the mechanisms of internationalization, overcoming barriers and limiting uncertainties and risks by sharing stories, experiences, good practices and doubts.

The purpose is to supply the associated Companies with answers and tools immediately usable during their internationalization experience thanks to a “mentoring” programme developed on the main foreign markets, and supported by common networks, tools and procedures all over the territory. Once the internationalization support platform has been created, as well as a team of professionals and consultants and a communication interface, promotion of internationalization and development and awareness of know-how needed to start a penetration strategy will be possible, thus originating the “critical mass” and the risk inclination that can be considered as “key factors” when approaching the theme of “doing business abroad” for small and medium-sized businesses.

These two events represent a unique opportunity to build a business network able to show this entrepreneurial excellence to the world, using and – at the same time – valuing the historical and architectural heritage as a “showcase” of art yards, starting from the innovative experience of Milano nei Cantieri dell’Arte – Milan in Its Art Yards.

The main goals of this project are:

• Creation of a business network – called RIR – with specific competences in design and production and supply of materials for architectural renovation, which will promote and initiate international connections aiming to penetrate different markets.
• Creation of new Reception and Orientation Services - for selected groups of exhibitors or EXPO 2015 visitors - before, during and after the Universal Exposition 2015, for guided visits to art yards in the district using an innovative approach that will introduce architectural renovation works in a sort of show-case for the presentation and promotion of the network members.
• Activation of Milanese entrepreneurial “excellences” in the field of architectural renovation with the aim of engaging them in a training project that will become a point of reference worldwide, and a distinguishing feature of this business.
• Internationalization of the network to support new business opportunities abroad.

The purpose of a network specialized in art yards is the construction of a qualified competitive network that, confronting itself with different stakeholders, finds new development opportunities: a “weak” sector – if compared with others in the building industry – identifies a growth chance in supply quality and improvement.

Speaking about architectural renovation - that is to say “renovation project engineering” – means taking into consideration practical activities where experience and competences of the operators are the fundamental prerequisites for the preservation of the monument. Cultural background and qualified personnel are, therefore, the key factors required for a successful intervention and represent the values to be exported in international projects.

Info at www.milanoneicantieridellarte.it

The purpose of the network is to spread results coming from different building residential projects characterized by low costs both from a typology and a technology point of view, thus allowing to build a new “knowledge center” able to supply the community and the Public Administration with qualified answers. All Companies and designers were involved and 150 projects were selected to be included in the catalogue. In addition to this, a website and a book were realized gathering all projects in accordance with the Announcement and judged by a jury panel.

Other planned activities:

• Common promotion of all promoters and participants to share results through events tailored for the book advertising.
• Communication plan and set-up of website.
• Results consolidation through the creation of a tool for monitoring and valuing the executive projects, and of a Study Center on low-cost and high-performance buildings.
• Training assistance for Companies and designers in view of 2015 Announcement.
• Design, curatorship and set-up of a traveling exhibit.
• Improvement of front-office services thanks to a new Department consisting of 2 secretaries and 7 members from the technical Department of the Announcement with yearly contracts.
• Information system for project consultation on the web by Companies and Designers.
• Project web show-case.
• Promotional sales campaign for the presentation of projects.
• Studies and researches on market trends of low-cost buildings.

All these activities are focused on the global goal of the project, that is to spread projects for the construction of buildings meeting the requirements of the Announcement.

Members of the network will achieve a competitive advantage that will identify them as qualified partners for private or public operators, thus increasing their order portfolio.