by Stefano Colletta
stefano.colletta@tecnichenuove.com
An old Chinese proverb says so: “When it rains the foolish curses the gods, the wise procures an umbrella”. After all, when a problem arises, somewhere there is a solution. Moreover, this makes concern useless. And where there is no problem, it is even sillier to worry. East. On the other hand, the European economy strives to find a balance and to restart. Too many taxes, too many costs, few profits and few margins. Most economists had told us in 2013 that the crisis would be behind, overcome, just an old memory in 2014. On the contrary, it has still shown its sharp teeth and it has inflicted wounds. West. It is up to you to decide which side to take, what attitude to follow. I daresay that it is more convenient to think, seriously and pervasively, that the world has moved on. It is better to understand how to dominate the complexity of our times, trying to estimate and to manage the degree of exposure to risks, on one hand absorbing shocks and on the other hand recovering our spirits every time we fall and going to do business wherever possible. This principle is valid for all sectors and all products, for the iron and steel industry, too, for ferrous and not ferrous materials.
We welcome, then, with respect the 2% growth of the world iron and steel production, in the only first 10 months of 2014. We are boosted by the fact that behind us only the 2012-year scored a lower growth (+1.2%) than the mentioned one. Let us take +15% in 2010 or also +6.8% in 2011 as new targets to be reached for the whole international iron and steel field. Let us accept willingly and with joyful spirit that, according to the World Steel Association’s subdivision that has split the world into 9 productive iron and steel macro-areas, a good 5 achieve growth rates exceeding the average. Among them, Europe ranks second after Middle East. Despite hindrances, Italy is getting by, and in fact we have a credit balance because we export (+5.7% versus 2013) more than what we import (+5% versus 2013). Besides, for 2015, we expect again the 2% rise of the world iron and steel industry, with a leading Indian Group (also French) that tries to contrast the 28 Chinese steel producers, with an overall production corresponding to 69.8% of the world total produced and consumed. Incidentally: among the primary iron and steel producers in 2013, in the first 35 places, no manufacturer represents Italy. Is it then the time of looking at East, of operating on international scale, of innovating products and factories, of attracting foreign capitals to boost the Italian iron and steel industry, of freeing enterprises from traps and snares and flying towards Arab, African and Asian Countries, where great works are still devised, designed and implemented? What do you think about that?
In the picture Technial director of Subfornitura News published by Tecniche Nuove e general manager of New Explora srl.
