6 minute read
Water Business in Italy
water business in italy ‘The Dutch want to move too quickly sometimes’
Readers of WaterProof magazine know that we regularly address the water technology challenges in Southern Europe. With good reason, water scarcity is a global problem, and the cries for freshwater are soon expected to become louder, especially from the dry south. With that in mind, doing business in Italy is high on many a Dutch water technology company’s wish list. The question is: where do you start? An interview with Juliette Douglas, Business Development Liaison at Water Alliance and Godelieve Cooymans of Proaxxes.
juliette from portugal
Juliette, let’s start with a brief bird’s eye perspective on Southern Europe. Can you briefly outline the biggest challenges for each country there? There is water scarcity, but water is still not very expensive anywhere in Europe, and that tempers the sense of urgency. It creates tension between technological possibilities, supply and demand, and investments in solutions. I see a turnaround, though. The interest in solutions is growing in Southern Europe, too.
Suppose your company has a water technology solution that you would like to market in Southern Europe. Where do you start? Try to gather as much relevant market info as possible. This can be done through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency [RVO, ed.] or the Water Alliance. I would also recommend joining webinars and attending networking events when they become possible again. Prepare those events well; think about what you want to achieve and who you could contact.
What are the main pitfalls for companies? The Dutch want to move too quickly sometimes. What I like about the Southern European mentality is that it is primarily based on mutual trust and establishing a bond. That takes time and patience. Business is done with people, not products, and you should take the time for it.
You have worked for the Water Alliance for years from the Netherlands and have now been based in Portugal for a year. What is it like to continue your work from Southern Europe? It took me some time to find my feet. Working mostly online slowed things down initially, but I can now say that coronavirus has actually made things easier because everyone suddenly started working from home and mostly online, just like me. I still visit the office in the Netherlands every two to three months, which is a nice balance when working from another country. One advantage of being in Southern Europe yourself is that it is easier to understand how things work.
Let’s focus on Italy for a moment. In the past year, you have put a lot of effort into paving the way for Dutch water technology companies. Drawing up the balance now, what has been achieved so far? Our members have expanded their network in Italy and established contacts. Maintaining contacts and seizing opportunities is up to the companies themselves, obviously, but we will remain active in providing opportunities. At the end of October, we will be attending the Ecomondo trade fair in Rimini, together with eight Dutch water technology companies. There are bound to be some great opportunities there.
Can you briefly explain how your collaboration with Proaxxes came about? That also started at Ecomondo. I was there in 2019 and was able to see how Proaxxes works: professionally and energetically. That is why we partnered up for this edition of the event. I think we can offer Dutch companies a firm foothold on Italian soil.
What kind of relationships are relevant in Southern Europe and how does such a relationship stand to benefit? I like building relationships with organizations or people who are open to collaboration and partnerships with the Netherlands. For example, in Portugal, we are in close contact with the Portuguese Water Partnership, the Embassy and the Dutch-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce. These are often parties with interesting networks who are also looking for new international partners. Connecting that network to ours provides added value for both parties.
water business in italy
godelieve from florence
Godelieve, to begin, who are you and what do you do, exactly? My name is Godelieve Cooymans, and I have been living in sunny Italy for 24 years. I run Proaxxes from Florence with an Italian partner. We have a closeknit team with six Italian employees. We mostly work in the technological sectors in Italy; here, we mainly deal with Business Development, primarily for Dutch companies. Our working method is quite far-reaching; when a company decides to open a local branch, we even go as far as to host and manage it for them. We become the integrated partner of the management. It is a rather unique solution.
Is there a big difference in doing business between the Netherlands and Italy? As Juliette pointed out, the biggest difference is the rush that Dutch companies are in—they want to go to market right away. Italians are not like that, predominantly because it is a large industrialized country with many local providers. As an outsider, you have to prove yourself. One way to get a foothold is to recognize a problem with a party and then immediately provide a solution for the ‘case owner’. Water Alliance mostly works through that track. Where do the opportunities lie for Dutch companies in Italy? There are plenty of opportunities. For example, the water distribution system is in poor condition. In a volcanic country like Italy, there is also a lot of land subsidence and erosion, and attention to water efficiency is increasing. One great opportunity is the EU’s generous funding to Italy through the Next Generation EU fund. Many plans are now emerging regarding circular economy.
How do Water Alliance and Proaxxes work together? Proaxxes and Water Alliance have known each other for quite some time now. We assisted Water Alliance with a major matchmaking event in 2017 as part of a trade mission to Italy that included King Willem-Alexander, Maxima and Hein Molenkamp [Managing Director of Water Alliance, ed.]. Proaxxes sought out contacts for Water Alliance for that event, and we worked on several projects together in the following years.
How do you experience the collaboration with Water Alliance? Extremely pleasant, very efficient, to the point and personal. Water Alliance members have real innovations to offer, which is also reflected in the responses from the Italian parties we have talked to so far.
On 22 June 2021, there was an Italy-specific webinar; how does something like that work? The webinar was attended by Water Alliance members, NX Filtration, CE-line, Van Remmen, VDH, Staal Instruments and Hatenboer Water. During the webinar, companies had the opportunity to pitch themselves to the problem owner. In this case, it was Sfera Agricola, a major greenhouse grower operating in Tuscany. They grow tomatoes, leafy vegetables— mainly basil—and supply them to supermarkets. They use a lot of rainwater for irrigation, but they need wells in the summer. They were not completely happy with their setup; however, there were numerous questions about desalination and disinfection and how to reuse water. The Dutch companies submitted proposals, several of which will probably be followed up.
