UniCredit e Sace Simest (Cdp Group) are pushing for the internationalization of small and medium enterprises. The two groups announced the signing of an agreement with the aim of further strengthening the sector e-commerce which in Italy at the end of 2018 reached a value of 10,3 billion euros, with an increase compared to 2017 of 1,1 billion (+12%). The exclusive agreement that binds the credit group with Alibaba is also the driving force behind the operation.
From Monday 2 December, UniCredit business customers who have signed a contract Easy Export, will be able to rely on Sace Simest professionals and its network of 200 local correspondents and negotiators, spread all over the world, to also be able to access the new foreign credit insurance and debt collection on the markets partners..
It should be considered that, thanks to an exclusive agreement with the Alibaba group, Unicredit customers have access, with Easy Export, to Alibaba.com, the largest B2B marketplace in the world, with a presence in 190 countries worldwide and with over 160 million registered operators, taking advantage of internet banking and digital services to reach international customers in a personalized way.
Unicredit also brings the partner into play Var Group for services ranging from the creation of a showcase dedicated to companies and their products, to support for the management of logistics practices, up to the assistance of a dedicated consultant. And, from today, also to the new specific debt collection services on international markets and foreign credit insurance.
UniCredit Easy Export just over a year after its launch it boasts approx 1.000 contracts signed with Italian companies that have seen their turnover abroad increase by 24 %, specifies a press release from the bank.
“Digital export in Italy is still a recent phenomenon- Gianfranco Bisagni,Co-CEOCommercial Banking CEE of UniCredit – but offers enormous growth potential since it still represents just over 2% of total exports. Thanks to the exclusive agreement with the Alibaba Group and the agreement with SACE SIMEST that we signed today, we want to further strengthen our position as a banking partner of reference for companies that want to open up to foreign markets".
“This partnership alongside two important players such as UniCredit and Alibaba – he adds Antonio Frezza, Marketing and Innovation Director of SACE – gives us the possibility to offer our experience on international markets and our wide range of digital insurance-financial solutions designed for SMEs, to a growing number of companies".
” On our B2B platform – he concludes Rodrigo Cipriani Foresio, General Manager Alibaba Group and Country Manager Alipay Southern Europe – there are 10 million active buyers in over 190 countries around the world, in particular the United States, India, Brazil, Europe and Australia, while in Italy the goal is to reach 10.000 companies active as suppliers on Alibaba.com in the next five years. The main product sectors are the distinctive ones of Made in Italy, such as clothing, agri-food, furniture, but also companies such as cosmetics, machinery and electronics play an important role".
