Ready to serve international markets

READY TO SERVE

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Gruppo Piantoni supplies a wide range of services to the iron and steelwork sector and is in the process of expanding in foreign markets, as Barbara Rossi found out from MD Eligio Piantoni.

Gruppo Piatoni, which employs 240 people, comprises GAP, GAP Service s and GAP 2. GAP is the operational company of the group and offers a wide range of services to the iron and steelwork sector. GAP Services owns the operational and earthmoving vehicle fleet used by the group for its activities. It manages and maintains this fleet as well as hiring it to external companies, not only belonging to the steelwork sector, but also including foundries, harbour-operating firms, etc. Romania-based GAP 2 offers services to Tenaris, an important Gruppo Piantoni client, in Romania. The group implemented its current structure last year, in order to be better placed for expansion in foreign markets.

The range of services offered extends from services connected to raw materials (scrap) to management of industrial waste, and also includes all the other main and ancillary services required for the rest of the iron and steel production process, such as warehouse management, transport and industrial cleaning.

“In 2011 we created our R&D facility. It has already enabled us to develop and patent our mobile suction system. We tested the first prototype in 2012 and have currently entered the commercialisation phase. We presented it at Ecomondo Rimini 2014 last November and will show it at Metec Dusseldorf 2015 in June,” Mr Piantoni explained.

“I am particularly proud of the fact that since 2014 we have experienced our best record in terms of health and safety. We have achieved this thanks to the fact that we have invested a lot in staff training, not only implementing it at the level demanded by current legislation, but exceeding the required standards. This is at the base of our outstanding results.”

The group operates from two facilities, as well as a series of sites located at clients’ premises. The Sovere (Bergamo area of northern Italy) facility houses administrative offices, personnel and purchasing; whilst the operational side of the business is taken care of by the Brescia site (including R&D and vehicle fleet).

Piantoni can boast of many important clients, including Acciaieria Arvedi, Acciaieria di Rubiera, Acciaierie Venete, Alfa Acciai, Cogne Acciai Speciali, DMV, Duferdofin, Feralpi, Grigoli, Gruppo Sanpellegrino, Italcementi, Lucchini Sidermeccanica, Nestlè Acqua Vera, San Zeno Acciai, Tenaris Dalmine, Tenaris Costa Volpino and Tubificio Arvedi, among others.

A horizon of growth

The present facilities, and in particular the Brescia site, are fully capable of coping with the expected volume expansion. “Whilst so far we have been mainly focused on the northern Italian market, plus our operation in Romania, we have already set up foreign contacts ad expect to grow abroad, particularly in Macedonia, Ukraine and Germany, areas that we already serve thanks to our relationship with Tenaris. Another geographical market which we intend to enter is Iran.”

“With regard to investments we have developed an energy saving project for the iron and steel sector together with the Politecnico di Milano (Milan Polytechnic University).”

Services for the steel and iron sector currently generate 90 per cent of the Gruppo Piantoni turnover. “I think that even in the future the turnover share of our iron and steel sector services will remain the same. The reason for this is that I expect volume growth in both this segment and in vehicle hiring, hence the balance between the two will remain unchanged.”

“In terms of our operating and earth moving vehicle hiring business, I think that what distinguishes our offer from the competition, and it’s much appreciated by customers, is the fact that we charge by the hour rather than working on the basis of a fixed monthly fee.”

Geographically Italy is still generating 95 per cent of turnover, with most of the remainder deriving from the Romanian operation. “Our long-term target is that of growing in foreign markets, so as to have a 50/50 balance between the domestic and international markets. I would say that this is hopefully achievable within five years. However, I would like to stress that this will not translate into a diminished interest in the domestic market, or indeed a

lowering of our work volumes here. For us Italy is a consolidated market, where we serve all the major steel plants. We do not need to have a strong commercial campaign in our home market, as we have well-established customer relationships. Our commercial focus will be on foreign markets, where we intend to gain many new clients and grow significantly. Pinpointing where our future growth will be is very tricky, as we offer services rather than products. Foreign growth will be based on our iron and steel sector services, while the hiring business will continue to focus on the domestic market only.”

Gruppo Piantoni – which is ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 certified, as well as being in the process of obtaining ISO 14001 – is going to be at Metec Dusseldorf 2015 where, as well as showing its mobile suction system, it will present the rest of its range of services. n