ElicaNews n 21 - english version

n.21 year XVII July 2014 | Trimonthly journal Registrazione Tribunale di Ancona n째 26/98del 22/09/98 | Sent by postal subscription 70% | DIV.COR.D.C.I Ancona

FRANCESCO CASOLI

GIUSEPPE PERUCCHETTI

T

EDITORIAL NUMBER 21 | YEAR 17 ......................................

Published by ELICA S.p.A. Via Ermanno Casoli 2 60044 | Fabriano | Ancona Produced by HR Management ......................................

Editor Sandro Petrucci Staff Lea Ricciardi Ufficio stampa corporate (l.ricciardi@elica.com) ......................................

Cover tonidigrigio.it Editing dedalogroup.com Graphic design Stefano Menconi ......................................

Registrazione Tribunale di Ancona n°26/98 del 22/09/98 ......................................

Spedizione in abbonamento postale 70% DIV.CORD.D.C.I. Ancona ......................................

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Paper used: Fabriano Offset 2001 g/m2 145

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ore and more I find myself travelling around talking about Elica or meeting up with Elica people scattered across the globe.

A great sense of pride, of course. But also, at times, a great sense of anxiety.

People are extremely interested in our history, and it seems that we really are different and can express ourselves with innovative products and communication.

Then I might happen to drop in on one of our affiliates which still hasn’t quite managed to get the hang of what we’re all about ...

I might happen to sense that work is not exactly proceeding in perfect harmony ... (I’m using a euphemism here ...)

I might happen to get the feeling, speaking to people, that they regard you as a sort of alien enemy, a little Italian who doesn’t really know what he’s talking about.

And I might just happen sometimes to get as mad as hell ...

But it’s part of my job and if the message, so greatly admired in so many places, isn’t passed along and instead, in some places, always within our perimeter, is received with a certain superficial superiority, the blame can only be mine.

I’m not good at communicating.

That’s why I keep hammering away at this one point …

If we want keep our foot on the accelerator, we need to be one single team.

From Italy to Mexico via Russia, Germany, Poland, India, France, Spain, England, China and Japan.

So many places around the world, and not one of them superior or inferior to another.

And we should all be thinking the Elica way.

All of us.

Clear?

The new challenges.

his is the first time since I've been with Elica that I have no wish to use this small editorial space to deal with a specific theme. Instead, almost two years after my arrival, I would like to take the opportunity to describe the sensations that I feel looking at the company as an outside observer might view it.

What, then, do I see?

I see a thriving and positive company: one which is operating in one of the global economy’s most tragic periods yet, despite this, though not without tension and a few jolts to the system, which is able to keep on producing positive results month after month, quarter after quarter, without losing its sense of direction even for a moment.

I see an organization that draws energy from the effort and sweat of all those who identify with the values ​​of their own work and those of the company.

I see a company that does not limit itself to fighting daily adversity with all the force of its muscles, but one that continues to develop activities of ongoing improvement, investing resources and capital in the knowledge that if you want to come out on top it’s not enough just to react: you have to sow seeds for the future.

I see a group that collectively blazes new trails and seeks out new paths, ones that are often quite distant from its original contours, orchestrated by an action plan that as a whole is proving itself to be a strategic design truly worthy of a modern multinational.

I see a desire to look beyond the core business, far into the distance, mapping out new roads that are complementary and perhaps alternatives to the current one, so that a future existence is never in question.

I see and sense the energy and feeling in the eyes of so many – and this is the real hidden treasure of our company.

This is what I see, and it does not really matter a great deal if all that I have seen is not already a present reality. What is important is to know where we want to go, pursuing, day after day, our common dream. Broaden our horizons, speed up our pace, step out together along the new road that lies before us.

“

The comment from the CEO.

”

EMILIO ZAMPETTI

I came out of the annual meeting full of enthusiasm, positivity, certain that I’m part of a major project in a special company and bearing with me some "make the jump" convictions I'd like to share with you here.

Today, anyone who wants to find or keep a job has to create value for the Company and show that they can do this in whichever part of the world that they might happen to find themselves.

There are two things from my point of view that a company that wants to continue being successful must be able to do better than its competitors: collaborate instinctively and adapt quickly.

Collaboration is a fundamental attitude for the creation of value in the new "social" world in which we live: it’s an act of "courage and trust" that we have to share with all our colleagues, regardless of the "latitude" in which we work.

The ability to adapt quickly to a world that is changing every day, then, is a "must": standing still isn’t just boring, it’s a condemnation! Think about how many companies, leaders in the past, no longer exist today.

Never stop learning: that’s another feature that should be inherent in the culture of any organization that wants to compete and succeed in a world where the skills and knowledge of yesterday are no longer enough.

The new challenge of the HR department is to help people to stop thinking about "best practices" and encourage them to focus on "next practices": to ask what’s new, to look ahead at what will happen tomorrow, playing an important role in the transformation both of the company culture and in the understanding of the culture of each country to help people achieve lasting success.

I'm ready to jump… and you?

“

A culture of collaborative change.

”

MAURO CASTELLO

ELICA AMONGST THE INNOVACTORS.

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n the first week of June this year, Elica was invited by the Marche Region to take part in INNOVATTORI, an initiative, held in Civitanova Marche (MC) and promoted by the region to offer new challenges and new opportunities for regional companies.

The event was organised with institutional areas for presentations about innovation and concessional financing, areas for business to business meetings between the companies participating in the event and, not least, an exhibition space in which regional excellence was brought together in the areas of:

– Sustainable Manufacturing – Home Automation – ICT – Health and Wellness – Mechatronics In the B2B meeting areas (organised along the lines of the speed dating technique) it was possible to meet, in addition to local companies, companies from the Mediterranean region (the Balkans and the Iberian Peninsula) who illustrated their outstanding characteristics, skills and potential. In the exhibition space, seventy all-Marche companies presented

both their innovative products and, above all, their innovative ideas in various fields, from manufacturing to services, from agribusiness to the electromedical sector.

Last but not least, it is worth highlighting the significant presence of Marche’s four universities – altogether for the first time, at least in this writer’s memory, in one shared, common space. In the company’s own particular exhibition space, Elica had the opportunity to present, on video, the innovative products that were on show in the latest edition of Eurocucina.

The new products were also presented to the head of the Technical Secretariat of the Ministry of Economic Development who, on Saturday morning in the Elica exhibition space, met up with Dr. Patrizia Sopranzi, the Marche Region’s Director of Productive Sector Innovation, Research and Competitiveness. INNOVATTORI – "INNOV-ACTORS" – Europe ‘s new challenges and opportunities was therefore a useful opportunity to expand the network of companies known face to face and, above all, the creation of regional and international relationships for participation in EU tenders for the Horizon 2020 program .

SAFETY ADDICT. LUCIO ACAMPORA

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nteraction, problem solving, dynamism, safety and environment addict...

All this is EHS (Environment, Health and Safety), a body that provides people with the know-how in order to make sure their workplace is safe without neglecting respect for the environment. The EHS department has four main objectives: to develop a culture of prevention; continuously improve workplace ergonomics; increase specific professional skills; and ensure proper management of environmental issues in the company.

Working here at Safety certainly isn’t an easy job, but it’s one that allows you to expand your knowledge in the company’s various functions as well as provide, from both a professional and personal point of view, a deep sense of enrichment.

Close collaboration with the WCM team creates useful synergies to achieve multiple objectives and to face new challenges daily with the right level of energy.

The first basis of safety is not technology but mental attitude, which requires and entails a radical change of culture. Now Elica has a firm basis, we can go on to build a solid and lasting structure.

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The numerous training courses organised by Elica dedicated to the theme of safety.

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TERESA SEMPERLOTTI

IDEAS ON THE MOVE. A

t the end of March this year the launch took place of the Awards System linked to proposed improvements within the development of the WCM program. Then, following this in late May, an award ceremony was held for the best suggestions, presented by our colleagues in the Italian plants (perimeter hoods), which were effectively carried out and which made a real contribution to improving our company’s competitiveness and the safety conditions of labour standards.

The aim of the Awards System is to stimulate the participation of all the operators in the improvement program in order to make them increasingly aware of the value of their own activity and personal contribution.

The group photo features those who

were recognised in this first edition of the awards: Agostino Alberico, Egidio Morea and Vito Saracino were awarded for having put forward suggestions that have been transformed into Kaizen (i.e. quantifiable improvement projects) while Giorgio Frontalini, Marco Schiavoni, Marzio De Santis, Emanuele Grossi and Roberto D'Ambrosio were commended for the high number of suggestions made regarding issues of safety and the environment.

The ceremony was attended by all department heads, WCM pillar managers, the core WCM team, together with our CEO Giuseppe Perucchetti, Emilio Zampetti, Alessandro Moret, David Lacchè and Domenico Monsignore.

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UNITED PEOPLE OF ELICA PALLAVI BHUTADA

GIANGUIDO CERULLO

ELICA AASAAN APP!

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ndia has over 73 Million smartphone users and it is estimated India will add 172 Million new smartphones in 2014 to have a total of 250+ Million mobile smartphone users overall. In this scenario developing mobile App’s is vital for any company to remain in touch with consumers.

Elica in India has to create a goodwill thru after sales services in consumer mind, to spread a good word of mouth . Big challenge in India for Elica is to be give consumer easy access to the support team & to give personal & timely services, this where the Idea of free mobile app emerged.

We decided to use android platform as

SILKE ARNOLD

THE NEW GUTMANN SERVICE CENTRE.

JOURNEY TO KOREA.

android based smart phones have 60% market share in India(43% Samsung 7 17% Micromax).

Our App is named as Elica Aasaan.

“Aasaan” is a Hindi name which means “Easy” in English. By using the Elica Aasaan App consumer can register warranty with us , Register a complaint, Give feedback of services / products, can send a product Installation / Demo request . Elica Aasaan is basically a bridge between the company and consumer.

Thru this consumer engagement , consumer can avail timely services at the shortest span of time. Elica benefits by getting consumer database, which can

N

o over-thinking it at GUTMANN’s: the service centre was due for a makeover and, besides optimising the space available in the reception area, what was of the essence was the merging of the service centre and the reception desk operations into one. Although hardly completed, it was clearly evident that the changes wouldn’t be but useful and favourable: the new service centre colleagues all merge perfectly together into a competent team, capable of working alongside the GUTMANN customers to provide all-round expertise, information and assistance. Three of the five

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In the photo, from left to right: Maylin Fernandez, Dagmar Böhringer and Alicia Fernandez.

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be used as a marketing tool for product promotions etc.

Elica Aasaan was developed less than 35 working days in house at Elica PB India with negligible cost involvement.

Elica Aasaan App is Promoted thru stickers on every product, website, SMS, email’s and thru advertisements.

Click on Link to download app , https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=elica.food

team-members are wheelchair users, now obviously enjoying the increased comfort of their new, barrier-free office space. At GUTMANN’s a great deal of importance is placed on ensuring that everyone on the premises – employees and visitors – feel comfortably at home in a barrier-free environment. This is now possible for both: the attractive corner sofa seats in the new reception area invite visitors to linger whilst providing enough moving space for wheelchair users / physically-impaired employees and visitors alike.

"Giang, we have to start thinking about potential new customers, potential new markets. How come important players like Samsung and LG still don’t have complete faith in us?" Those words (I’ll leave it up to you to imagine who said them) buzzed around my head for a while.

It was something I realised I had to take care of. It was my first time in Korea. In recent years I’ve had the privilege, because that’s how I see it, to travel to many places in Europe and the world. The pages of my passport have quickly filled up with the visas and stamps of a host of countries, both near and far. But never Korea.

So, we started off, as usual. This time with Ruggero (Pinto). With a ton of files, documents and information about our company, our products, our people. I know that you’d like to know how it went, but that’s something I can’t tell you about. I’m sure you will understand.

What I can tell you is what I saw in Korea.

A country, South Korea alone, with 40 million inhabitants and a market of 900,000 hoods a year. Yes, you read that right. Does anyone know how many we sell to them? Nobody, I think, and I won’t tell you either. But regarding this point I’d like to make some observations that are more important, in this context, than the "cold" figures of accounting.

These countries that are so far away for us, difficult countries, home to people with language, culture, customs and traditions totally different from ours, hard to get to (it takes from 18 to 24 hours), with a 6-7 hour time difference from Fabriano, add up to an enormous opportunity for us. And up to now we haven’t really considered them in the right way.

And then we have to ask ourselves "why".

And there are a lot of questions. We must ask, for example: do we have the right local Partners? Do we have the right products for all latitudes and longitudes? But above all, we have to ask if we really believe that our future does indeed lie all around the world, with different realities to face, playing "away from home".

So, some bad news and some good news to end on. First the bad: the answer to many of the questions that we asked is "No". And now the good: with all the present restrictions out of the way, only opportunities remain.

FRANCESCO PENSIERI

ZIAD MIKATI

T

ARIAFINA: NOT ONLY JAPAN! So, here I am, back in EN: unlike the last time, I’ve managed to reduce the frequency between one article and the next (from 10 years to 11 months).

Ariafina this year celebrates its 12th anniversary, and thanks to everyone’s commitment and dedication (both at Elica and Fuji Industrial) we have carved out a significant position in the high-end Japanese market. Ariafina’s specificity, even with all the limitations and constraints that this sometimes entails, is to try to combine European design with the functionality and technology typical of Japanese tradition into a single product. Given the unique strengths of this blend, we have decided, over the years, to spread forth from the Land of the Rising Sun to promote our products in other neighbouring areas, in particular China and South East Asia.

Singapore and HK were our first ports of call, thanks to our Japanese partner’s already existing network, but since last year greater impetus has been given to the consolidation and development of the export business by working on our product range and seeking out new opportunities. This led to last May’s participation, together with our partners, in Malaysia’s HOMEDEC fair dedicated to interior design, one of the most important in the sector, which takes place in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in

the beautiful environs of the Petronas Towers and the surrounding parkland.

As well as exhibiting our products at the stand, organised in collaboration with our local distributor, we were also present in the publicity banners at the fair’s main entrance. Malaysia is a country full of contrasts, with gleaming modern skyscrapers on the one hand and food markets and snack joints along the roads on the other. It’s a true example of the fusion and coexistence of different ethnicities, religions and even cultures (Malay, Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern, etc.).

Our stand itself was another example, since we exhibited two brands, one completely Japanese (Fujioh) and one the result of an Italian-Japanese collaboration (Ariafina), with a variegated team in support: Italian (that’s me), Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese...

In Malaysia the ultimate goal of this kind of initiative is “hot sales” at promotional prices, so it was extremely interesting to have the experience of competing directly with the negotiating skills of the local population.

Thing were a bit slow to get started, mainly due to the caution of the public faced with such a new kind of product for the first time, but in the end we won over more t han one purchaser.

Go Ariafina!

he moment of truth for EGP came in May – a kind of graduation exam – with the first WCM audit, less than a year after the kick-off in Poland. The result was 19 out of the 20 points required, an excellent rating.

This great achievement was thanks to various factors, but above all to the commitment of the people involved in EGP. The Team (it needs a capital T) has shown that the right collaborative spirit, passion, commitment and belief in the program are what it takes, welcoming WCM as a huge opportunity for Poland.

The right approach and on-target decisions of the pillar managers have been of fundamental importance for the development of the program in Poland, making sure the focus was on continuous improvement, through openness and involvement. Thanks to the people involved on the floor, who believed in us from the very beginning, great ideas have been put forward with the possibility of independent development.

Their contribution is crucial to the success of the program. The excellent cooperation between EGP structures and the WCM function shouldn’t be forgotten either.

This has made it feasible to plan, design, develop and implement strategies for the most efficient possible diffusion of WCM with a real spirit of sharing. Based on the recent audit results, it’s clear that the structures put in place, both in the Polish plant and at the WCM corporate function level, have been effective, finding the right balance between the daily workload and the race to achieve the objective.

The WCM audit in EGP is an excellent example of internal international cooperation that sees Elica once again at the forefront, with a spirit of integration and cooperation: we have successfully addressed the complex problem of the diffusion of WCM know-how and tools with important training initiatives and an ongoing exchange of ideas.

Effective channels of communication have been created within the project, providing internal benchmarking that offers added value and the opportunity to enrich personal experience, engaging with others in particular areas of e​​ xpertise, with the objective of solidarity, cooperation and integration.

This has given rise to great opportunities to improve the workplace environment, learning from the experiences of Mergo and Castelfidardo which the facilitators made available to Poland.

I would therefore like to thank everyone who participated – starting above all with the EGP floor and pillar teams, the WCM coordinator, all the facilitators, the WCM Director, the WCM Expert, the Italian Maintenance department and finally all the others who have taken part but who, due to limitations of space, I cannot list here. Thank you all very much!

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The Team of the first WCM Audit, successfully passed by Elica Group Polska.

EGP PASSES THE WCM EXAM. 3

ELVIRA VARGAS, CARLOS HERNÁNDEZ MONTOYA

ELICA AT THE 2014 WORLD CUP!

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’ve loved kicking a ball around since I was 5 years old. My parents signed me up for the Cañada di Queretaro youth team: my passion for this sport comes from the fact that I grew up in the middle of it, I learned it as a kid. I've never had a chance to play at the professional level but I’ve participated in in-company Elica tournaments with my mates.

During the South Africa World Cup in 2010, we were working and we couldn’t watch the games, but this year we’ve been able to see the matches, starting with Mexico/Cameroon.

We all got together at the kick-off, everyone present on the shift, and we had a really great time at that moment. Well, actually for the whole two hours! And luckily with a good result for our team!

It is true they cancelled 2 goals, that was bad refereeing (at least in my opinion), however, despite this, Mexico won its first 3 points.

I know that the company has made a great effort to stop the production and we all know how much this costs in terms of efficiency and money, but I also

believe that we are all grateful for this initiative and for letting us participate in this celebration. Because that’s what the World Cup is in the end: a great "football party" to be experienced every 4 years and knowing that we’re all taking part with the Mexico team is really a huge thrill.

This pride is something you really feel during the match: being together with your friends to watch a Mexico game at the World Cup, it was so exciting that we let out a yell at the goal! We were all so happy we started throwing popcorn at each other – this was popcorn provided by the company to create a nice friendly atmosphere. It was a really chido moment!

And it was great to see Marco Bonfigli and Alberto Lopez cheering along with us and especially to see an Italian like Marco supporting Mexico!

We hope that this tradition will go on for the next World Cup, at least for the Mexico games, and that this serves as a real motivation for all football lovers.

Gracias!

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Interview ​​by Elvira Vargas, HR Mexico, with Querètaro plant freight elevator operator Carlos Hernández Montoya.

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DONATO ZAMPONI

JULIA SCIUTO

The last few months have seen us engaged in numerous events in Italy’s most important and prestigious universities.

With our stand and our business experts we have taken part in job fairs and career days, meeting and getting to know young graduates, with an agenda that has seen us participate in a series of events throughout Italy: April 3, ORIENTED TO THE FUTURE, Turin Polytechnic, Turin.

May 8, DISCOVER CREATIVE CAREERS, Milan Polytechnic, Milan.

May 14, CAREER DAY, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona.

May 16, YOUNG PEOPLE AND WORK, LUISS Guido Carli, Rome.

May 27, MEETING THE COMPANIES, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena.

May 29, CAREER DAY, University of Calabria, Arcavacata Di Rende (CS) We were literally "besieged" by a horde of young people excited and eager to get to know us and to let us get to know them, to find out about positions available at the moment and those that might be in the future, maybe launching the start of a new working relationship.

In the coming months, our tour will continue, passing through Rome, Naples, Salerno and maybe many other places!

CAREERS ON AIR IN TOUR.

TOTEMS OF SOLIDARITY.

B

y now, accustomed to their presence, we hardly notice them; they sit there silently and try to blend in, undisturbing, with the decor. Waiting, quietly, to receive some small remnant of packaging; a simple, almost routine, gesture to those who perform it, but of immense importance to those who receive. As they fill up, so their appearance changes, and if before they seemed to hide in their transparency, they now take on the rainbow colours of the iris: white is predominant, but the texture of the other colours seems to have been carried out by a naive painter in the midst of his greatest inspiration. Some help the content along by introducing tops brought from home, and they deserve special thanks, demonstrating great sensitivity towards a solidarity that is not blown willy-nilly to the

4 winds.

What are we talking about? Why, those containers, their shape reminiscent of the office water cooler, scattered around the company for the collection of plastic bottles tops. Initially, the idea was to deliver them to associations which, with the proceeds of their sale, could create projects of various kinds, especially abroad. Now, with our own area going through a period of difficulty itself, they are delivered to a group of volunteers who provide assistance to local individuals or charities. For every donation, a copy of the receipt is sent out to mark that the delivery has taken place of what was requested. The "totems of solidarity", as we’ve called them in the title of this article, are waiting for you, and thank you for a simple act that goes towards alleviating hardship. A few may certainly argue that their contribution is paltry: but it’s worth remembering that even the oceans and seas are made up of droplets of water.

Thanks to everyone who already contributes to the hues of the "totems” and a warm welcome to all those who wish to add their own dash of colour.

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ALESSANDRO ROSSI

FABRIZIO BIGATTI, FABRIZIO CRISÀ

ELICA.COM, ARIA NUOVA ONLINE.

ELICA...

GOLD!

E

ica is a constantly evolving company, ready to change its skin to keep pace with the times without disrupting its DNA. 2014, in particular, is proving to be a year full of news. The most obvious, and I would add the most important, was definitely the image change coordinated by the Elica brand, which triggered a cascading series of alterations, including of course our online presence.

At the end of March 2014, shortly before Eurocucina, the new elica.com site went online, designed by IM * MEDIA, the web agency we started working with just this year.

The new elica.com comes with a completely new interface and coordinates with the new visual identity of the brand, making the whole experience a more thrilling one, improving usability and interactive aspects for whoever is navigating. Naturally, the development of elica.com was based on the technique of Responsive Design, making sure that the site was usable and suitable for a variety of mobile applications.

The navigation menu is extremely user-friendly, giving a clear idea of the main areas of the site. First of all, the products section where you can access the Elica range, with the main cooker hoods immediately highlighted: some entertaining animation gets the user involved and at the same time points out the main advantages of the products. The new Brand area emphasises our brand values ​​and recounts our company’s long

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history, while the news section updates visitors on the latest developments in the Elica world. Another section is the completely renovated Elica Experience, where architects, chefs and designers recount their "experience" with Elica, providing useful material to convey to the consumer what it means to have one of our hoods in their kitchen. The site also contains information for those who want to buy a product and support information for those who already have one.

Integration between the website and social media certainly hasn’t been neglected: as the latter are increasingly becoming the first point of contact between the user and the company, it is critical for a brand to keep in close touch with them.

So, everyone, please do pop along to visit elica.com, share content, offer ideas and suggestions to improve the site – because the beauty of the web is that it’s constantly evolving. Just like Elica.

A

work of modern art almost always generates mixed reactions: how many times have we asked ourselves: "Is that really art?" or convinced ourselves that "Well, I could do that too ..."? After all, every era has been characterised by artists, thinkers, creators who have "broken the mould", designing and creating works following their instincts and not according to any kind of "common sense" – becoming, then, responsible for real jumps into the future, but also the target of ridicule, derision and discrimination on the part of all those unable to see beyond their own noses.

Still, there are times when these contrasting reactions, so inherent in human nature, take a back seat. There are events, or sequences of events, which show that a particular painting, sculpture, building or product can make the leap to stardom and define an epoch.

The Eiffel Tower, ostracised at the time of its construction, over the years has become the universal symbol of Paris. Francis Bacon’s triptych Three Studies of Lucian Freud, whether you like it or not, was auctioned for 105 million euros.

And we here at Elica, in our own small way, also play a part in this ongoing progress.

The 35CC hood has in fact received an Honourable Mention in the 2014 Compasso d'Oro event, the historic and influential design award, brainchild of Gio Ponti and now in its 23rd edition. Selected and awarded in the "Design for living" category, 35CC stood out from the crowd thanks to its technological heart and compact size,

a combination of innovation, materials, reduced dimensions and colour.

Such prestigious recognition helps to render any comment that the 35CC has aroused rather relative, whether positive (the many) or negative (the few).

“Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, and creeds follow one another like the withered leaves of autumn; but what is beautiful is a joy for all seasons and a possession for all eternity.”

Oscar Wilde

www.fondazionecasoli.it MAURO FUGNANESI 6.

The three teams in action on the field. Ph. Amedeo Benestante.

THREE-TEAM FOOTBALL? A VERY SERIOUS GAME. 6

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o be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what three-team football actually was when I got the invitation from the Fondazione Ermanno Casoli for the preview of the documentary linked to The Game – Danilo Correale’s project created for the 14th edition of the Ermanno Casoli Prize – but it certainly caught my attention.

I knew that a three-team football match had been held at the end of 2013 with the involvement of some companies in the Siena area and I had seen a number of photos and articles published, but nothing that served to convince me completely: can a football game with three teams on the pitch at the same time really be art?

Well, I got my answer on June 13th in Siena’s New Pendola cinema, where the presentation took place of the film that documents the entire project for The Game. It was there that I realised that behind a "simple" match lay a world: from the encounters between the artist and the company employees to decide team names, logos and colours to the organisation of the fans, from designing the rules to marking out the pitch, passing through training, communications and contacts with the local institutions in order to set up such a surreal and exciting day. And then the next part of the whole process, with the editing of the film and publication of the book, essential elements to document the event.

I know for a fact that I have witnessed a unique, truly involving spectacle, rich in ideas and content – one that can testify to the fact that, thanks to creativity and unity of purpose, it’s possible to react to the period of crisis that companies are going through. Danilo Correale’s film is able recount this experience in a lucid but also emotionally engaging way, without filters, as demonstrated by the company employees’ comments – and emotions – at the end of the screening.

If I hadn’t gone along to the film preview on June 13th, then I could never have imagined the great work done over these 10 months by the whole FEC team.

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The GladiaTori award ceremony.

Ph. Amedeo Benestante.

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Trigano employees during the preparation stages for the game.

Ph. Maurizio Esposito.

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Danilo Correale, The Game, 14th edition of the Ermanno Casoli Prize.

Ph. Amedeo Benestante.

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imagine something different! (Creativity is always useful, not just at times of crisis ...)!

Good going, FEC! Keep on helping us to 21/14 |

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