The Pen | Nikolaus Kratz, Ambassador TEMPOTEST

Together we are strong!

Italy was the first European country and without warning to be affected by corona. So measures were taken at an early stage. Despite the fact that the lockdown coincided with the start of the awning season - the most important period of the year for PARÀ TEMPOTEST - we never lost confidence and our fighting spirit. By communicating even more strongly through television and social media, we showed that we were there and gave people a heart to heart. A strong signal to our partners and customers, who in this way still had the opportunity to be present in the homes of end customers.

Many people have had to prepare for an Easter vacation at home. Whether the summer vacation can be celebrated outdoors remains to be seen. Cocooning - once a trendy trend - has become commonplace. The awning industry is benefiting.

Italy is not unique in this during this crisis. Respond to this as an industry, also in the Netherlands. In order to encourage and inspire people, we had a small film made in Italy that was distributed via social media. In 'Let's start again together', we elevate cocooning to an art and show that it does not have to be a punishment to be at home as long as the coronavirus is rampant.

What corona has taught us at PARÀ TEMPOTEST is how important it is to produce in Europe. Our awning fabrics are 100% Made in Italy. The raw material suppliers also come exclusively from European countries. Because of these short lines, we do not risk problems such as production stops in low-wage countries and stalled or delayed transport. Demand in Northern and Central Europe, in particular, has increased enormously, and we have been able to meet it thanks to the fact that we produce in Europe, with skilled people, using high-quality raw materials.

We at PARÀ TEMPOTEST have experienced great togetherness and solidarity from our clients, including from the Netherlands. Daily communication about the situation in Italy and how to work and act together have only strengthened the bonds even more. My advice to everyone in the industry is: look ahead and don't stand still. We too are moving forward and focusing on new collections for architects, projects and hospitality. Because when all the corona measures are gone, we will all have to be ready to meet an even greater demand for good sun protection.

We look to the future with confidence, together with you. Next year we can celebrate our 100th anniversary and we are convinced that the corona crisis will make us stronger than before. Join hands as an industry and think carefully about what worked and what didn't work when the crisis broke out... We need to support each other even more at the European level. Together we are strong!