The voice of businessmen: Acciaitubi Spa.

The voice of businessmen: Acciaitubi Spa.

Once again we are confronted with a first order company: Acciaitubi Spa, leader in the production and selling of steel pipes with thermosanitary, electrical, structural applications. We have tried to steal from Dr. Marco Berera, at the third business generation of the family, the moods, trends, future prospects for his company and the industry in general.

Dr. Berera, is 2011 giving you satisfaction?
Absolutely, we are pleased with our first quarter results, although the economic situation is not easy. The high volatility of the dollar, euro and commodity prices dominate, which prevents you from having a programmatic view. I think it will be difficult later in the year to maintain good margins, because with a weak dollar it becomes difficult to export. To date, there is growth, and it relates more to Germany and France, than Italy. Certainly the consumption is far less linear than before the crisis.

In November, your company will be 50 years.
Yes, although my family is active in the steel industry already since 1919.

From 1961 to 2011, what has changed in half a century?
A lot of things. Then the steel products were really fundamental, they've been the engines of the Italian miracle. Now the parameters for success have changed.
What are they now?
Breadth of range, efficiency, productivity, service, quality. And the ability to respond with new products to changing market needs.
For our part, we have a little put aside our natural vocation of structural pipe and tube producers, to focus on products that extend the gas and water usage. We are adding new items to our product range, which are increasingly getting popular.

What are your competitive advantages over the competitors?
Our flexibility, the ability to quickly organize ourselves. Our speed and accuracy in response to customers. Always offering responsible, well defined referents. And the lack of red tape, thanks to a lean and flexible organization.

You are just out of a period of fairs with the participation in two important appointments.
“Made in Steel” in Brescia, which for the first time this year has allowed us to gather contacts on an international level. And “Termoidraulica” in Padua, which has allowed us to give visibility to our company also in the specialized field of thermosanitary applications. The next fairs will be in 2012, Tube in Düsseldorf and Expo Milan.

In terms of customers, how much of your production goes abroad?
50% of our product is exported. We tend to serve primarily Northern Europe countries. In fact, we aim to reach 70%, for a number of reasons: foreigners better incorporate innovations, are punctual in payments, and also more demanding, which is definitely a plus. Working abroad you always learn, and get better.