The Hot South and frozen funds in invoices. How to trade with Italy and effectively limit the risk? Consider international factoring!
Italy is a market full of great opportunities for Polish enterprises, associated with high quality, prestige, and the lifestyle marked by La Dolce Vita. However, there is another, much more mundane side to this coin – on the Apennine Peninsula, very long payment terms are the B2B standard, often reaching 3 or even 4 months. What can you do to prevent a lucrative contract from destabilizing your company’s liquidity? When deciding on foreign factoring, it is worth reaching for the “original”: Polish reliability and Italian roots provided by Ifis Finance!
Key takeaways:
- Trade with Italy and other European markets often forces Polish suppliers to accept deferred payment terms (even up to 120 days), which noticeably burdens the company’s cash flow, especially before the season of reduced turnover.
- Export factoring and import factoring are financial instruments that release receivables from foreign invoices, often with the option of removing the risk of non-payment by the contractor.
- Reliable verification of a foreign debtor can be difficult. Cooperation with Ifis Finance, which possesses an Italian pedigree and the strong capital backing of the Banca Ifis Group, gives Polish companies a great advantage and a sense of security in a foreign market.
Cooperation with Italian companies: great potential, but also a challenge
Exporting Polish goods and services to Italy is a proven and extremely profitable direction – the Apennine Peninsula has remained in the top five of Poland’s most important trading partners for years. According to the latest Statistics Poland (GUS) data, Italy’s share in exports of goods in January 2026 rose to 4.7%, which is 0.2 percentage points more than in the same period last year. Goods from the mechanical industry had the largest share in the total trade exchange, worth PLN 36.3 billion in the first quarter of this year (import + export). Among the goods sent south, the most numerous are vehicles, electrical equipment, plastics, meat and edible offal, as well as copper and copper articles.
As you can see, the scale of business is enormous. Unfortunately, on the other hand, the harsh laws of the local business culture can hit a Polish entrepreneur hard. The approaching summer period and the famous Italian Ferragosto – a time when Italy’s economic life slows down significantly in August – mean that payments for contracts executed in spring and early summer may be further delayed. Meanwhile, a Polish company has to pay for ongoing production, settle salaries, leasing, and fuel… If the funds for export arrive in 120 days, even the most profitable business may have difficulties maintaining financial liquidity.
When time is money. How does international factoring work?
A solution that directly addresses the challenges of foreign trade is international factoring. Simply put, it is a service that shortens the period between issuing an invoice to a foreign contractor and the actual receipt of funds into the Polish entrepreneur’s account. Instead of passively waiting a quarter for a transfer from Rome or Milan, the company assigns the receivables from the invoice to the financing institution, which almost immediately pays an advance – as a rule, the funds reach the company account on the next business day.
– Many entrepreneurs who dynamically scale their business abroad are afraid of the risk of non-payment by foreign entities. This is understandable. That is why foreign factoring provided by Ifis Finance is not just “dry” invoice financing, but holistic care – explains Leopold Kasjaniuk, General Manager at Ifis Finance. – We take on the assessment of the financial condition of foreign companies, also with the option of taking over any debt collection. As part of the Banca Ifis capital group listed on the Milan stock exchange, we have access to internal analysts and extensive tools, thanks to which we are able to meticulously scrutinize the reliability of each debtor – he adds.
Export factoring – safe conquest of foreign markets
If your company sells goods or services outside Poland, export factoring is a service tailored exactly to your needs. We undertake to handle your receivables, controlling the collection using the recourse variant (where the risk ultimately remains with you) or without recourse (where we take full responsibility for the debt).
As a result of the disposal of receivables, we pay an advance, providing the necessary funds on the spot. Export factoring has huge advantages: we advance trade receivables, reliably assess the financial situation of your foreign clients, and in the case of non-recourse factoring, we build an effective shield protecting your company against non-payment from partners from other countries, including Italy.
Import factoring – support for international supply chains
Trade works both ways. For foreign companies that export their products to Poland, as well as for Polish entities that import goods from abroad, we have prepared dedicated import factoring.
As part of this service, we provide the purchase (also ultimate) of the assigned receivable. We take care of the tedious collection process and can take over the risk of insolvency. By choosing import factoring, you gain certainty: we advance receivables for deliveries and services, guarantee comprehensive receivables management, and meticulously assess the financial condition of current and potential Polish clients for external suppliers.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about international factoring
Does foreign factoring at Ifis Finance include contractor verification?
Absolutely. One of the main benefits of this solution, especially in the non-recourse variant (with risk assumption), is the in-depth verification of a foreign debtor, which is free of charge for the client. This relieves the Polish company of the need to buy expensive market reports and minimizes the risk of starting cooperation with an unreliable partner.
How does export factoring differ from import factoring in the Ifis Finance offer?
Export factoring applies to a situation in which a Polish company sells goods/services to foreign entities and needs an advance on frozen invoices. Import factoring, on the other hand, is a solution for foreign companies exporting to Poland (or Polish entities importing from abroad), in which we take over the risk of insolvency and handle the collection of payments in Poland.
Do the Italian roots of Ifis Finance actually facilitate trade with Italy?
Yes. Belonging to the powerful Italian Banca Ifis group gives us direct access to local databases, experts, and market information that are difficult for other factors to obtain. Thanks to this, the verification of debtors from Italy is extremely fast, and our capital and credibility constitute a strong bargaining chip for Polish exporters negotiating conditions with Italian retail chains and corporations.
