Revenue growth of more than 20% and a strategic alliance with Ima, to create a chocolate pole destined to consolidate and produce new fruits: these are the 2011 prospects for Sacmi, the Imola-based group that operates in the machinery sectors for ceramics, beverage and packaging, food processing and plastics, which controls 80 companies, has production plants and support companies in 23 countries around the world, and approximately 3800 employees. Sacmi had a turnover of 2010 billion euros in 1,03, 90% of which came from abroad.
An example of fourth capitalism branded coop: the story actually begins in 1919 with nine workers who found the anonymous mechanical company of Imola (Sacmi, in fact) and the parent company is still a cooperative today. “This is a quality – says general manager Pietro Cassani – people are happy to work at Sacmi, because we are permeated by a culture of work and business. Ours is a participatory model, you identify with the company and in whatever role you operate you feel responsible for the results. Sacmi draws a clear distinction between managers and shareholders, between management and the board of directors, it embodies the Italian-style German model”.
The 357 members of the parent cooperative (which has over 1000 employees) are an elite, yet everyone feels represented according to Cassani. However, the global economic crisis has also affected the Imola coop in recent years: revenues were 1.243 million in 2007, 1.172 million in 2008, 972 million in 2009. But a massive amount of investment (about 60 million euros a year ), a series of rationalizations and savings, targeted action on the markets, have created the conditions for the brilliant recovery of 2010 and the rosy forecasts for 2011.
“All the divisions did well in the first six months – claims the general manager – therefore we estimate to close 2011 with an overall increase of 20% in revenues. And they are forecasts by default”. The best performances come from abroad, in the Bric area. “An internationalized company like ours – adds Cassani – can afford to follow the trend of the markets. Exports, which were 85% of turnover in 2009, reached 90% in 2010. Today Asia is fundamental for us, China and India are doing well, but also Latin America, with Brazil in the lead, and Turkey. There are many obstacles that an Italian company in the world must overcome, from the strong euro to the national system, but we are holding up the competition well”.
To face certain challenges, Sacmi has also decided to enter into two strategic alliances. The most recent is with the German Oystar in the beverage sector. “Sacmi makes machines for bottling yogurt and Oystar for aseptic filling. Together – explains the general manager – we offer a complete process”. However, the most interesting alliance is the one with Ima, the Vacchi family's packaging company, listed in the Star segment of the Milan Stock Exchange, to create a center for the processing and packaging of chocolate while maintaining its own brands and brand policies. To this end, Sacmi and Ima, as equals, have created CMH (Carle & Montanari Holding) which now controls the Sacmi companies dedicated to chocolate (Carle & Montanari Milan and the branch of Sacmi Packaging formerly Carle & Montanari Bologna) and the Ima companies resulting from the acquisition of SYMPACK (OPM and FIMA).
“The estimated 2011 target is a turnover of 100 million euros, with an operating profit of approximately 5% before the synergies obtainable from the integration of the businesses”. Within a couple of years, a new factory in Ozzano, in the Bologna area, should also emerge from this collaboration. “We understand each other well with Alberto Vacchi – says Cassani – and we think this is the first step of an industrial partnership which, in the medium term, could also extend to new business branches”.
For the time being, Sacmi rejects the prospect of going public, especially after the adventure of Negri Bossi, the company listed and purchased in 2002, which is only starting to see the light today, after the delisting and a massive restructuring plan. “I am convinced that the acquisition of Negri Bossi was right from an industrial point of view – concludes the general manager – but men are also important. Today we have completely renewed the team and this year, finally, we will also end this match in a draw”.
