A COHESIVE PIEMONTE HEADS TO THE U.S. MARKET: MISSION TO MICHIGAN KICKS OFF FOR VTM AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS CONVENTION

Piemonte is the first Italian region to present a unified industrial ecosystem to the United States during this delicate phase for the automotive sector.

The institutional delegation from the Piemonte System, led by the Regional Minister for Economic Development Andrea Tronzano and the Deputy Mayor of the City of Torino Michela Favaro, will meet with senior managers from some of Michigan’s most significant manufacturing companies.

The occasion is the second edition of VTM Michigan, taking place in Pontiac from April 23 to 24—a key platform where OEMs and suppliers of products and solutions gather to explore the main challenges and opportunities shaping the future of mobility and next-generation vehicle technologies. VTM Michigan is a spin-off of the original VTM held in Torino.

The Piemonte System delegation includes representatives from the Regional Government and City of Torino, the Rector of the University of Torino Stefano Geuna, Vehicle Valley President Monica Mailander, Piemonte Agency general Manager Stefano Nigro, ANFIA General Director Gianmarco Giorda, Pierpaolo Antonioli—President of the Multinational Companies Committee at Confindustria Piemonte—as well as representatives from the Politecnico di Torino, CNA, and API. In a period marked by uncertainty and trade tensions, the mission is to keep communication channels with the United States open. The U.S. remains Piemonte’s top non-EU investor and trade partner.

Meetings begin Tuesday afternoon, April 22, and will be supported by Italian Consul in Detroit, Allegra Baistrocchi. Delegates will meet C-level executives from companies such as Rivian, Stellantis, Webasto, and Detroit Regional Partnership.
On the morning of April 23, the Piemonte Automotive Ecosystem will be officially presented at VTM, with speeches by Regional Councillor Andrea Tronzano, Deputy Mayor Michela Favaro, newly appointed Vehicle Valley President Monica Mailander, Dumarey Italia CEO Pierpaolo Antonioli, University of Torino Rector Stefano Geuna, and Vice Rector for Technology Transfer at Politecnico di Torino, Gianmario Pellegrino.

This will also be an opportunity to announce and promote the fifth edition of VTM Torino, scheduled for March 24–25, 2026.

Throughout the day, the Piemonte delegation will host meetings at the Piemonte stand with executives from MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation), MichAuto (an initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber representing and promoting the state’s auto industry), and the President of MEMA (The Vehicle Suppliers Association). The afternoon will continue with visits to key companies including General Motors, Mullen, and Mayco, followed the next morning by additional meetings with global and local players such as Toyota North America and Ford.

VTM in Pontiac serves as a platform to reinitiate commercial and institutional dialogue with Michigan—a state historically linked to Piemonte. The goal is to strengthen economic ties between these two regions, both deeply connected to the automotive and transportation sectors, and to showcase Piemonte’s extensive and innovative offering, including the recently established Vehicle Valley.

The business convention—organized by ABE in partnership with Oakland County and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation—will also see participation from six Piemonte-based companies: AIZOON, DRIVESEC, DUMAREY, GENERAL CAB, ITALDESIGN, and MEC. These firms will engage in an intensive B2B program with key international buyers and institutions such as Continental, Denso, FEV, Ford, General Motors, Hitachi Astemo, Hyundai, Nitto Seiko, Stellantis, Toyota, and Volvo, alongside a comprehensive schedule of technical conferences and thematic workshops.

Piemonte’s participation in VTM Michigan is coordinated by Piemonte Agency as part of the region’s "Automotive & Transportation" Integrated Supply Chain Project, funded through the European Regional Development Fund 2021-2027.

In 2024, the Italian automotive sector exported goods worth €5.5 billion, with €1.1 billion headed to Michigan alone. That same year, Piemonte’s automotive exports to the U.S. totaled approximately €550 million. While the U.S. is Piemonte’s largest non-EU market, it represents 8.3% of the region’s total exports.

The U.S. automotive industry accounts for 3% of the country’s GDP, supporting more than 1.7 million direct jobs and an additional 7.2 million indirectly. Michigan remains the beating heart of this industry, with Detroit known as “Motor City.” Over 10% of Michigan’s GDP depends on automotive production. Major manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler (Stellantis) have deep roots in this region.

“This mission to Michigan,” stated Piemonte Region President Alberto Cirio and Regional Minister Andrea Tronzano, “comes at a pivotal time for the automotive sector and our economic relationship with the United States. Piemonte arrives united on the American market to meet with key global players and potential investors, backed by a supply chain that blends quality, innovation, and expertise. It also marks the international debut of Vehicle Valley Piemonte, a network that highlights the alliance between industry, institutions, and research. It’s a clear signal that we know how to work as a team and look ahead with ambition, showcasing the best of our industrial system abroad.”

“Torino is a city that honors its industrial legacy while embracing innovation. With its strong roots in the automotive sector, it has evolved into a hub for development and was named the European Capital of Innovation 2024,” said Deputy Mayor Michela Favaro. “We hope this mission—between two territories with shared industrial histories—can serve as a launchpad for new partnerships and collaborations with the American industrial sector.”

“Our participation,” added Monica Mailander, President of Vehicle Valley Piemonte, “is a key step forward: promoting our mobility district as a platform for international cooperation. Piemonte’s ability to design and innovate must engage with the world’s major mobility stakeholders. Michigan and Piemonte share a strong industrial identity and a future-oriented vision. We’re here to build bridges, foster alliances, and strengthen our region’s global reputation.”

“Piemonte Agency is proud to support this dual-purpose mission—both institutional and business—accompanying six local companies in their meetings with U.S. buyers,” said Stefano Nigro, General Manager of Piemonte Agency. “This is our seventh U.S. initiative this year, underscoring the importance of the American market. Thanks to support from the Region and local Chambers of Commerce, we plan to carry out 90 more international initiatives in 2025, offering diverse export opportunities for Piemonte’s businesses. In Michigan, we’ll be showcasing our entire automotive supply chain, which includes over 200 SMEs, with the goal of attracting more American buyers to Piemonte—especially for VTM Torino. At the same time,” he added, “we aim to boost U.S. investor interest in our region: over 50 companies are currently evaluating investments in Piemonte, and we believe our region has all the right qualities to become even more attractive.”

“Having a cohesive and high-level delegation in Michigan,” noted Pierpaolo Antonioli, Chair of Confindustria Piemonte’s Multinational Companies Committee and CEO of Dumarey Automotive Italia, “reaffirms Piemonte’s strategic role in the future of mobility, reinforcing our ties with a territory that has always been at the heart of the global automotive industry. In today’s uncertain global context, maintaining active channels of dialogue and cooperation is crucial for our companies.”
“The mission organized by Piemonte Region and its Department for Economic Development is moving in the right direction: discovering market opportunities overseas and introducing U.S. stakeholders directly to our companies,” said Fabrizio Cellino, President of API Torino, and Roberto Cotterchio, President of Confapi Piemonte. “This mission comes at a complex time in U.S.-Europe-Italy relations. Our businesses face major challenges yet maintain top-level production and innovation potential that can be of great value in the U.S. market. In such a challenging moment, direct engagement, mutual appreciation, and the pursuit of shared interests are the only viable path forward for growth and development.”

“As ANFIA – stated the Association’s General Director, Gianmarco Giorda – we aim to send a strong message of support to the Italian automotive supply chain – with Piemonte being its largest hub, counting over 700 companies – in this time of uncertainty and transformation, also in terms of international trade relations. In addition to exporting to the U.S., Italian supply chain companies have made significant overseas production investments over the years, adopting a local-to-local approach. As part of the Piemonte System and the Vehicle Valley, we are committed to working in synergy with other institutional stakeholders to promote the excellence and expertise of our region. The meetings scheduled in Michigan with several local OEMs will provide an opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships and create new ones, reaffirming the willingness to cooperate for the mutual benefit of both sides of the Atlantic.”

“We are confident that this mission will help bring new momentum and openness to U.S.-Italy relations in a strategic sector such as automotive, where industrial collaborations have deep roots. CNA Torino, which enthusiastically joined the Vehicle Valley Piemonte Association, is proud to contribute,” said Nicola Scarlatelli, President of CNA Torino. “The world of craftsmanship and small manufacturing enterprises is a fundamental part of the complex automotive value chains, and will have the opportunity to fully express its potential in synergy with the partners of the Vehicle Valley project.”

“This mission to Michigan – stated the Rector of the University of Torino, Stefano Geuna – comes at a complex, yet crucial time for economic and trade relations between Europe, Italy, and the United States. In this context, the automotive sector plays a pivotal role: it is an integral part of Torino and Piemonte’s industrial heritage, and a key driver for the future of our region. Research plays a decisive role in fostering innovation and strengthening the competitiveness of the production system in international markets. For this reason, presenting Piemonte’s automotive ecosystem today, in a rapidly evolving global context, represents a valuable opportunity. It is a tangible way to promote a center of excellence, distinguished by its high-level skills, research, and forward-looking vision.”

"The Polytechnic University of Torino is enthusiastically participating in this strategic international mission for the automotive and sustainable mobility sectors. In a rapidly changing global landscape, our university is committed to promoting innovation and technology transfer, and to making available to the industrial ecosystem the advanced skills and research infrastructures that are key to meeting future challenges in competitiveness and territorial attractiveness,” said Gianmario Pellegrino, Vice-Rector for Technology Transfer at the Polytechnic University of Torino.