History of a group present today in 29 countries around the world with solutions for the residential and industrial sectors. For this company, it all started in the Bologna area; today the company boasts 54 companies and 15 commercial brands. Giampaolo Colletti interviews Andrea Moschetti, Chairman and CEO of FAAC, for FARE INSIEME
by Giampaolo Colletti
@gpcolletti
Photocredit: Giacomo Maestri e Francesca Aufiero
A lion defending a gate in a sunny desert. The scene of a flaming red sports car taken from above that goes fast, raising sand and expectations. And then the gate that opens at the touch of a remote control. Absolutely technological, absolutely exclusive, absolutely safe. Here is the unforgettable text that talks about the FAAC automation for gates and garages, accompanied by that slogan that marked an era: pass. Thus, in 1987 an advertising campaign landed on the television that, in fact, will go down in history. That crouched lion in front of the gate installed in the middle of a desert tells of that Emilian hi-tech jewel, i.e. of the Italian multinational specialised in automation for gates and barriers, automatic entrances and doors, parking lots and access control. A combination of gate and lion linked to safety that accompanies the entire history of FAAC, even becoming part of the company logo. Today FAAC is at the head of the best access solutions for the residential and industrial sector, for the management of pedestrian and vehicular flows, with the most advanced technologies and digital networks on smart mobility.
Story of a myth. But let's take a step back in time. It all started way back in 1965 in Zola Predosa, a town of less than twenty thousand souls in the metropolitan area of Bologna. And it all starts from a small town shop. But ambition is not lacking. As well as courage. And to think that the company born with an acronym – FAAC stands for Fabbrica Automatismi Apertura Cancelli (Gate Opening Automatism Factory) – would become known all over the world. Giuseppe Manini, a small building contractor who had a brilliant intuition doing his job, took care of setting it up. Manini noticed how the gates of the condominium car parks always remained open because no one was bothered to get out of the car to close them. This is how he created the first automatic movement system for gates, the 750 underground, in an artisanal way, using hydraulic technology and the distribution chain typical of industrial districts, which was supplied by the Bologna area in the hydraulic sector. «At first it consisted of a rudimentary device with a water pump and a hydraulic system. After all, it was a method typical of the area, where hydraulic technology made the difference compared to competitors, which had always resorted to electromechanical technology. But if the hydraulic seal was good, there was no wear and the assemblies lasted almost forever. And then the electromechanical solution was much noisier», says Andrea Moschetti, Chairman and CEO of FAAC. However, as we know, appetite comes with eating. Thus, we arrived at the 400, the first model with an external hinged door. Subsequently, with the development of electronics, microprocessor electronic boards were born, which allowed for the creation of systems that went beyond the mere opening and closing. And Italy soon moved abroad: at the end of the 1970s – precisely in 1979 – the first branch was opened in Switzerland. Two years later in France, three more years and the company expanded in Germany and then a year later in the UK. With the death of the founder, the management passed into the hands of his only son, Michelangelo Manini. And the development continued steadily: in 1988 the company landed in America, in 1990 in Spain, in 2002 in Poland and China, in 2005 in India. And again in 2007 in Austria and Australia. But growth also occurred with acquisitions of specialised companies.
Local and global. But this is also a story of courage. «We represented the first commercial on national networks for a non-consumer product and therefore not aimed at the end user. Because in our business it is not the final consumer who decides, but the installer. That commercial made history», explains Moschetti. Today the headquarters are still in the Emilia-Romagna region and the lion's head is all in Bologna because it is right under the Two Towers that the research and development of this innovative and iconic company finds its home. But from Bologna it goes far beyond thanks to 17 production plants distributed all over the world. «Today as yesterday we continue to invest heavily in R&D. To be a mechanical company we invest a lot, up to 5% of our turnover. We have 54 companies in 29 different countries, covering five continents. But the truth is that we want our products to travel as little road as possible with “local for local” solutions and therefore with a local supply chain, even if the DNA remains Emilian», concludes Moschetti. Looking ahead and letting the future in when it knocks on the door. Just like that lion did in the middle of the desert.
https://podcast.confindustriaemilia.it/
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