The Charge of the Hundred A hundred Lombard companies are taking part at HOST thanks to a Union Camere Lombardia, Regione Lombardia and Fiera Milano Call for Applications, offering local businesses the chance to meet global demand

Milan, 18 October 2013 - One hundred businesses from every Lombardy province are poised to conquer global markets after joining the Call for Applications funded by Union Camere Lombardia, Regione Lombardia and Fiera Milano to take part free of charge as exhibitors at HOST, the professional Ho.Re.Ca Fair at Fiera Milano which runs between 18 and 22 October. Offering a broad and varied range of opportunities, this is the most important event in the market for professional hospitality and equipment for restaurants, pizzerias, bars, ice cream outlets, pastrymakers and hotels. “Made in Lombardy” products and services and quality products will have a front row seat and the chance to meet many buyers from Italy and around the world, all of whom are profiled through the Fiera Milano’s matching programme to generate targeted and profitable meetings for all companies involved in the project. In addition to the exhibition area, Fiera Milano is also providing the hundred Lombard enterprises with areas to meet buyers, along with exclusive services such as hostesses and interpreters to optimize buyers’ and industry professionals’ experience. Increasingly an international player in fair event organization, Fiera Milano continues to keep the faith and invest in Italian – and specifically Lombardy Region – business. Fiera Milano provides a revenue-generating conduit for top local products and services, showcasing Italy’s finest as part of a policy that once again is receiving full local government support.

“By promoting and supporting participation at this Fair, the Lombardy Chambers of Commerce have encouraged a hundred small Lombard businesses to compete on the international market – a market that may be complex but indubitably presents no end of opportunities to be seized. To make this a reality not only have we supported participation at the Fair, we have involved these companies in a true internationalization drive, from ad hoc training initiatives to providing expert advice on the most important international issues that, during the event, will allow them to fully leverage optimal conditions for developing their business,” says Francesco Bettoni, Chairman of Unioncamere Lombardia.

Lombardy Regional Government Councillor for Trade and Industry, Research and Innovation Mario Melazzini is all in favour of the drive: “As far as we’re concerned it’s vital to support participation by our companies at major events like HOST through tangible actions. Events like this have the merit of fostering internationalization; they offer companies the opportunity to showcase themselves to foreign investors as stakeholders capable of providing expertise and leading-edge competencies. At a time of challenging and fast-moving market conditions, we believe that it is of prime importance to deploy useful tools oriented not just towards promoting and making the most of accomplished local businesses, but which make it possible to keep competitiveness levels high while appealing to emerging foreign markets. The Regione Lombardia is keen to strengthen its commitment in this area, as it seeks to implement every action targeted towards the growth and development of the entire business system.” "With this initiative we are opening a qualified and key showcase like Host for the best hospitality and accommodation businesses in Lombardy," says Alberto Cavalli, Lombardy Regional Government Councillor for Commerce, Tourism and Services. "The Fair is now a strategic system for promoting the small, very small and medium-sized companies that are a pivotal part of our business community. During the event, one hundred such companies will have access to free training and refresher courses and to an intense business agenda designed to foster direct and effective meetings for parties from the supply and demand sides of the market. Our entrepreneurs will network with international buyers of high standing, streamlining their way into new markets - a necessary course today for those wishing to grow and overcome the crisis."

The Union Camere and Regione Lombardia Call for Applications has attracted firms from across the Lombardy region: twenty-three companies from the Province of Bergamo, nine from Brescia, three from Como, one from Cremona, six from Lecco, fifteen from the Province of Monza and Brianza, twenty-three from the Province of Milan, three from Mantua, five from Pavia, three from Sondrio and nine from Varese. To find out more about Host: www.host.fieramilano.it, @Host2013 #Host2013.

Fiera Milano Press Office Rosy Mazzanti – Simone Zavettieri Tel. +39 02 4997.7457, e-mail [email protected] Flaviana Facchini PR Tel. +39 339 6401271, e-mail [email protected]

Unioncamere Lombardia Press Office Iris Eforti: Tel. +39 02.607960259 – [email protected]

Lombardy Region Government Press Office Tiziana Zaffino: Tel. +39 02.67656868 – tiziana_zaffino @regione.lombardia.it