Lancia Urban Bike

Above is Lancia's urban bike. 

"The Lancia Urban Bike is a concept bicycle created by Italian automaker Lancia in collaboration with MomoDesign. Its design is unique, and the bicycle has been designed to provide optimal riding performance and comfort while being minimal in weight. The bike has been described as rustproof, due to its parts being made from carbon fiber, aluminum and magnesium. Its frame is designed to absorb bumps, which abates the need for a suspension system."

Also, the 8-speed gearbox is by Shimano as well as fitted with titanium reinforcement.

More here.




"The Lancia MomoDesign Urban Bike, a hypertechnological bicycle, is a product of the rewarding, ongoing, partnership between Lancia and MomoDesign. Constructed in a limited, numbered series, the new two-wheeler stands out for its beautifully refined design, high technology, and attention to detail with everything at the service of the utmost comfort. These are the winning features that have always been part of Lancia cars, as can be seen in the MomoDesign Ypsilon Sport, the new twin soul (dynamic look and innate elegance) version which further enhances the range in the eyes of the younger clientele, always on the lookout for a sports vehicle at an accessible price" 

Pininfarina, for its part, offers its own urban folding bicycle. Folding bikes go back to 1890s when they were used in the French army.

Can A Car Be Art? Yes, When The Italians Make Them

The breathtaking Alfa Romeo 8C.



Top Gear, just to add, is enjoyable.

Okay, it has issues but it is a looker!

It has heart and soul.

Which is interesting because post-modern Italian art had been defined by the concept of function over form. But with the Alfa, the opposite was the focus. 

Contemporary Metal Art

From the works of Fabio Pallanti from Maremma.

These contemporary Italian sculptures are the creation of Fabio Pallanti, a talented Italian jewelry designer and Florentine goldsmith who has turned his hand to sculpturing with the metals he knows so well. - See more at: http://www.maremmaguide.com/contemporary-italian-sculptures.html#sthash.KWpChzJL.dpuf

These contemporary Italian sculptures are the creation of Fabio Pallanti, a talented Italian jewelry designer and Florentine goldsmith who has turned his hand to sculpturing with the metals he knows so well.

 

Having spent over 38 years as first an apprentice an then as a goldsmith in Florence, Fabio now lives and works in Maremma, Italy close to the Mediterranean sea that he loves.
From his silver and goldsmith workshop of STILE DI PALLANTI where he designs and makes unique Italian jewelry, he now also creates incredibly tactile sculptures that are completely hand-made in solid sterling silver, copper and brass.
- See more at: http://www.maremmaguide.com/contemporary-italian-sculptures.html#sthash.KWpChzJL.dpuf

Italic Flavor In Sochi

The diving gear used to carry Olympic Torch in Lake Baikal made by DiveSystem:

"Working very close to several Italian and European Military Special Forces, we are used to create very peculiar products. The fact of making directly in the same place (in Italy) all our equipment, allows us to better combine the maximum quality and the maximum flexibility in manufacturing our products. The dry suit we have created for Sochi Olympic Games has not particular technical characteristics. All our products are made to face the extreme conditions that Olympic dry suits have had to face for several years! The main peculiarity of Olympic products we have created (we have also realised two different kind of fins) is the very characteristic Khokhloma printing. We took advantage of the support of several local manufacturers to apply to neoprene the particular printing as well as the Olympic logo. It has been a very hard work but the final effect is spectacular."

Pisa's Important Role In Education

When I visited Pisa back in 1990, it was explained to me that this 'sleepy' but once important city-state in the Middle-Ages and Renaissance, was a strong university town. 

It's obviously critical to have a strong University system in place in order to ensure a country continues to advance in various disciplines.

Two such highly ranked and reputable schools are The Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (which has embraced nano-technology studies) along with Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies make up the Pisa University system.

The list of notable alumni (which includes Andrea Bocelli, Enrico Fermi, and Galileo) is impressive.

Water Technology: MOSE To Save Venice

MOSE is a fascinating engineering project charged with preventing the city of Venice from sinking by protecting it from floods.

From watertechnology.net:

"...Venice is under serious threat due to the rise in sea level and sinking of land at an alarming rate. The MOSE project will protect the Venetian Lagoon from being submerged by the Adriatic Sea and protect the famous city of Venice and the neighbouring areas from flooding. It is expected to be operational by 2014

MOSE, the Italian word for Moses, is an acronym for Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico, which means Experimental Electromechanical Module. The name aptly alludes to the story of Moses parting the Red Sea.

The project will prevent flooding through the installation of 78 mobile gates at three inlets, namely Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia, which will separate the Venetian Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea..."

"A total of 78 mobile gates are being laid at the bottom of the seabed as part of the MOSE project. They are 92ft long, 65ft wide and will weigh 300t. The mobile gates being laid at the bottom of the inlet channel are supported by 125ft long steel and concrete pilings, measuring 500mm in diameter and 20m in length, driven into the lagoon bed.

The floodgates consist of a metal box structure. Compressed air is pumped into the structure when a tide of more than 110m height is expected. The air will rise up the barriers to the surface of the water to block the flow of the tide and prevent water from flowing into the lagoon.

Floodgates are hollowed at the bottom, to allow the blowing of compressed air. They will be filled with water and lowered into the seabed when there is no harm of flooding. The floodgates at each inlet will function independently depending on the force of the tide expected..."

 More at Telegraph.

Lampre: Where Steel, Art And Cycling Meet

Caught a couple of Stages at the Tour Down Under this past week-end while my daughter recovered from a bad cold and fever.

Won by Australia's native son Simon Garrens by a precious second over compatriot Cadel Evans and a mere five over Italian cyclist Diego Ulissi who finished third overall.

A former two-time UCI's Junior World Road Race (a race Italians completely dominate) Ulissi races for the Italian based Lampre-Merida team.

Which led me to look into Lampre.

Lampre specialises in pre-coated steel production.

As is usually the case in Italy, art never strays too far off from industry. From their website in link:

"If we had to think of a concept to be matched to steel, we would hardly think of art. For Lampre, on the other hand, the two worlds are not far away, indeed.

The motto stylish steel has in fact characterized Lampre during the past years, because the aim is to achieve stylish manufactured products by following the latest market trends, working with meticulous attention to details, respecting and achieving the highest standards of quality.
Our contemporary society assigns to aesthetic an almost absolute value, often at the expense of quality. Lampre supports the inseparability of these two aspects, instead, by promoting only materials that enclose the essence of both."

Lampre-Merida is currently ranked 14th in the world.

Ferrari Unveils New F1 Car For 2014

Will this be the design to bring them back to the Constructors pinnacle?

Ferrari is basically the only team in F1 where the car arguably matters more than the drivers. While Alonso and Raikkonen will look to win a title, the Ferrari mystique remains a top priority has it always had throughout its illustrious history.

Alenia Aeronautical's Aviation Design

Alenia (Aermacchi) Aeronautica manufacturers the C-27J Spartan transport aircraft principally used by the Italian, Greek and soon Australian (2015) air forces as well as the USAF for its Joint Cargo aircraft. Its production is nor estricted to airplanes and includes drones and missiles both as Alenia and in collaboration with other manufacturers.

Website here.

Among its successes it includes the unmanned combat air vehicle (fancy way of saying drone) Sky-X and Alenia ITV:

"...The Alenia ITV is a technology demonstrator aircraft developed in Italy in the early 21st century. In the spring of 2003, Alenia Aeronautica of Italy unveiled a non-flying ground-test prototype of a half-scale UCAV demonstrator, known as an "Integration Technology Vehicle (ITV)", with a flight prototype to follow."

The Role Of Venice In The History Of Business

Florence is often cited as the spiritual and practical head of capitalism where Western civilization is concerned. However, it wasn't the only big player in the most successful economic system ever devised.

Before it there was Venice and still before each existed Rome. Once their economic relevance passed Italy came to have its famous Milan-Torino-Genoa economic triangle in the 20th century.  In this way, it should surprise absolutely no one why Italy possesses the business, manufacturing and industrial heritage it possesses.

Business Insider summarizes the long, complicated Venetian business culture pretty well.

Genoa is of particular interest. A fierce rival of Venice during the Middle-Ages, it managed to maintain its economic prowess well into the 20th century.

Interestingly, the contemporary talk of globalization was no different back then. Globalized trade has always been with us and Venice and Genoa were perfect examples of this phenomena. Italian merchants were trading as far off as the Volga river during the early Middle-Ages.

The innovations found in Venice (the birthplace of capitalism) remain with us to this very day from double-entry book keeping, bank deposit processes and joint-stock companies. As a uniquely and strictly business society (Yes, it owes much of it success to generous treaties with Byzantium as the article mentions, but Venice earned those stripes in blood and money by defending Byzantium - spiritual head of the Roman empire whom the Venetians descended from - right until it was toppled by the Turks in 1453. It also took to Crusading as a lucrative endeavor)  it only make sense they would come up with new innovations to match increasingly complex commercial practices.

Between Rome, Florence, Genoa and Venice Italy has provided a lasting massive influence and impact on modern business.

It's interesting to note, and this is the purpose of this blog, that today travelers and tourists come to Italy for its art and architecture but this neglects (to me anyway) its commercial and industrial heritage roots.

After all, grandeur and beauty comes usually after you have the funds to pay for it.

Solar Energy Growing In Italy

May as well keep in with the Green theme.

Rete Rinnovabile (RTR) is a leading solar company in Europe and largest solar energy producer in Italy.

RTR is Italy's largest solar energy producer, and one of Europe's leading companies in this sector. Supported by its shareholder Terra Firma, RTR quickly built the largest solar portfolio in Italy, displaying leadership and management capabilities at the highest levels.

Fashion: Italian Made Goods Remain Popular

Fashion/textile industry proposals to Italian policy makers. Read here:

Intesa Sanpaolo and Sistema Moda Italia: together to help textile and fashion manufacturers grow in international markets

•

In 2012 exports of textiles & clothing stabilised at 2011 levels

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Exports: excellent results, particularly in Russia (+10.9%), Japan (+16.8%), the US (+17.3%) and China (+18.7%)

•

Internationalisation, growth and innovation: strategic leverages to economic recovery.

 

"...Since domestic demand is expected to remain weak throughout 2013, companies in the fashion industry will need to place even greater emphasis on exports, prioritise the qualityy of their products and seek out new sources of growth in foreign markets, where demand is picking up and Italian-made goods are particularly popular."

 

 For Italian companies, exporting and 'globalizing' is key to their success:

“Italy is making an increasing name for itself as a manufacturer of luxury goods for

consumers worldwide....as a result, it is becoming ever more urgent to safeguard the entire supply chain. Companies upstream are being worst affected: textile exports fell by 3.6% in 2012 and our main textile manufacturing areas are at risk, with export figures well below the pre-crisis levels. However, there are also some fineexamples of textile manufacturers who have improved their results by prioritising qualityand globalisation."

Italy's High-Speed Trains Offer Advanced Technology

From Forbes:

"Right now, Italy is Europe’s cutting-edge country when it comes to high-speed trains. It not only has two versions, but they’re competing in a socialist-capitalist drama. In one corner is Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa, Italy’s state-owned TGV, and in the other, the privately owned Italo, which launched in April. It was created by two of Italy’s most powerful businessmen, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, CEO of Ferrari, and Diego Dalle Valle, CEO of Tod’s.  In effect, Montezemolo and Dalle Valle said to Trenitalia, “see you and raise you one.”

Bold mine - and no kidding.

There are wrinkles they need to weed out but it's a start. Anytime the free-market is given a chance the consumer stands to gain.

More Green News

While Italy has cracked into the top 10 in terms of green investment behind USA, UK, Germany, Spain and Canada, there are challenges.

From Eurofound:

"Two distinctive features of Italy’s “green agenda” emerge from this CAR. Firstly, as stressed by the social partners concerned, Italian legislation on renewable energy is incomplete. The 2008 Budget Law mentions various measures, but they have not yet been implemented. Also lacking is a systematic concern with economic and, especially, employment potential. Scant references are made to incentives for training or to enterprise start-ups in this sector. The second feature is the influence of the territorial variable on the quantity and the quality of the ‘green’ initiatives undertaken. In fact, some regions are much more active than others."

Still, there are positives from Panorama:

"It is interesting to notice that Green Italy report has counted nearly 40 per cent of Italian companies belonging to the “green” category, and that this sector has planned to employ 216,500 people in 2013, which means a bit more than a third of new jobs that will be offered in Italy this year (563,400), usually with long-terms contracts rather than seasonal ones. 

Less surprising is the fact that these companies have been responsible of more than 60 per cent of research and development hires in Italy, and nearly half of their workers is under 30.
The report states that this trend will surely strengthen in the near future, and it stresses that this evolution will have a strong impact on Italian exports. To confirm this forecast, the report highlights that in 2012, 42 per cent of Italian green companies found it easy to sell their products abroad.
Finally, green companies have also been praised for their innovative touch. GreenItaly report highlighted that 30.4% green groups recently approached the market with entirely new products or services, compared to 16.8% of non-green companies. 

A few years ago, green economy was approached as an answer to the crisis itself. Since then, it has not disappointed any expectation."

According to Innovasjon, the Italian green economy is booming and see opportunities for Norwegian companies to invest in Italy:

"Italy still represents one of best market for the companies operating in the green economy sector. This is what is reported in the survey "Green Economy on capital markets 2012" carried out by Vedogreen and published on the occasion of the presentation of the "Good Energy Award 2013". The study stresses how Italy despite a slowdown during the first quarter of 2012, still offers the best market opportunities, with increasing incomes of seven percent."

 

Greening Italy: Italian Companies Jump On Green Technology

Italy increasing investment in 'green technology' as it sees it as a way out of an economic recession with 20% of companies now investing in it - particularly with regards to the high unemployment rates among the young.

From Gazzetta del Sud:

''Not only is there an Italy which is making it thanks to the green economy, but the green economy can help the country make it'', said Environment Minister Andrea Orlando at the presentation of the fourth annual 'GreenItaly' study in Milan on Monday. 

 Data from the report ''showed that those who invested in the green economy proved more resilient during the crisis and succeeded better in taking advantage of the recovery'', added Orlando. The green economy sector, which is based on sustainable development, social equity, and the reduction of environmental risks, attracted companies which ''invested in innovation, technology and research''. 

Firms investing in the green economy will be making 38% of all projected hires in the industrial and services sectors this year - an estimated 216,500 out of a total of 563,000, the report found. 

Green economy companies moreover will make up 61.2% of all research and development hires in Italy and 42% of all hires of workers under 30 in 2013. Youth unemployment in Italy reached a record of 40.1% last month. Eco-friendly investments have benefited exports with 42% of the 34,000 Italian green manufacturing firms exporting their products abroad in 2012. 

Green firms also tend to be innovators. In the manufacturing sector, 30.4% of green firms produced entirely new products or services compared to 16.8% of non-green enterprises. More than half of Italy's green firms - 52% - are based in the northern Lombardy region which has 60,000 eco-enterprises, 18% of the total, the report found. Italy's capital Rome Is the province with the largest number of companies investing in the green economy with 20,450 firms, about 6.2% of the total. The country's financial capital Milan follows with Turin, in the North-West, and Naples and Bari in the South. About 28.5% of green firms are based in the South, followed by central Italy which has 19.8%. On a regional level, the north-eastern Veneto region has 30,670 green companies - 9.4% of the total - followed by the central Emilia-Romagna and Lazio with 28,000 companies each, 8.6% of the total, then Piedmont, Campania, Tuscany, Puglia, Sicily and Marche. 

According to Ermete Realacci, who chairs the Symbola Foundation and the Lower House environment committee, investing in the green economy also implies investing in innovation and quality. ''Saying that 'when Italy acts, Italy makes it' can sound like a slogan but it's true'', he said."