GROWING IN
WORLD MARKETS Gruppo Plocco Steel has historically been based in the Frosinone area of central Italy, where it has been expanding since the early 1960s. Today, while keeping its activity in this area unaltered, the group has crossed national boundaries, thanks to foreign subsidiaries set up to increase – not delocalise – its production. Barbara Rossi interviews Mr D’Addazio, the sales manager of the company.
G
ruppo Plocco Steel is composed of five Italian companies: Osim Plocco Srl, Enertronica, Orion, Flexbed and Euronefro. Osim Plocco is the oldest company of the group, founded by the Plocco brothers – Angelo and Giovanni – in 1961. The brothers were respectively experts in carpentry and mechanics and so focused the company’s activity in these two areas, a specialism which remains to this day. Initially the company was serving the rail and public body sectors, and with regard to the latter the activity mainly consisted of providing equipment to the Ministry of Defence. Over the years, with the arrival of
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the automotive industry in the Frosinone area, the company expanded its activity to supplying components for this sector, as well as to growing into a group, although it maintained its company status. Operating in metalwork, Osim Plocco Srl has a current turnover of €15 million and, as well as supplying components to the other companies of the group, has a wide range of clients, serving the automotive, railway, aeronautical, moulding, electromechanics and electronics sectors, supplying multinationals, as well as public bodies – for instance logistical support products to the Ministry of
Defence. Its activity is approximately equally sub-divided in machining, carpentry and mechanical processing – including assembling and surface treatment. Clients of the former products include the ABB group, Schneider Electric and Key Safety Systems, while through the latter range it serves customers such as AgustaWestland. Currently, the group, led by the third generation of the founding family, generates a turnover of about €35–40 million and employs 100 people. It operates from a 36,000m2 site in Frosinone, which as well as housing the group’s headquarters and