THE STRENGTH OF BRONZE
The Guidi company sets the standards for metal valves and seacocks. Its products are 100% recyclable and have excellent mechanical durability. The brand’s strategy of constant R&D has enabled it to accumulate 13 patents. Its production facility is currently being expanded
by Paola Bertelli- ph. by Enrica Pastore
Bronze, aluminium, brass and steel - Guidi uses only tough, reliable materials for its products. The company is present in 53 countries, and last year opened Guidi America in Florida to take advantage of this important market
Non-stick valves, through-hulls, seacocks, flanges and fittings - Guidi is used to working below water level, producing components that may often be out of sight but are nevertheless crucial to the health of yacht engines and on-board systems like bathrooms, air conditioning units and desalinators. Now the autumn shows are over, Guidi, focussing on Europe and the USA, can look on the situation with some satisfaction. “For the moment we’re in line with the 2023 results and we’re satisfied. In 2024 we’ve had to deal with significant rises in the cost of raw materials, especially copper, whose price shot up in the period immediately following Covid. Energy costs in Italy have remained high, the most expensive in Europe, and that’s a significant problem that persists throughout our industrial system, not just for Guidi”, says Daniele Guidi, Quality & Sustainability manager.
“It’s also interesting to see how the ratio of sales in Italy to sales abroad is reflected in turnover. It used to be about 60/40, but in the first few months of this year we saw a rise in turnover from foreign sales, which now account for 44% of turnover, compared to 56% for Italy itself”. One explanation for this shift is the opening in 2023 of Guidi America, which encouraged sales growth there. On the other hand, almost half the yachts produced in Italy and other European countries go to the States, and Florida, where Guidi America is based, accounts for 65% of the American market.
Founded in 1968 by Bruno Guidi (now at the helm alongside sons Daniele and Alessandro), the company has always concentrated on the manufacture of metal non-stick valves, through-hulls, seacocks, filters,
flanges and fittings. No plastic, mostly bronze but also aluminium, brass and steel. This decision has led to the production of long-lasting products, reducing maintenance and problems caused by galvanic corrosion. In recent years it has proved to be even more strategically sound – non-ferrous metals are 100% infinitely recyclable, and even the waste produced during manufacture at Guidi is recovered and melted down once again. Plastic, however, demands a more complex and costly recycling process and cannot be 100 per cent recycled after first use.
Guidi’s success also rests on its R&D, which has a twofold importance for the company. In pure research - Guidi has 13 patents and enjoys collaborations with universities, specialist laboratories and research centres – and in production, with the use of numerical control machine tools, automation and robotisation. The company has obtained three ISO certifications – environmental, quality and work safety. Its catalogue lists 4,200 products, plus custom items made at the Grignasco (Novara, Italy) facility, which is currently being extended, with the present area of 2,000 square metres increasing to 3,000 overall when completed. The first section, intended for vertical storage and goods inwards is almost finished. It will be followed by the second section, an area of 190 square metres housing production. Executive planning for the third tranche of the project is now complete, with work due to begin soon. New solar panels have also been installed on the roof of the existing warehouse, covering 550 square metres and generating 100 Kw of power.
www.guidisrl.it
Positive figures for Guidi after the autumn shows. Left, the Guidi stand at the Genoa Boat Show last September. The company produces a range of 4,200 products, plus custom items manufactured according to client specifications.
Guidi is based in Grignasco (Novara, Italy), where its plant, warehouses and offices are currently being expanded
