ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Anna Garbagna tells us about a new alliance in Italy’s professional cleaning sector.

There is a ‘new birth in the cleaning world: from ANIP-Confindustria (National Association of Cleaning and Integrated Services Companies); ANID (National Pest Control Association); ASSOSISTEMA (Association Integrated Industrial System of Goods and Textile Services and Doctor Related); and UNIFerr (National Union of companies undertaking activities of cleaning and integrated services for the railways), comes Confindustria Servizi Hygiene, Cleaning & Facility Services, Labour Safety Solutions.

This important alliance was created within Confindustria by the union of four related associations which will perform this common role to promote a growing sector that involves huge numbers of workers. Which makes it important in social and economic terms for the whole country.

Highlighting services

ANIP is the sector’s national association which represents and protects companies delivering cleaning and multiservices at national and EU level - and at political, institutional and trade union level. It is a founding member of EFCI, the pan-European contract cleaning body based in Brussels.

This is an alliance which aims to highlight the integrated services sector in Italy, as explained by the new board with Lorenzo Mattioli from ANIP-Confindustria as president and Marco Benedetti (ANID), Marco Marchetti (ASSOSISTEMA) and Pietro Auletta (UNIFerr) in the presidential council. Laura Giorgia Arpino (UNIFerr), Francesco Marrone (ANIP – Confindustria), Salvatore Taschetti (ANID), Fabio Luppino (ASSOSISTEMA) are in the general council while Matteo Nevi (ASSOSISTEMA) is director and  Barbara Fiorucci (ANIP – Confindustria) is vice-director.

The association’s objectives are clear and multiple: to create synergy among its components: first of all to represent, protect, assist and support companies on the political and institutional level; to reinforce and increase identity and sense of belonging to the Italian industrial system represented by Confindustria; to encourage modernisation and streamlining of  the industrial relations system; to increase competition within the sectors; to promote a culture of enterprise, respect for the law and compliance with rules, with particular attention to specific policies for development and growth of the services sector.

“This new federation represents an important step for the industrial service’s world, whose importance, now more then ever, must be brought to the attention of policy makers,” said Lorenzo Mattioli. “This new reality represents 565,915 operators, equivalent to over 41,000 companies with actual turnover of €2.7 billion.”

Such scale, Mattioli added, will have a greater weight in the Confindustria system, following the path indicated by the presidency of Vincenzo Boccia, ie, making Confindustria more representative. “We are the companies  that guarantee well-being of citizens and the cleanliness of cities and workplaces: those ‘services for life’ making a country modern and safe.

“There is increased visibility of services in Italy: we are leaders in the economy and in the market.”