Arrivederce e ciao!

The MIA's first Business Development Visit to Italy has been declared a major success by the 10 delegates involved. All returned with a much stronger understanding of the culture and motorsport history of Italy, as well as some invaluable new business contacts. Interestingly, some of the hosts were adamant that Italy needed a closer relationship with British industry, and foundations have already been laid for the mission to be run on an annual basis: also to welcome Italian companies to the UK next year.

Visits were made to: Oral Engineering; Lamborghini; Ducati; Dallara; Aerolab and Pagani, which allowed the party to meet such motorsport legends as Mauro Forghieri (Oral), Gian Paolo Dallara (Dallara) and Jean Claude Migeot (Aerolab).

Said delegate Geoff Le Good of Admeasure Scanning, "My objectives were: gathering market intelligence; investigating new markets; expanding business with existing customers and finding new customers. I was pretty much able to achieve all of these."

Said the MIA's Sally Heyward who organised the group, "It is clear there is huge scope for such European visits. For 2008 we plan to visit France, Germany and Spain. Not only will these visits open up new markets and business opportunities for our members, but deliver new international members for the MIA."