Continuity that Looks to the Future

Together with Mauro Rizzolo, new ASSIOT president, we enjoyed a conversation, leaving no stone unturned, about the association’s future operation, a body that represents an all Italian sector of excellence: power transmission. With his steady hand on the rudder, Rizzolo will be prioritizing two aspects in particular: continuity in order to showcase the excellent work done thus far, and future focus, one of on-going difficulty for Italian manufacturers. Adequately prepared strategy must be in place for this time of crisis to be transformed into a period of change and opportunity.

As new ASSIOT president, can you sum up the contribution made to the association by the outgoing president, Assunta Galbiati?

As I said in the letter sent out to members, Assunta has been a guiding light. She developed the strategy implemented by Tomaso Carraro creating further progress and then managed the association transformation into the constitution of the FEDERTEC project. This was a fundamental step in our evolution and our voice in the industrial panorama. This type of radical shift is never easy. Assunta was fully committed to the cause, enabling the teamwork and determination necessary to reach the goal. Her professionalism and dedication will be sorely missed.

What direction do you foresee as you take the association forward?

I wish to focus on two fundamental aspects: continuity and future. Continuity because the pathway that my predecessor began needs to be followed and further enhanced. ASSIOT is a reference point for mechanical power transmission, the excellence of Italian manufacturing. Then, attention to the future, rarely as today have we faced such monumental challenges. The Business Community was already a part of the association, but over the last year, it has become a genuinely essential presence. Digitalization, AI and robotics are transforming our lives – the key is to grasp how these changes will continue over the coming years, to be ahead of the curve and not a mere follower. Control is a cornerstone of our organization: goals should be constantly reviewed. Sustainability is another crucial aspect looking forward. Ethical working practices are required in order to leave the world as we found it, both in terms of environment and human rights.

In October, the FEDERTEC assembly will take place: the most important association event will be held in a particularly difficult moment for many members as well as Italian industry in general. How do you see companies faring in these tough times?

Every single company is battling the problems caused by Covid-19. First and foremost, protecting the health of their workers, adopting safety procedures, likewise when approaching clients or suppliers – supply chain has become fragmented and therefore requires detailed management. Secondly, it was necessary to stabilize turnover, companies had to align themselves to great changes in demand. Right now, it is simply impossible to make economic forecasts for the near future, the situation has been coined “new normal” or, even better, as I have read in certain articles recently “never normal” – this will be with us for the coming years. Each and every company will need to rethink its processes, organization and maybe even its very business model. Whatever the road ahead may hold in store, one aspect will be true for all: rapid decision making, both in terms of facing the new “never normal” successfully, and simply as a means to survive. On the contrary, generic business models will be a thing of the past, that’s for sure.

Every tough economic period brings about change, but also new opportunity. For companies in this field, development and implementation of new strategies will be key. What can the association offer in these respects?

As I just said, the new era of “never normal” means constant and rapid change, whether this be behavioral, cultural or social, in which programming renovation and investment are fundamental: this was already true pre-Covid, and is even more so after it. Finding the right solutions is not going to be easy, but in this state of flux, how we worked yesterday may no longer applicable tomorrow.
The task is anything but a simple one. We need concrete and rapid decisions while, at the same time, questioning the validity of company management as we have known it until today, across all areas of economic activity: finance, marketing, sales, service, product range and supply chain. From where to locate production sites to distribution and automation in logistics, IT infrastructure and architecture, personnel management – this, of course, including the smart working question.
The association needs to stand right by its members, listening to their needs and supporting process evolution. We need to get back to being side by side with our associates. Creating Federtec and combating the Covid pandemia have used up energy, now we must be tangible to our associates.
FEDERTEC has a rich program of marketing, communication and training – these benefits (and others under study right now) must be clear to members. In a few words: membership means you are never alone in facing the difficulties I spoke about above.

FEDERTEC membership includes companies of greatly differing characteristics and sizes. How do you feel about this aspect of the association?

The question of character and above all, size, has been hotly debated over recent years. In my mind, it is a false problem. An association is “a body created by a group of people, physically and juridically (the associates) joined in the quest to reach a common goal”. This final aspect is fundamental, the common goal eliminates distinction of size or character. To take one step further, the fabric of the Italian economy is made up of large, medium and small companies, each one playing a key role in the success of the whole. Large companies need the smaller ones and vice versa. The place where this form of equality can successfully co-habit is in the association – free from numbers – each member with the same voice and dignity, and I say this representing, as I do, a large company. I sincerely wish that shared goals can be the order of the day, over and above the “importance” of a single company in terms of size or turnover.

What do you make of governmental assistance offered to the business community so far? What steps are necessary for the economy to get back into shape, both at a national and European level?

This is a complex question and cannot be answered in just a few words. We are facing some tough challenges and require national governments to be as helpful as possible. It is they who can create the conditions to sustain economic recovery through tools that companies can use to steer through these choppy waters. Italy requires industrial policy: the last such intervention was in 2016, with Industry 4.0, updated by company 4.0. Strategic planning over the medium to long term is what is missing right now, helping those in business in the future as well as the here and now. We are expecting concrete proposals to develop digitalization, efficiency, bureaucracy, training, investment in young talent to name but a few.
Currently, we are still at the level of public debate, clear and decisive action is yet to be seen. Time passes quickly and the authorities need to understand there is not a second to waste, or indeed to look for compromise solutions. Economic resources are in place, now is the moment to use them in the right way, with common sense, because, just as the Bank of Italy Governor pointed out, there is no point filling your car’s tank with fuel after the engine has broken down.