The Arzignano-based company will expand its headquarters by another 3,000 square meters, and meanwhile, it is planning new machinery to launch on the global market.
The global leather goods market may be slowing down, but Bergi Spa of Arzignano (Vicenza), a leading player internationally in the design sector, construction and sale of machinery and automation for the tanning industry, is moving forward.,invests in the future, both in terms of its main headquarters, which will be expanded by almost 3,000 square meters, including the new research laboratory, and in terms of production, a choice that will lead to strengthening its range of machinery, including new models currently under development, which will be introduced to the market.
“The overall situation globally – confirms Mauro Bergozza, the company’s administrator founded in 1965 by his father Giovanni (who passed away last year) and of which he is a partner with his two brothers Alberto and Federico – is certainly not positive, due to the turbulence that is occurring worldwide, due to the decline in consumption and other dynamics not only related to the industrial world. The crisis in the automotive sector is also worrying, where, with the exception of individual orders, the major international groups have moved all the budgets planned for this year to 2020, although it is not certain that next year will really be the one for recovery.”
Do you believe we will soon see a reversal of the economic trend?
History teaches us that market fluctuations have always been there, after a difficult period, there is always a recovery. The current situation does not scare us and for this reason, we have decided to significantly expand our headquarters in Arzignano, also planning investments in machinery and internal workforce. Personally, I believe that this change of course could happen in 2021, with an increase in orders, although certainly not at the boom levels.
We are also studying new machinery, which concerns the leather world but also other sectors, thus ensuring the continuation of our activity at high levels in the coming years. By that time, we will have completed the expansion works, allowing us to develop the business in a more structured manner.
What does this expansion consist of?
A new building of about 1600 square meters will be constructed for production and a building of over 1,000 square meters where the administrative and commercial offices will be relocated, with two meeting rooms, one of which will be for commercial purposes, where we will be able to organize training and updating courses for our employees and agents in more suitable spaces. In the same building, there will also be space for the test laboratory, which we will be able to have internally, thus being able to directly follow all the important phases of the production cycle. In the free areas of the current plant, we will handle the assembly of all the other machines, doubling the space for the automation department, particularly for the Bertech section. The expansion will utilize all the buildable surface: for this reason, we have decided to build a large underground garage, totaling over 800 square meters with 23 parking spaces.
Let’s talk about your economic numbers: what is the market situation and what are you focusing on?
Our export share exceeds 70%, the international market is what has always sustained us and will continue to do so in the future, as outside Italy there are the greatest growth margins. For us, Europe has always been a guiding line, with Italy, France, Germany, and England at the forefront, but we are also focused on the eastern side of the world: historically, we are very present from the Middle East to the Far East, from India to Japan, in fact, we covered a good portion of the market before the Koreans came on the scene. South America and North America, where we still operate, are quieter and less developed markets than Asia, but they continue to guarantee continuity quantitatively, with Brazil and Argentina at the forefront and to a lesser extent Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia. We have also been able to carve out our space in Mexico in recent years.
Analysts suggest that in the future, Africa could become a continent with significant export potential. What do you think about it?
It’s possible that this could happen in the future. We are monitoring the situation, for the moment we are only present in South Africa, while North and Central Africa are not yet part of our direct market, although our machines are present through English tanneries and large international groups in these areas and in Zimbabwe. At the same time, we are observing the influence of the Chinese economy, which, benefiting from substantial state funding from their government, is about to enter massively especially in Central Africa, not only to sell machinery but also to build tanneries, shoe factories, production clusters up to entire neighborhoods, complete with houses and services. Certainly, Africa will be the next future outlet, we are monitoring the situation to understand how to operate and propose our products.
Let’s talk about the products. What innovations will you bring to the Milan fair at the 2020 edition of Simac Tanning Tech?
We will certainly present the belt grinder, the Attiva, which is enjoying great success both for its high quality standards and for its reliability. We have already delivered the first machine to the Faeda tannery in Arzignano: we are really happy with its performance, as it has been working since May 2019 and so far we have not had to intervene. The customer, and we with him, is very satisfied with the performance: thanks to the introduction conveyor belt, once the leather is pointed, the machine manages to stretch and grind it without any problems.
With the 45-degree system designed by us, the final product comes out so stretched that the “skin straightener” is not needed, to the point that the system never comes into operation. Currently, we are assembling two more for important customers, both abroad: it’s another important step for our company.
In addition to the Attiva, we are preparing a transfer line for the dry finishing of splits, thus without the use of water and emissions into the atmosphere. We hope to be ready in time to exhibit the new discovery in Milan. Fingers crossed.
(Interview with Mauro Bergozza – Style Tannery International – Nov/Dec 2019)
