ECAP is a service consortium for Small and Medium- sized European Enterprises, which produce mechanical, chemical and plastic anchors. It was founded in Italy in February 2001, and now it has within its structure members of many European Countries. ECAP is a non-profit Consortium and it develops its activities only in its members’ interest. ECAP members are aware of the importance of Small-and Medium- sized Enterprises in Europe, and of their significant role in the European Market, therefore, they have chosen to join their forces in a Consortium that represents and safeguards their common interests with lobby activities and assistance:
• legally, actively participating in the ongoing process towards establishment of European technical specifications, particularly with reference to the CE marking
• technically, helping all members in the CE Marking process and promoting research and consultation for product improvement and development, and also for business procedures with respect to quality, security and the environment
• on a services front, favoring and promoting mutually beneficial agreements between Consortium members, amongst them directly, and furthermore with other business.
ASSORESTAURO (The Italian architectural, artistic and urban restoration association) It is Italy’s first association of materials, equipment and technology producers and providers of services for the cultural heritage restoration and conservation sector. In this sector there are various institutional organizations representing architects, designers and restorers but ASSORESTAURO is the first to finally give a voice to industry and specialized services, interpreting their interests in promotional, normative and cultural terms.
ASSORESTAURO intends to represent this sector both nationally and internationally.
Where the Italian market is concerned, growing awareness of its architectural heritage and a parallel spread of new technologies have recently spurred growth in the restoration sector both from the knowledge standpoint (discussions, periodicals, conferences, fairs) and from the technological (innovative materials, machinery and equipment, software, systems, etc.). From this springs a great occasion for the world of industry to develop and strengthen the opportunities (so often lacking) for dialogue with the professional world on the one hand and the institutional (fine arts and cultural heritage services, universities) on the other.
Where foreign markets are concerned, a need is felt to make use of the great credibility that Italy enjoys worldwide in the cultural heritage field, and of the big investments that Italian companies have been making in technological expertise enabling them to transform their special skills and know-how into business opportunities in other countries.
The purpose of ASSORESTAURO is therefore to coordinate, protect and promote its member company interests, aiding progress and development, accrediting products and services and representing member companies in relations with the institutions and organizations working in the field of research and education, standardization and promotion. From this viewpoint it confirms its exclusive sponsorship of the Ferrara Restoration Expo, on behalf of its members acknowledging the worth of what has become a reference event in Italy.
ISI- ITALIAN SEISMIC ENGINEERING was born from the need to create an organization which represents the protagonists in the various fields of this sector in Italy. The mission of the ISI Association is to involve the various actors operating in the field of Italian Seismic Engineering in a dynamic group representing and promoting them, organizing dissemination activities for their work, communicating with official institutions, with academic and scientific community, with the industrial world and professionals world. The lines of action are: promote, recognize and disseminate studies and research for the development of anti-seismic technologies; favor the continuous updating of the professional, scientific and technical knowledge of those who work in the field of seismic engineering; activate working groups for the study of specific topics; promote the development of scientific and technical publications on the institutional issues of the Association; dialogue with national and international regulatory insitutions and make design, construction and management experiences available to them for updating and perfecting regulatory documents. Working groups active in ISI: Historic Buildings, Diagnostics and Monitoring, Non-structural elements.