A glimps e at manufacturing in Apulia
ARTISTIC AND TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFTS
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROMOTION INITIATIVES OF THE APULIA REGIONAL GOVERNMENT Puglia Sviluppo S.p.A. SPRINT Apulia REGIONAL DESK FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROMOTION
A glimpse at manufacturing in Apulia
Via delle Dalie, angolo Via delle Petunie Zona Industriale – 70026 Modugno (BA) Italia Ph. +39 080 5498811 sprint@regione.puglia.it
The artistic and traditional handicrafts sector 8
Italy’s oldest artefacts speak Apulian
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The raw materials shaped by man
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Specialist products by province
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From clay to terracotta whistles
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Humble material becomes art
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Apulian stitching, a tale about women
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Ancient design materials
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A stony land
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Wrought iron, an Apulian embellishment
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The glass work and mosaics that beautify Apulia’s churches
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Homespun melodies
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Investing in Apulia
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Apulia’s strengths
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The infrastructure in place
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Entrepreneurial network and exports
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Universities and research centers
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Incentives for development
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Reforms for artisans
A glimpse at manufacturing in Apulia The artistic and traditional handicrafts sector
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This short publication has been produced to enable the Apulia Region to present Apulia’s artistic and traditional crafts to those working in the same sector elsewhere in Italy and abroad. As a category, it is a cultural, touristic, occupational and creative resource of great importance and one that is also extremely dynamic. As traditional craftsmanship is nurtured, so an entire part of the sector is concentrating on innovation and internationalization. There are more than 74 thousand handicraft businesses in Apulia today and they represent 22.3% of all active companies.
Artistic handicrafts deserve a special mention. This particular sphere is enjoying a renaissance linked to the changes in consumer habits, the search for authenticity and one’s historical roots, as well as the growth of a tourist sector focussed on rediscovering traditions. Amongst the more than 74 thousand artistic and traditional handicrafts enterprises, there are thousands dedicated to the production of the typical handmade goods that today enjoy worldwide admiration. In 2013, the artisans working in this sector exported more than 41 million Euros worth of goods, a 17% increase on 2012.
Policies introduced by the regional government have greatly benefitted the sector in terms of bureaucratic simplification, incentives and increasing appreciation for artistic craftsmanship. By registering on the Artisan’s Roll, a single form, compiled and sent by email, allows artistic and traditional handicraft concerns in Apulia to get underway immediately. At the same time, from an incentives standpoint, the Apulia Region is encouraging start ups and traditional handicrafts whilst the call for tenders under the “Assistance with initial investments for micro and small businesses” (Title II) scheme has enabled small and very small companies to innovate and grow by making it easier for them to obtain credit.
Their skilled hands help build up the image of Apulia across the globe and this is one of the reasons the Region is such an enthusiastic supporter of the “International Charter of Artistic Craftsmanship” that not only highlights the values and traditions that artisans carry through time, but also includes proposals for a Europe-wide policy that would improve the working-life of artisans, their businesses and the artistic handicrafts sector generally. The regional government in Apulia firmly believes that even artistic and traditional crafts have a part to play bringing Europe out of the crisis and it is fully committed to promoting a sector which, thanks to innovation and internationalization, can truly reach the whole world. 5
Just as it was in the past, Apulia today is a land in which craftsmanship is rife, and a region that has been producing unique, high-quality objects for more than one and a half millionyears.
ITALY’S
OLDEST ARTEFACTS
An ancient land of artisans, farmers and sailors, man has been settling in Apulia since the dawn of time and different peoples, all of whom contribute to changes in the landscape and its culture, have been welcome ever since. Evidence of the oldest settlers in the region was found in stone artefacts some one and a half million years old – the oldest finds in Italy and amongst the oldest in Europe. Having survived all that time, they provide indelible proof of human life and man’s ingenuity.
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SPEAK
APULIAN 9
The characteristically knotty trunks of olive trees are carved, hollowed out and turned into hand-made objects.
THE ARTISTIC AND TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFTS SECTOR
RAW
THE
MATERIALS Apulia, with its concentration of history, culture and beautiful landscapes, is a treasure trove of many materials that men’s hands are able to transform into objects for domestic use as well as veritable works of art. This age-old tradition encapsulates the entire history of the region with its many peoples and cultures that have come together, over time, to create a single land. Today, the streets and alleys of the historic centres – whether large or small – are still enlivened by the workshops of craftsmen producing objects of the highest quality imaginable. As an economic resource that is important to the whole region, local handicrafts are backed by the regional government’s targeted policies that provide committed funding, reduce red-tape and encourage training programmes.
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NUMBER OF COMPANIES:
74,110 *
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES:
162,341 *
EXPORTS:
41 MILLION EUROS (+17% COMPARED TO 2012) **
SHAPED BY
MAN
* SOURCE: BARI CCIAA (CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR THE CRAFT INDUSTRY AND FARMING), 2013 ** SOURCE: ICE (INST. FOR FOREIGN TRADE), 2013 13
SPECIALIST PRODUCTS BY PROVINCE SAN SEVERO ITEMS MADE OF WICKER AND/OR CANE
CASSANO AND ALBEROBELLO ITEMS MADE OF WICKER AND/OR CANE TERRACOTTA WHISTLES PAPER MACHE OBJECTS ● WROUGHT IRON AND COPPER ● ITEMS MADE OF WOOD ● ●
AEROPORTO ● INTERNO FOGGIA PRODUCTS MADE OF APRICENA (A.K.A TRANI) STONE
BARI
●
BAT
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WORKING FASANO ● OSTUNI STONE
(COMBINED DISTRICT OF BARLETTA-ANDRIA-TRANI) PRODUCTS MADE OF APRICENA (A.K.A TRANI) STONE ●
BRINDISI
● ●
● ●
●
GROTTAGLIE AND LATERZA ARTISTIC POTTERY
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TERRACOTTA POTTERY AND OTHER PRODUCTS PAPER MACHE OBJECTS EMBROIDERY AND TRADITIONAL WEAVING WROUGHT IRON AND COPPER WORKING WITH CARPARO AND LECCE STONE TRADITIONAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (TAMBOURINES) GLASS AND MOSAIC ART
LECCE
●
TARANTO ●
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WROUGHT IRON AND COPPER
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There are five types of stone quarried in Apulia all of which have always been used to beautify cities and create hand-made objects.
That is reflected in the famous majolica of Laterza (Taranto) that has been produced since the Middle Ages and is still an important part of the region’s handcrafts heritage. One example of the huge variety of pottery produced in Apulia can be seen in the famous terracotta whistles that started out as propitiatory objects used to wish for fertile soil and are now one of the best known symbols of Apulian craftsmanship.
FROM
CLAY
Clay is just one of the raw materials that abound in Apulia. Using this particular component of the soil to make objects was one of man’s first endeavours and in fact besides being particularly fertile, it is also the primary component needed to make pottery, an activity carried out in the region for centuries. Various centres of excellence have sprung up throughout Apulia, with Grottaglie (Taranto) leading the way as the only place in the region that can label its products with a D.O.C. certificate. That said, the history of Apulian pottery goes back to the beginning of time and the way it has evolved across the region differs in both appearance and technique.
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TO
TERRACOTTA WHISTLES
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Making pottery is an age-old tradition that flourishes throughout the region and particularly around Grottaglie (TA).
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HUMBLE
Working with paper mache, particularly widespread in the Lecce and Putignano areas, is considered one of the region’s most creative and representative handicrafts. These master craftsmen are able to turn paper mache into a multitude of inspired shapes including the so-called “pupi”, the religious statues used in nativity scenes, or the masks that play a key role in Putignano’s famous carnival.
MATERIAL BECOMES
Perfectly in tune with the philosophy of recycling – one of the key words of our time – the craftsmen working with paper mache breathe new life into a humble material, creating artistic objects that have a value. This particular craft arrived in Apulia in the 17th century, thanks to the Spanish who governed the territory at that time, and flourished thanks to the Venetian merchants with whom they established a thriving trade.
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ART
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Paper mache starts out as straw, rags, glue and plaster.
APULIAN
STITCHING, Craftwork is an art form that is part of the history of any land. The people, cultures and traditions have both conditioned and inspired the artisans of Apulia and this is certainly true of embroidery and weaving, the history of which is strongly entwined with the world of women. Traditionally in fact, the women in every family had to weave and then sew all the household linen, and ensured it was also embellished with embroidery and other trimmings.
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This skill, born of social necessity, was transformed into a handicraft par excellence that spread, in a great variety of styles, across the entire territory. Traces of Apulia’s historic rulers can still be seen in modern embroidery. One historic technique, the so called “fiocco”, which creates a puckered look, is characteristic of Apulia and has clear Saracen origins. Today, Apulia’s highly skilled weavers and embroiderers continue to create beautiful centrepieces, curtains, blankets, bedspreads, household linen, rugs and cushions.
A TALE OF
WOMEN 27
An old, 17th century loom used to pass down the prowess of Apulian weavers for more than five centuries – Alberobello (BA).
One of the most common woods used to make things is undoubtedly olive – the tree is, after all, the symbol of Apulia. Other plant materials used by Apulia’s artisans include wicker, willow and common cane. Originally utilized to make hampers and baskets for daily use, today they are also fashioned into objects of design.
ANCIENT
DESIGN MATERIALS
Craftsmen have always used the territory’s raw materials, especially those created by nature, like wood, willow and common reeds. These are materials that are easy to find and extremely environmentally sustainable, which is exactly what the architecture of the future demands, and working with wood is certainly one of the most successful of the sectors that use materials of plant origin.
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Centres associated with hand-crafted items in wood include the districts of Altamura, Gravina, Barletta and Monopoli as well as a few districts in the in southern Salento area.
The ancient art of weaving canes is still used today to create items used on a daily basis.
A
Apulia, Italy’s second largest stone extraction area, boasts five types of stone: from Apricena, Trani, Fasano-Ostuni, Carparo and Leccese. Used in building and for embellishing Apulia’s buildings and monuments, stone still inspires today’s craftsmen to turn it into objects and furnishing accessories that often end up as true works of art.
STONY LAND
Apulia is a region with an abundance of stone. More than in any other part of Italy, rocks here push their way through the surface of the soil and this has allowed man to use them as a basic commodity throughout time. A typical example of the strong link between man and stone can be seen in the dry walls that are emblematic of the Apulian countryside. Working with stone combines creativity and brute strength and the same few tools are used today, as in the past: chisels, saws and planes. 36
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Whether used in the most traditional of ways or in contemporary designs, Lecce stone is always versatile.
Bringing historical centres back to life is building appreciation for the outstanding workmanship of Apulian masons.
Wrought ironwork enjoyed a second period of great splendour at the beginning of the 20th century with the arrival of the so-called “Liberty” style – Italy’s version of Art Nouveau. The production of objects and copper is still thriving across the region, and includes fire irons, gates and gratings, beds and kitchen items.
WROUGHT IRON, AN APULIAN The Baroque period was a particularly magnificent era in Apulia, especially in the Salento and cities benefitted from the mastery of local craftsmen working on the construction of buildings and churches that are like none other in the world. One of the most widely used materials in this period – other than stone – was wrought iron, seen in balcony and stair rails, street lamps and candelabra across the region and in fact there are many examples of how Apulian artisans turned wrought iron into real works of art.
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EMBELLISHMENT
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Originally used in Apulia only to produce utensils, wrought iron later became a key element in buildings constructed during the Baroque period.
Working with glass also involves creating mosaics, another age-old art form to survive in Apulia and one that is becoming increasingly popular as a decorative element in homes and in cities.
THE
GLASS WORK AND
MOSAICS
Working natural glass began in Mesopotamia, probably around the 3rd millennium BC. Whilst it flourished throughout Italy, in Apulia, artistic glass work and mosaics became one of the region’s traditional art forms. The production of coloured glass – greatly influenced by the Venetian tradition – can be seen at its best in the windows of Apulia’s churches. Today, glassmaker’s workshops still turn out decorative furnishings created by combining glass with other raw materials typical of the region such as wood, stone or pottery.
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BEAUTIFY APULIA’S CHURCHES
THAT
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A detail of the Renaissance-period rose window in Otranto’s (LE) cathedral, built according to the canons of Gothic-Arab art.
Today, mosaics are still used in the age-old way to decorate and beautify buildings, churches homes and objects.
According to tradition, the “pizzica” originated from the bite of a tarantula which made the victim fall into a state of shock only broken by the sound of music and dancing – the only antidote for the spider’s poison. Top-quality stringed instruments are also produced in Apulia.
HOMESPUN MELODIES Music has marked the passage of man’s existence on earth since time began and he has been using his ingenuity to build musical instruments that can be used to play the most varied of tunes imaginable. Tambourines are undoubtedly one of the oldest instruments of all and there could be no better symbol of the music of southern Italy. The rediscovery of folklore is breathing new life into the craftsmanship needed to produce this instrument, a fundamental accompaniment to any traditional Salento “tarantella”, better known locally as a “pizzica” (bite or sting).
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The main centre for the manufacture of tambourines is Torrepaduli (LE).
Apulia is one of Southern Italy’s most dynamic regions. The development model to promote new synergies between businesses and research to improve infrastructure and the availability of a qualified workforce has proved to be a winning strategy for all manufacturing sectors.
The regional government ensures high standards in the management of international relations, as well as support for new foreign operations arriving in the territory.
INVESTING IN APULIA The great strength of the “Apulian model” is the guarantee of clear guidelines for economic operators, including the creation of incentive packages for all types of Apulian businesses that are dynamic, proactive leaders in their respective sectors, operating at an international level, open to experimentation, but also custodians of a heritage of rich artisanal traditions.
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Apulia’s strategic geographic position, its commitment to environmental sustainability, an avant-garde social welfare system, and the wealth of its social capital are also factors that make Apulia a region of beauty and also of interest, both for investment and as a place to live.
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A REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ATTENTIVE TO THE NEEDS OF COMPANIES THAT INVEST IN LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. A POSITIVE BUSINESS CLIMATE WITH A DYNAMIC ENTREPRENEURIAL SYSTEM.
APULIA’S AN EXCELLENT NETWORK OF RESEARCH CENTERS AND UNIVERSITIES.
A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE THE “APULIAN LIFESTYLE”. 58
A STRATEGIC GEOGRAPHIC POSITION WITH OPTIMAL INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS.
A HIGHLY QUALIFIED LABOR FORCE OPERATING IN AN EFFECTIVE LABOR MARKET.
STRENGTHS AN ATTRACTIVE SYSTEM OF INCENTIVES, AIMED BOTH AT NEW AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND AT PROMOTING THE ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXISTING REGIONAL PRODUCTIVE SYSTEM.
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Today, artisans use the territory’s raw materials to create objects of design.
In the hands of a craftsman, Apulian stone is turned into decorative objects and furnishings.
THE
INFRASTRUCTURE
INPLACE 12.000 KM OF ROADS
EXPORTS
332,000 ACTIVE BUSINESSES *
1.528 KM OF RAILWAY LINES
1 COMPANY FOR EVERY 12 CITIZENS **
2 INTERNATIONAL AND 2 DOMESTIC AIRPORTS
1.156 THOUSAND PEOPLE IN WORK ***
9 PORTS - COMMERCIAL AND PASSENGER 1 INTERPORT 98%
OF THE POPULATION HAS ACCESS TO BROADBAND (ITALIAN AVERAGE: 96,5%) *
* SOURCE: DATA FROM INVITALIA, DECEMBER 2013 64
ENTREPRENEURIAL NETWORK AND
7.9 BILLION EURO IN EXPORTS *** 2.039 OF EXPORTS DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2014 ****
+18,1% ON 2013)
(
* SOURCE: BARI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CCIAA), 2013 ** SOURCES: BARI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND ISTAT, 2013 *** SOURCE: ISTAT, 2013 **** SOURCE: ISTAT, 2014 65
UNIVERSITIES ANDRESEARCH
CENTERS
4 UNIVERSITIES (3 PUBLIC, 1 PRIVATE) 1 POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE 30 NETWORKS OF PUBLIC RESEARCH LABORATORIES 6
TECHNOLOGICAL CLUSTERS, RECOGNIZED BY THE NATIONAL MINISTRY FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
5 PUBLIC-PRIVATE AGGREGATIONS
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Apulia’s potters create traditional items as well as modern decorative objects for the home.
Overall the Apulia Region Government has activated investments of over 3 billion euro in its own territories, which is triple the base funds accessed from the public sector, at 865 million euro. For the next program of ERDF funds the regional government will provide allocations to the productive system of more than 2.4 billion euro, representing 44.36% of the entire regional ERDF Programme budget.
INCENTIVES FOR The strategic push towards synergies in the spheres of enterprise and production has created experimentation, innovation and transfers of knowledge and know-how. At the same time, the Regional Government has made available notable resources for the promotion and support of Apulia’s different economic sectors. The resources originate in large part from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and are directed towards firms of different sizes, present in the various productive sectors active in Apulia.
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DEVELOPMENT
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REGIONAL PROGRAMME CONTRACTS FOR LARGE ENTERPRISES 292 million euro were awarded to manufacturing firms for the development of activities and projects that have reinforced the competitiveness, the draw of investment and the development of employment in the region.
REGIONAL PROGRAMME CONTRACTS FOR THE TOURISM SECTOR With allocations of 50 million euro, this program has favored further growth in sustained off-peak tourism.
AID FOR MEDIUM-SIZED COMPANIES AND CONSORTIA OF SMALL-TO-MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES (INTEGRATED INCENTIVES PACKAGES) 201 million euro were allocated for activities in manufacturing, service industries, agro-food processing and commercialization, to create employment, social stability and economic dynamism.
AID FOR MEDIUM AND CONSORTIA OF SMALL-TO-MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ACTIVE IN TOURISM SECTOR (INTEGRATED INCENTIVES PACKAGES FOR THE TOURISM SECTOR) Applying a budget of 54 million euro, this intervention has further raised the standards of quality and classification in the Apulian tourism offer.
AID PACKAGES FOR MICRO & SMALL BUSINESS (TITLE II) Total allocations of 107 million euro have strengthened the economic activities of small and very small businesses, particularly through improved access to credit.
AID PACKAGES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES FOR TOURISTIC SECTOR (TITLE II – TOURISM) This instrument provided 25 million euro in aid to small and medium enterprises active in the tourism and lodging sectors, in management of tourist port and beach services, and to small and medium businesses that undertook new tourism and hotel initiatives, including the restorationrenovation of architecturally significant and historical properties.
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AID PACKAGES FOR INNOVATIVE SMALL BUSINESSES IN EARLY DEVELOPMENT This program, applying a total of 15 million euro, has stimulated the birth of micro and small enterprises based on productive applications of recent research results in the industrial sectors strategic to Apulia’s regional development (new materials, advanced logistics, advanced ICT manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental enhancement,
AID PACKAGES FOR SETTING UP OR MOVING TO SUBURBAN AREAS The Regional Government provided 10 million euro in support to business consortia and networks engaged in transferring their existing production systems away from cities with a population of over 40,000, towards extra-urban industrial areas and production parks.
public health, agro-food systems).
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: INTERNATIONALIZATION AID PACKAGES FOR OPERATIVE INNOVATIVE SMALL BUSINESSES With a budget of 15 million euro, this initiative has supported the consolidation and growth of innovative micro and small enterprise active in the strategic industrial sectors identified by the Apulia Region Government (new materials, advanced logistics, advanced ICT manufacturing, energy conservation and environmental enhancement, public health, agro-food systems). The program supported investment projects proposed by businesses already in operation.
INTEGRATED INCENTIVE PACKAGES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Over 49 million euro were allocated to the most dynamic of small Apulian businesses, for consolidation, innovative restructuring and expansion.
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The current call represents the first regional incentive program for business internationalization. With a budget of 20 million euro, the objective is to increase the number of exporters operating in Apulia.
NEW ENTERPRISE INITIATIVES (NIDI) This initiative of the Apulia Region Government is directed at women, youth, the unemployed, persons subject to layoff, contract staff and the self-employed, who wish to begin a new business. The program provides 54 million euro in forgivable loans and mortgage financing, with investment insurance of up to 80% or 100%.
REGIONAL TECHNOLOGICAL CLUSTERS FOR INNOVATION With a budget of 30 million euro, this instrument strengthens activities in industrial research, experimental development and innovation in micro, small, medium and large business, in the thematic sectors identified under the SmartPuglia2020 Strategy: Sustainable manufacturing; Environmental and personal health; Inclusive, creative and digital communities.
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“Artigiani per un giorno (Artisans for a day), is the slogan of a reform introduced by the regional government of Apulia that simplifies the work of an artisan by streamlining bureaucratic procedures.
REFORMS “Contenzioso veloce” is the form of “speedy litigation” introduced to allow artisans to resolve complaints within a month at most, thanks to the option to use internet, e-mail and text messages.
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The “International Charter of Artistic Craftsmanship” is not only a document that underlines the values and traditions that an artisan carries forward, it also contains proposals for a European-wide policy that will improve the working-life of artisans and their businesses. The Apulia Region subscribed to this international charter on 6 February 2012.
FOR
ARTISANS
“Botteghe scuola” – Workshop schools - and “Maestro Artigiano” – Master Craftsman – are two 2012 initiatives that established the criteria for identifying the workshops and artisans to be entrusted with passing on Apulian culture, art and craft to a new generation. The project aims to safeguard Apulia’s invaluable handicraft heritage and at the same time, promote youth employment.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROMOTION INITIATIVES OF THE APULIA REGIONAL GOVERNMENT Puglia Sviluppo S.p.A. SPRINT Apulia REGIONAL DESK FOR INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROMOTION
glimpse at manufacturing in Apulia
Via delle Dalie, angolo Via delle Petunie Zona Industriale – 70026 Modugno (BA) Italia Ph. +39 080 5498811 sprint@regione.puglia.it
© REGIONE PUGLIA Photography: Michele Stallo (except those on pages: 24, 32, 68) Printed in October 2014 by Stampa Sud S.p.A. - Mottola (TA)
EUROPEAN UNION
Project co-financed by the E.U., in accordance with the Operational Programme E.R.D.F. European Regional Development Fund Puglia 2007-2013 – Line 6.3., Action 6.3.2 “Initiatives in support of local business internationalisation”
APULIA REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYMENT AND INNOVATION POLICY DEPARTMENT International Business Promotion Office Corso Sonnino 177 70121 Bari Italy Ph. +39 080 540 47 47 Fax +39 080 540 47 43 servizio.internazionalizzazione@regione.puglia.it www.internazionalizzazione.regione.puglia.it www.regione.puglia.it www.sistema.puglia.it