Staying One Step Ahead

by Vanni Vitali, Assiot Managing Board

Global markets are developing at a rapid pace. This brings about equal measures of opportunity and risk. To survive, companies must continously adapt to evolving market conditions and requirements. But market leaders turn change into competitive advantage. How do they manage this? First of all, in order to anticipate and interpret market needs, you need to networkwith leading and innovative companies. This includes customers, suppliers and market peers. This made it a natural choice for Timken to join Assiot. The Italian mechanical industry ranks among the top in the world. It can compete at the same level with Germany. But if the level is the same, the reputation is not yet so. When I started with Timken in the nineties, we were investing in what was then our “21st century” plant in US. I asked which Italian machines would be used. As a response, I was told that the coffee machines in the plant were probably Italian… It was a joke, but also a signal that Italian companies needed to work together and promote the “made in Italy”image. The situation is much different now. Timken’s latest investments in Romania (new cell for ultra-large wind bearings and greenfield “state of the art” new plant for industrial size tapered roller bearings) sourced many pieces of machinery from Italy. Still, the image of the Italian mechanical industry should be stronger .I am convinced that more representative associations can help to close this gap. The Timken Company, which I represent as country manager for Italy, South Central Europe, Balkans & Israel, has more than 100 years of experience in international markets. Since the groundbreaking invention of the tapered roller bearing in 1898, we depend on associates that apply their talents in industries around the world to develop innovative solutions for complex customer needs. This creates value for our stakeholders and circles back to the to the biggest asset of all companies; their associates. Training and re-training of the workforce has never been more important than today. Continuous learning and improvement is the key differentiating factor for all companies that want to stay ahead of the competition.