The Emilian company Sacmi, a global leader in industrial plant engineering, started an operation of 9.9 million euro to expand an industrial plant in the ceramic sector in Ukraine.
The export credit was granted by UniCredit and guaranteed by SACE, in favour of the Ukrainian company Epicentr K – active in the wholesale and retail distribution of DIY products, furniture, and household items – for the purchase of the new production line built by SACMI.
Located in the city of Kalynivka, Epicentr Ceramic Corporation‘s plants will be able to increase their own production capacity from 6 to 9 million square metres per year.
“The success of this project is a source of pride for our company. Firstly, the supply includes the innovative Continua+ technology that makes us the world leader in solutions for producing large ceramic slabs – the ones most valued and appreciated by the market. Secondly, because it represents an effective example of Italy’s ability to ‘work as a system’, teaming up the best industrial, institutional and financial resources” said SACMI Imola Chairman, Paolo Mongardi.
Sacmi is a world leader in industrial plant engineering, supplying machines, technologies and complete systems for the ceramics, rigid packaging, chocolate and advanced materials sectors. Founded in Imola as a small mechanical workshop in the early postwar years with a share capital of 4,500 Italian lire (today just over 2 euros) and a staff of 9 people, including mechanics and blacksmiths, nowadays it has become an important global player in industrial plant engineering.
The Sacmi Group steadily develops almost 85% of its business abroad, with over 80 production, distribution and service companies operating in 30 countries. Its brand and logo are recognised and protected in over 100 countries worldwide.
Ukraine, on the other hand, is a prominent partner for the Italian market. According to the ICE data, Italian exports to Ukraine, between January and September 2018, amounted to almost 1.2 billion euros. In the same period of the previous year, the figure was equal to 998.98 million euros and in 2019 Italian companies achieved a turnover of approximately 1.8 billion euros in the Ukrainian territory. The most exported goods in recent years have been machinery and equipment, with a value of 366, 91 million euros in 2017, 426.15 million euros in 2018 and 455.33 million euros in 2019.
Although in 2020 the sales value was 1,540.1 euros, with a (-4.1% in the first eleven months of the year compared to the same period of the previous year, it is estimated that in 2021 exports to Ukraine should restart by the sale of instrumental mechanics (+12.5%).
