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Home > GERMANY > Rampenlicht
PAOLA BONI: "ARIETE, INNOVATION IS OUR MISSION"
Roma (Ign) - a leading company in the sector of small and electrical appliances, which today thanks to production delocalisation and opening to foreign markets, is in constant development both nationally, and on the international panorama. Ariete, a company from Tuscany established in 1964 and today owned by the De' Longhi Group, thanks to highly innovative products with great commercial success, has consolidated its position in an extremely competitive market. Paola Boni, joint managing director together with Marco Dellerina, export manager, explains the winning choices behind its success.
What product characteristics have allowed you to achieve a prestigious position on the market?
Without doubt our most effective competitive element is represented by continuous innovation. We could for example mention a few of our most successful products, which have made the history of the company: the Gratì rechargeable grater, the Vaporì Jet steam gun, the Saladino vegetable slicer. These are all practical products for daily use, which help perform everyday activities more easily. And then there are reliable products representing excellent value for money, such as ironing systems and espresso coffee machines. Two years ago we also launched a line of products co-branded with Disney, which are extremely successful. It is this that today explains our turnover of over €100 million, 40% of which is realised in Italy and 60% abroad.
What has delocalisation in China meant to you? What product lines have been affected?
Delocalising production activities has been a necessity to maintain competitiveness on the national and international market. Almost all our production is now based in China. The heart of the company remains in Italy - research and development, the style and design department, marketing - and deals with the design of new products, which are then manufactured in the Far East.
How do you think your business may develop in the future?
We will continue to develop and propose products on markets that are historically most convenient, above all in the sector of ironing systems (where we have recently presented a product with electronic control and digital display) and espresso coffee machines. We are also working on important innovations in the kitchen sector. Shortly, moreover, we will further expand our collaboration with Disney, with a specific line of products for babies: it will be called Disney baby, and will include products such as bottle warmers and weighing scales.
On your Internet site it is possible to browse through your catalogue and also to make online purchases. Do you think it will become increasingly important to focus on e-commerce?
We are not focusing particularly on Internet sales, as much as on the possibility of offering more services and information to consumers. Sales are limited to special offers (seconds and ends of line), only in Italy and in the countries in which we have a branch office. We're not in competition with the traditional distribution channels, which are our partners in reaching the consumers. Our site above all is intended to be a small portal: those who visit it find information on the company, our products, our assistance centres, but also recipes, curiosities, links and services. Basically it is a small item of added value that we offer our consumers.
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