In the heart of the very green Bolognese Apennines, between Emilia and Tuscany, a company took shape at the end of the 1980s, which over time became an expression of Italian design in the world. Roots that are anchored to the territory, but with the ability to scale the markets. Giampaolo Colletti interviews Marco Palmieri, Chairman and CEO of Piquadro, for FARE INSIEME
by Giampaolo Colletti
@gpcolletti
To observe without pausing, to observe and to think. Well, this is the
story of a continuous observation by a computer science student from Emilia
with a passion for mathematics and of a brilliant intuition born in a small
leather goods shop managed by his mother in the heart of the Bolognese
Apennines. Keep in mind that in this story the love for mathematics will return
forcefully also in the name of a company that over the years would become an
icon of the Made in Italy, an expression of design that the world envies us. In
this case the key word is time. It takes time to observe, it takes time to do
things well and it takes time to seize the opportunities of the time,
understand that it is the right time to take an important step. Of course, it
takes competence, courage and even that dose of recklessness - that student who
grew up will later say - but it’s always worth it. Let’s stick to that student
and that little shop. We are in the mid-eighties, years in which we try and try
again, years in which we throw our hearts beyond the obstacle, years in which
technological innovation is still far from complete. And then you need head and
heart. And then hands. Hands that do, hands that move quickly, hands that never
stop. We are in Riola di Vergato, a very green village with less than a
thousand souls in the valley of the Reno river, in that extensive metropolitan
area that embraces Bologna. We are almost 300 metres above sea level and are
divided by the state road 64, known as Porrettana, halfway between Bologna and
Pistoia. A place characterised by harsh winters and cool summers. «My
mother had a small shop with leather goods and I was curious about leather
cutting systems. So I tried to combine the technology of those
years with the processing of artisanal products. Ultimately, it is the company
that shaped me and not vice versa. And I did it right there, in that wonderful
land that is my home». These are the passionate and conscious words of Marco
Palmieri and this is the story of his Piquadro.
Company profile. Palmieri
founded the company in 1987 right here, in Riola di Vergato. Originally, he
dealt with productions for third parties and became chairman and CEO. Then,
after ten years of contract production for prestigious Italian companies, the
student, who had turned into a young entrepreneur, decided to launch his own
brand, which he called Piquadro, indulging his love for mathematics since the P
squared stands for Palmieri and leather goods. So
since 1997 he has been producing on his own with Piquadro, an Italian brand of
leather goods with an innovative design and high technological content with a
well-defined positioning. How much progress has been made since that
student decided to open his company in the heart of the Apennines between
Tuscany and Emilia. From the beginning, Piquadro was inspired by functionality
and technology. «We have always made travel products. We don’t bet everything
on beauty, but also on design, on functional innovation, on lightness. You
become an icon when you intercept a taste that others have not intercepted. The
theme is that of experience: inventing something that is unique. For me, what
matters is the corporate culture. And it is made up of many things: of
products, of ethics, of motivation, of speed, of talents. Today the consumer no
longer wants lies. Consistency is the
key word. After all, one plus one
equals three when you work together»,
says Palmieri.
The recipe for doing business.Today
Piquadro sells its products - bags, suitcases and accessories - in over 50
countries around the world with a distribution network of 1,500 points of sale,
which include hundreds of Piquadro-branded boutiques, 40 of which are abroad.
Unstoppable growth, but over time. See, the word time returns obsessively
almost to underline the need for a development that cannot skip ahead It must
be metabolised, even participated in by people and the community. The
first single-brand store opened in 2000 in via della Spiga in Milan. The
Italian style, the quality of manufacturing, the use of fine leathers. And then
again the originality of the positioning. In 2006 the inauguration of the
futuristic Gaggio Montano factory, in a town of five thousand souls in the
heart of the Bolognese Apennines. The headquarters is still located here and logistics for all of Europe is ensured from here. «We actively
pursue the connection with the territory: with schools we have promoted
programmes to support families. We mapped out kids who couldn’t afford
computers at home and an internet connection», recalls Palmieri. In 2016 we acquired the historic Florentine brand The Bridge, a tradition
in Tuscan leather goods. And then the collaboration with many design schools.
Has it been all fun and games? Nope. «The start was very difficult. Of
course, there was the initial enthusiasm and a great desire to plunge in the
project, but there was also unawareness. But passion makes you overcome a lot
of difficulties. The hardest obstacle? When we went from the dream of planning
to the concreteness of producing. Production is hard work. At the time we didn’t
have the skills, the sensitivity, the processes. My wife and I sat in the
garage at home day and night trying to do as little damage as possible. This
difficult time lasted a year. Then I started receiving offers from the first
venture capitalists who were able to grasp the strength of this proposal. These
went beyond producing bags for our customers. Private equities are the
solution for growth, but also the recognition of work», says Palmieri. Emilian identity, which however looks to the whole world. Because if that visceral connection with his land will never
abandon him, Palmieri keeps an eye on the world markets. And decides to do
things big. In 2007 Piquadro was listed on the stock exchange and is continuing
its expansion around the world. With a keen eye on that place from which
everything started. «I had two elements that allowed me to innovate in
processes and products: my parents did another job and I wasn’t in a district.
Because districts do exist and are accelerators: if you go with a good idea you
will find human capital and technology. On the other hand, it is also true that
not being in a district encourages you to become more innovative», says Palmieri.
And that idea of time returns forcefully. It takes time to build, but time must
be cut down to respond quickly to the rapidly evolving market. Palmieri is
convinced of this. «Of course, the bar is set in the long term, but we work day
after day with the need to change quickly».
https://podcast.confindustriaemilia.it/
Read the other interviews
