A cut above the rest Savema

A CUT ABOVE THE REST

Savema SpA specialises in the processing of marble, granite and other natural stones for large-scale architectural projects and as semi-finished products (slabs). Mr Bosetti and Mr Panesi, commercial directors for finished and semi-finished products respectively, explain to Barbara Rossi why their company is a cut above the rest.

Set up in 1975, Savema SpA is based in Pietrasanta, near the Tuscan town of Carrara, an area renowned all over the world for its marble.

“What really makes us different from our competitors is the mix that we can offer. In fact, while we are very much at the cutting edge in terms of stone processing technologies and equipment – the technology used today to quarry, slab, cut to size, shape and finish the stone is almost totally computerised - we also feature highly in terms of artisan know-how, handed down from generation to generation,” Mr Bosetti explains. “This is a sector where the human element is still extremely important, especially in terms of knowledge, and our staff members are invaluable in this respect. They are really experts in quarries all over the world with which Savema has set up a network for blocks and slabs procurement, and are dedicated to scouting and selecting the right raw materials for each architectural project, where a mix of materials – originating in different countries – is usually utilised. Currently, either directly or through group companies, we have set up offices for block or slab procurement in Vitoria (Brazil), Bangalore (India) and Xiamen (China). Despite the fact that there are companies producing marble, granite and stone pieces all over the world, the true centre of this

Savema facility Columns, VVIP Amiri terminal, details Royal Library, Copenhagen

Great Court British Museum, London Mr Bosetti and Mr Panesi Columns, VVIP Amiri terminal, details

industry is still here in northern Tuscany, due to the high quality that we can offer and which is only possible thanks to the expert knowledge of our people and the proximity to the Carrara stone district.”

Savema’s sister company Magti, which belongs to the same owners who set up Savema, imports blocks and slabs (of marble, granite and stone) which are then commercialised on both the national and the international market. Its activity is independent from that of Savema, although the latter often purchases and processes the materials imported by the former for its projects.

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Savema operates in two fields: finished products for large construction projects and semifinished products (slabs). In the first category, important projects for which the company has supplied its products are the interiors of the VVIP Amiri terminal in Kuwait; the new headquarters of the Public Institution of Social Security, also in Kuwait; Freedom Tower and the 9-11 Memorial in New York; Miami Performing Arts Center; the Central Bank of Kuwait; the Mormon Temple in Rome; the Great Court in the British Museum and the Royal Library in Copenhagen, Denmark; Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong; Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; National Geographic Building in Washington DC. In terms of semi-finished products the company supplies other marble producing companies and distributors all over the world.

The company operates from a single site, occupying a very large area (75,000m2), where materials are processed from blocks to finished products. “This is where we also develop new products. We are working a lot on special finishes. In addition to traditional versions, we are also able to offer almost three-dimensional finishes, where the surface finish might be brushed, flamed or washed with waterjetting,” Mr Bosetti adds.

Over the past three years, Savema has invested more than €5 million in its facility for the introduction of innovative technologies, including high productivity cutting lines, equipment for making new finishes and textures, multi-wire gang saws and systems to reduce the environmental impact of industrial stone processing. In 2013, Savema exceeded €35 million in revenue, with an export share of approximately 80 per cent. Sales extend worldwide, with a higher concentration in the Middle East (36 per cent) and North America (25 per cent), areas that represent the most important markets for the supply of largescale projects of high quality and complexity. “Because of our activity and the important role of export we have not really suffered from the recession. Geographically the Middle East is an important market which

VVIP Amiri terminal, interiors, Kuwait

has grown significantly in recent times, followed by the USA, Europe (the UK in particular) and Italy. Monte Carlo is also a very interesting niche market, where currently we have two large projects. Eastern Europe is also interesting and we are trying to develop our commercial presence there. We have also been serving the Far East for several years and have commenced working in Latin America,” Mr Bosetti specifies.

With regard to semi-finished products, Mr Panesi explains, “Italy is still a very important market for semi-finished products, followed by the Far East, the Middle East and the USA. We have a uniform presence in all of our markets, with marble generating 70 per cent of our share of turnover and granite the remaining 30 per cent. Granite semi-finished products are mainly sold in Europe, Italy and Africa, while their white marble counterparts are sold in the rest of the world. We have a strong presence in North Africa, and despite some import duty problems, we plan to further develop our presence in this continent. We also plan to increase our presence on the US market, while Europe is fairly stable.

“Other markets for future development are South America, where we are going to expand in terms of volumes and of a higher quality offer, and Russia. Local high-quality niche products are our strength. In this way we distinguish ourselves from low-cost competition coming from emerging countries. In Italy semi-finished products play a more significant role than their finished counterparts. Italy has always been our main market, while other countries have been more variable according to their political situation. We feel the effect of market changes (either of a positive or negative nature) much more quickly than the finished product department does.”

Mr Bosetti outlines the company’s strategy. “Our commercial policy is that of achieving a more widespread presence on our existing markets. We are a company with a 40-year history and are well known in the sector. Now we want to increase the services that we offer, integrating the mechanical and chemical characteristics of stones into engineering of the anchoring system, in order to better guarantee and assure the security of the external skin of the building to the client.”

The company will grow organically. “Our intent for the future is that of consolidating our organisational structure, transferring the know-how and expertise of our staff to the younger generation. We need to implement continuous professional training for all of our staff, so as to equip them with the special knowledge that we have. We need to consolidate both in terms of market segments and geographical markets, while at the same time working on developing the latter.”

“Our suppliers of raw materials, machinery and equipment, including Magti, are real contributors to our success. We couldn’t have achieved what we have achieved without them,” Mr Bosetti concludes. n