Interview with Mr. Marco Pizzi
C.C.O,  Carlo Salvi S.p.A.

Can you tell us about Carlo Salvi?
Carlo Salvi was founded in 1939 by the founder of the same name. To date, we are about 100 employees including branches. At the level of the Hatebur group we are instead about 300. Today we are located in Garlate, in northern Italy about 50 km from Milan on an area of about 16,000 square meters. 

What are the production and sales locations? Do you have new locations planned?
Our technology is 100% made in Italy: our production site is located in Garlate. Here, in addition, there are also all the offices for sales, purchases, spare parts, after-sales, development and testing of tools and header machines. Our administrative offices are instead located in Milan.

As a Group we are present in on all continents and in all markets in cold and warm forming field. Thanks to our subsidiaries, those in Hatebur and our business partners, customers can count on the support of our experts.
Carlo Salvi’s branches in the world are 3: one located in United States, specifically in Toledo, not very far from Detroit, home of the automotive industry; one in China in Guangzhou to face a constantly expanding market and one in UK to support the numerous local projects.

Could you tell us about Carlo Salvi and Hatebur product range (machine park) ?
As Hatebur Group our machines can form parts strating from a wire diameter of 0.6 mm up to 90 mm. Carlo Salvi production range reaches up to a wire diameter of 22mm: tubular, semi-tubular and solid parts can be obtained on 1-die/2-blow, 2-die/4-blow and multistations progressive headers. The range is completed by warm forming machines, able to form special materials and alloys that need to be pre-heated before heading. 

What does distinguish Carlo Salvi company and its products from its competitors?
Made in Italy is for us synonyus with “high level”. There are many reasons for this affirmation: first of all, many years of experience and the continuous search for improvements and innovations. Furthermore the flexibility and versatility that characterize us, the pleasure in building high quality products starting from the raw materials we use. Finally, but not at least the problem-solving attitude and the competitive price that we are able to offer in the face of all the listed advantages.

What advantage did it give you in the market when Hatebur and Carlo Salvi integrated their forces? 
The merger with Hatebur - whose range of products is perfectly complementary to ours- helped to combine synergies, fortifying  attitudes and allowing to offer a more complete service on the market.

What message do you want to convey to your customers with your slogan  "Our Performance. Your Advantage.”
A customer who choose Carlo Salvi meet a company with over 80 years of global history behind it. Each request is a starting point for us, a new challenge in offering an “ad hoc solution”. The service is completed by a strong motivation towards problem solving and customer satisfaction. As mentioned, in Hatebur we met a company with a past and a philosophy very similar to ours: 90 years of history.

What are the effects of the pandemic on your production and sales?
Certainly the pandemic has hit hard and upset our sector, as well as many others. To date, it is difficult to predict which challenges the future will bring. Every historical period has been characterized by great crises which led to the need for a reset to be restored. This is the current example. However, I’m of the opinion that opportunities arise from every reset and you must always be ready to ride the wave.

As a Group we got organized ourselves promptly - and are still trying to implement - with digital systems that allow us to monitor and manage our headers remotely, even for both ordinary and extraordinary maintenance works. This has allowed us to guarantee each customer the necessary service assistance, respecting social distancing and continuing to collaborate “safe”. It was really exciting and satisfying to be able to remotely carry out the start-up of a progressive 5 stations machine in the United States!!

As you know, many fairs were postponed during the pandemic. In this process, what kind of path do you follow to establish dialogue with existing customers and reach new customers?
I think that manufacturing companies first have to strenghten their sales network. It is very important to find the way to support the customer with an efficient service ready to deal with any possible eventuality. We have implemented and enhanced digital marketing and all related remote communication tools to the maximum. 

Both for support and for the search for new customers, these are the key strategies on which to rely and they will be values to be preserved even in the best of times. Some examples were the creation of a “virtual booth”, which could replace the possibility to attend trade fairs, or the creation of seminars via the web. Solutions necessary today, which one day we hope will only complement the return to normality and interpersonal relationships.

What do you think about the development of the fastener industry on a regional basis? 
I must say that despite the times are not easy, but rather uncertain, the fasteners market at regional and national level has given us great satisfaction. We were very happy to support Italian companies that with great sacrifices have decided to invest with determination towards better scenarios. A partial reshoring and return of the production on a national level will certainly bring great advantages: first and foremost the gross domestic product benefits from it, than the risks and logistic costs will be reduced and the quality standards will be improved.

In which direction do you think the customer demands and trends in the sector will increase?
Demand is changing, preferring electric, high-strenght but ultra-light materials in sectors as automotive and aerospace: it is especially on the latter field that the changes are very evident. The volumes of production batches have significantly reduced and this is a trend for the next 3-5 years. The possibility of demand therefore extends to smaller organizations, companies that are reorganizing to satisfy larger batches of products than before. At the same time, big companies are making cuts, reorganizing themselves to meet these demands and still remain competitive. To face this new normality it will be important firstly to develop strategies that allow to fullfil these requests, digitizing and automating all related operations as much as possible. 

Furthermore, in my opinion the provision of a “Just in time” service is certainly a winning strategy. I also believe that despite the pandemic, it is important to improve our production processes more and more, optimizing them at every stage. 

Do you provide revisions and spare part services to your old machines operating in different countries around the world?
Sure! The spare parts service for new and old machines we guarantee, even with the support of our branches, is within 24/48 hours. 
We also offer customers the opportunity to overhaul and refurbish their old machines like new. 

Could you tell us about your R&D studies in this period when smart manufacturing, robotic technologies and digitalization are at the forefront?
Technology and automation are essential in this period, ensuring safe work, protecting ourselves and the customers. A very important role now is played by the R&D teams. From a technological point of view, our company never stops investing in new projects and opportunities. We are ready to present customers some news and improvements: the new servo-electric linear infeed on C, 725, the redesign of the clutch-brake combination for the AMP 20/AMP 20S Series and the introduction on the market of the first 5 station combined machine model CS 513 TH. Our purpose would have been to present these series of news during the recurring annual appointments, unfortunately cancelled due to the health emergency.

In terms of reaching the market, are there any factors affecting you on the matters arising from raw material supply, customs policies and Italy's foreign relations? 
In a highly interconnected world like the one we live in, the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted how the absence of global interaction has made countries more vulnerable from many points of view. The pandemic has hit the processing chains with which raw materials, semi-finished and finished products travel around the world and the continuing contagion and the various lockdowns make the situation worse. As already told, in my opinion the pandemic will play in favor of a partial local return and the redistribution of “made in” production.
 
Our company is completely “Made in Italy” and more than 95% of our products are supplied nationally. During the first lockdown we suffered from a slight delay in the supply of electrical equipment from Germany, but nothing serious not to allow us to carry our normal activities. Thanks to this, even in such a difficult period we were able to offer customers services and spare parts on time.

What kind of corporate strategy do you think is needed to keep and further improve your position in the global and local market? 
I do not deny that this change may generate many difficulties, but I am of the opinion that a “Made in Italy” product has always been more attractive on the market than others. We are talking about a phenomeon that could certainly be a good opportunity to bring back part of the production activities related to this sector on a national scale, actively contributing to the economic recovery of our contry also in terms of sustainability. Support and encourage the reshoring can be a winning strategy to protect and further develop our position in the local and then global market.