Last year Simest approved 75 Italian business projects inside and outside the border, with a commitment of 170 million euros (+38% compared to 2010). This sum will make it possible to make overall investments of around one and a half billion euros, mainly for "made in Italy" machinery and plants. The sectors are those of excellence of Italian companies: electromechanical/mechanical, agri-food, energy, chemical-pharmaceutical, services, rubber/plastic.
As for the financial statements, 2011 closes for the public-private merchant bank which promotes the competitive development of Italian companies with revenues of 45 million euros, operating margin of 22,4 million euros (50% of revenues), profit before taxes of 18,8 million euros (42% of revenues) and net profit of 12,2 million euros (27% of revenues). Simest's majority shareholder is the Ministry of Economic Development, but the company is also owned by the main Italian banks and by Confindustria.
“An even better result than last year, because we accompany the most dynamic companies in their competitive development – comments Massimo D'Aiuto, managing director and general manager of Simest – who have been able to seize opportunities on growing markets, through the tools and assistance that we put at their disposal. This allows Simest to distribute a dividend of 6,3 million euros. The possibility of the purchase by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti of the majority stake in Simest, now held by the Ministry of Economic Development, as envisaged by the "Development Decree" of recent days, is part of a positive development for the purpose of strengthening our business and strong synergies with CDP, which will make it possible to increasingly support the development of Italian companies abroad and the strengthening of production and innovation in Italy".
As regards export credit, commercial development and the new financing for the capitalization of exporting SMEs, the subsidized instruments managed by Simest for the internationalization of Italian companies, 2011 projects were approved in 600, for a total value of approximately 4 billion and 600 million euros.
