At Kent Moore Cabinets Ltd., Bryan, Texas, executive John Trcalek notes that his company has been pleased in its dealings with machine supplier SCM Group USA, the Duluth, Ga.-based subsidiary of Italian-based SCM Group SpA. “Their quality is consistent, and they’re surprisingly responsive,” says Trcalek, who is vice president of production.
Both traits are typical of Italian machine manufacturers, says Paola Bellusci, Chicago-based Italian trade commissioner. Compared to competitors in Germany, and particularly in Japan, where many machine suppliers are part of much larger corporations, Italian original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can be more flexible, Bellusci contends. About 75 percent of Italian machine builders have fewer than 100 employees, she says. This means that Italian OEMs can react more quickly to customer requests, she maintains. A hallmark of Italian machine builders is their ability to customize equipment to meet specific customer requirements, according to Bellusci.
In an effort to encourage more capital goods trade between Italian machinery makers and North American companies, the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, through the Italian Trade Commission, three years ago launched a continuing promotional campaign known as Machines Italia. Working in partnership with Italian machinery manufacturers’ trade associations, the campaign targets 14 industry sectors: agriculture/farm machinery; ceramics; earthmoving machinery; food technology; footwear, leathergoods and tanning; foundry and metallurgical machinery; glass; marble and stone; metalworking; packaging; plastics and rubber; printing, graphic and converting; textile machinery; and wood.
See the story that goes with this sidebar: Solving a Stcky Problem
