Trade & Promotion

Trade & Promotion

Support for Italian Business in the Midwest

In addition to providing the normal consular services, the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago performs functions of promotion for the "Italian System" in the Midwest and assists Italian businesses having an interest in this region. To this end, the Consulate General benefits from the collaboration of external institutions, including the Italian Trade Commissioner of Chicago (ICE), the Italian American Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, the Board of Directors of the Italy Midwest Exchange(IME) and the Italian Travel Office (ENIT).

The "McCormick Center", "Merchandise Mart", and "Rosemont Center" uphold Chicago’s role as a hub for trade exhibits in North America. In this context, the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago offers every possible assistance to commercial enterprises, both private and institutional, within its consular jurisdiction of the Midwest (Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming).

For its area of competence, the Consulate General assists the commercial office of the Embassy of Italy in Washington D.C. in gathering and preparing statistical data relating to the progress of the economy in the Midwest. It also assists the Embassy of Italy in preparing trade reports for official use.

According to specific demands, the Consulate General of Italy in Chicago, can help direct Italian Italian businesses interested in the resources which can provide information on the possibility of

"joint ventures", bids for contracts, and investment opportunities.

In the case of commercial questions, the Consulate General acts in fostering, above all, an accord among the parties indicating qualified and specialized sources for resolution of any controversies or disagreements.

The contact at the Consulate General:

ICE system

Promotion specific to commodity trading is handled mainly by the structure of the Italian Trade Commission (ICE) in the United States.

ICE-Chicago has primary expertise - for the entire United States - in the areas of mechanics and investment goods, including also the sectors of tool machinery, packaging, and manufacturing of rubber and plastics.

Particular attention is dedicated to the areas of graphic arts and publishing, evident in a recent project which ICE began for the promotion of Italian publishing in America, in collaboration with the diplomatic-consular structure and the Italian Cultural Institutes in the United States. ICE-Chicago assists other ICE offices in the USA in the organization of trade events in the Chicago area, for their specific sectors of competence, for example: furniture, food and wine, fashion, etc..

For commercial information regarding the types, the locations and various general facts of Italian companies in the U.S. and Italy, Italian and American enterprises may contact the ICE offices.

Italy Midwest Exchange (IME)

IME: This group of Italian representatives (nonprofit organization) was established in Chicago in 1991, under the name of the Italy Midwest Exchange". Its Board of Directors is made up of bank managers, contractors, professionals and officials of Italian institutions present in Chicago. IME organizes seminars and meetings with the goal of promoting a positive image of Italy both in the economic sphere as well as in the scientific and cultural fields. For more information, we invite you to visit the website:

Italian American Chamber of Commerce (IACC)

Assistance to small and medium size Italian businesses, especially those associated with the Italian Chamber of Commerce network (AssoCamereEstero), is provided also by the Italian American Chamber of Commerce of Chicago. For the Italian-American Chamber in Chicago, the promotion of "Made in Italy" generally depends on direct contact and specific agreements with single businesses, those locally established as well as those existing in Italy, interested in activities promoted by AssoCamereEstero.

For specific information on the functions of each of these institutions we refer you to the respective websites listed below.

Useful addresses:

ITALIAN TRADE COMMISSION (ICE):

For consultation of directories, exhibition yearbooks and commercial publications, please refer to the individual specialized institutions on the Internet.