Riccardo Concetti is the Director of Sales & Marketing at Concetti S.P.A. He has an MBA from SDA Bocconni and have also earned a PhD from University of Vienna. He is the fourth generation of the Concetti family overseeing the company.
You have a rich career in the industry. How did you get into this field?
Concetti is a family-owned Italian company, deeply rooted in our country’s rich traditions and culture. For those familiar with Italy, it is well-known that working in a company bearing your own name brings a profound sense of tradition and belonging. In the case of Concetti, my father and uncle inherited a humble mechanical workshop, and through their dedication, transformed it into a globally recognized leader in packaging machine manufacturing.
As the fourth generation overseeing the company, I am immensely thankful and proud to contribute to the ongoing history of Concetti. It’s a testament to our family’s commitment and the enduring legacy of turning a small workshop into a prominent player in the industry.
Building relationships is crucial in sales. How do you and your team cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with clients in the packaging sector?
The recipe for building strong relationships involves a careful blend of high-quality ingredients, with personal commitment being perhaps the most crucial element. Trust and credibility cannot be established without dedicating time to customers and demonstrating personal commitment. Simultaneously, it is essential to foster meaningful interactions by introducing compelling topics for discussion, sharing genuine expertise, and highlighting best practices. Additionally, innovation plays a pivotal role; being at the forefront of market trends and supporting industry changes with cutting-edge technology is imperative. When dealing with the sale of machines, ensuring prompt and reliable aftermarket support is paramount. Given the complexity of packaging machines, a manufacturer must be readily available to assist with troubleshooting, provide spare parts, offer technological upgrades, and facilitate refurbishment.
In a field like packaging, sustainability and environmental responsibility have become focal points. How does Concetti integrate eco-friendly practices into its packaging solutions, and how important is this aspect in your sales approach?
The theme of environmental sustainability is a significant focus within our company and throughout the entire industry. Concetti is actively implementing a series of technical measures aimed at further reducing the energy and pneumatic consumption of its machinery. Additionally, we are facilitating our customers in adopting single-material, fully recyclable packaging, even in industrial sectors, without sacrificing efficiency.
Our commitment to sustainability is exemplified by the photovoltaic system on the roof of our production site in Italy, generating clean energy that fulfills almost all of our internal energy requirements. However, what truly distinguishes Concetti’s filling and packaging systems is their exceptional longevity and durability, surpassing 40 years. This stands in contrast to the European average lifespan of industrial machinery parks, which is approximately 15 years. The minimized obsolescence of our systems translates to reduced waste and a diminished ecological footprint for our customers.
What career opportunities and pathways do you see emerging in the industry in near future?
My best estimate points to Data Analysts and AI specialists being in high demand. This isn’t surprising given the vast amount of signals recorded and made available by today’s automation technology. When you consider all the information managed by ERP and MES software, as well as data gathered from the internet, it’s staggering to comprehend the magnitude of the data generated by our current technology – a veritable gold mine.
However, it seems that many companies are grappling with the challenge of making sense of this overwhelming quantity of information. They are yet to figure out how to effectively transform it into valuable insights. As a result, there is a pressing need for specialists who can devise tools and methods to leverage this data abundance, providing support for strategic decision-making within companies.
From your perspective, what are the key challenges or trends shaping the future of packaging? How is Concetti adapting to these changes to stay ahead in the market?
We’ve covered many essential points. Ecology stands out as our primary commitment, and it’s intriguing to note the close relationship between the words ‘ecology’ and ‘economy,’ both rooted in the concept of ‘home.’ This connection underscores the importance of packaging that benefits not only our individual homes but our collective home, nature. Concetti is actively engaged in this domain, aspiring to be a leading company dedicated to ecological responsibility.
Our overarching goal is to achieve leadership while providing reliable automation. We aim to assist global food, feed, and chemical companies in equipping their manufacturing sites with cutting-edge technology. This technology is designed to enable the highest production outputs and standards while fostering safer and more worker-friendly conditions. Furthermore, our (future) incorporation of AI tools into our machines are not just about enhancing performance but also about improving the lives of those individuals who interact with our technology. It’s a holistic approach to innovation that prioritizes both efficiency and human well-being.
Do you think 2024 is a hopeful year for the industry?
Our industries are heavily dependent on numerous external factors, many of which are well beyond our control. The political and natural crises that we’ve learned to cope with add an element of unpredictability to the short-term outlook – making it challenging to determine whether a year will be good, decent, or challenging. Uncertainty and volatility remain prevalent.
However, with the world’s population steadily increasing, there is an indication of potential long-term economic growth. Additionally, I think that hope is not just a mindset but a vital and necessary attitude for entrepreneurs. Hope is also a virtue that I personally like to cherish.