The FACCIN Group is a formidable name in metal forming. Having installed over 30,000 machines worldwide, the Group reaffirms its spirit of innovation and sustainability by offering three leading brands viz. FACCIN, BOLDRINI and ROUNDO and rededicating itself to deliver high performance equipment for enhancing productivity in the metal forming industry, while maintaining accuracy, precision and metal saving in the manufacturing process, discovers Machine Tools World in an interview with Andrea Ceretti, CEO, FACCIN Group. Excerpts:
Q. FACCIN has gained substantial market share in metal forming machine industry. Please elucidate the success story of the company?
Two words: Innovation and sustainability. After more than 30.000 machines installed worldwide, we can confirm that Faccin Group embodies this spirit by offering to the market three leading brands like Faccin, Boldrini and Roundo and the commitment of the Group towards future generations, a pledge to work consistently to deliver high-performance equipment for a sustainable development.
Q. Please brief us about the exports and overseas operations. Also what are the global alliances that have helped you outsmart the competition?
Creating and expanding our business network is a priority for us to provide the best possible assistance to our customers. FACCIN Group today has a global presence, with the corporate headquarters in Italy, branches in the USA and Germany and Sales Offices in Spain, China and Asia Pacific.
Our branches and offices guarantee Customer Service for the 3 brands with highly trained teams and spare parts availability to quickly respond and resolve any request received from all over the world with absolute professionalism and understanding of the customer needs. With a selected network of dealers and partners in over 150 countries, FACCIN Group offers unparalleled coverage for all metal forming needs. Our dealers and partners have been trained to provide a quick basic technical assistance and easy communication with the head office.
Q. Could you brief us about the marketing strategies that were applied in order to stand out in the competitive machine tool industry?
During the past decades, many industries have organized their supplies by outsourcing from the market. At FACCIN Group we have a vertical integration; we start with plate profiling, fabricating, machining, and we can do turning milling and boring and polishing – all in-house. We found out that having this in-house has been the greatest support for our resilience.
This decision to keep vital and critical production stages inside Faccin, allowed us to keep working and also to acquire new orders uninterruptedly during 2020 as we can have a better control on the delivery and generally on scheduling.
Q. Please throw some light on FACCIN’s infrastructure, and the measures being taken from product manufacturing to distribution?
In order to keep a positive track record in designing, building and implementing reliable metal forming solutions with the highest quality standards, the Group has obtained and maintained the ISO 9001 certification status over the years. Everything we do supports our goal to provide our customers with the confidence that they will get the best.
The headquarters and the production plant, with a total surface area of over 60,000 sq. m – of which 1,250 sq. m correspond to offices and 15,000 sq. m to production facilities – are located in Visano (Brescia), in the industrial region of Lombardy in Italy.
With the use of the latest technology and lean manufacturing procedures, the Group is able to monitor each manufacturing phase, from receipt of the order to design by the in-house engineering department, from construction of electro-welded structures and machining of structures and forged rolls up to assembly, shipping and installation.
Q. Could you brief us on the R&D and Quality policy for your business?
We are a full manufacturer with an internal R&D department and full control of quality inspection, pre-shipment commissioning and testing before shipment. This is a resilient solution and a sustainable balance between internal production facility and market demand.
Q. Please comment on the current machine tool scenario in India.
We believe Asia-Pacific is expected to drive the demand of the metal forming machines market with countries like India acting as a significant player, unceasingly displaying an infrastructural evolution, which in turn will drive the metal forming industry.
Our strategy is to keep working through our distribution network, companies we have been collaborating with for many years now and consolidate our position in new regions through new powerful distributors with very professional technicians who will be able to support our machines. High quality and great service is the key to our success in the Indian market as confirmed by many customers currently working with our equipment.
Q. Could you brief us on Indian & Global perspective of machine tool industry? What are the distinguishing factors?
What it is certain is that the Indian metal forming industry, are subject to the cycles of the market economy like any other industry. What is relevant in today’s world is that these cycles are much shorter than in the past and companies that do not adapt and do not prepare beforehand with the latest technology will struggle when the markets fluctuate.
Our group supports the Indian metal forming industry by building machines with avant-garde technology in metal forming automation, so factories will be able to cope with today’s challenges.
Q. In your view, how can the Indian machine tool industry become far more globally competitive?
The fluctuations in the market and the struggle to find skilled workers are driving fabricators to replace their old equipment with high quality gear, mainly looking for accuracy and automation to increase their production output, which is precisely what our group proposes. We focus in providing metal forming companies with equipment of the maximum quality, powerful, cutting-edge but above all accurate.
As margins grow smaller, accuracy is the answer. We design our machines to offer a return on investment centered on the accuracy of the forming process and avoidance of metal waste, always integrating powerful forefront technology that increases the output cycle and return on investment.
Q. What are the key technology trends that are driving the machine tool industry?
The markets will continue to increase the demand of metal formed products but due to the current geo-political situation, the volatility will be high and will push the metal fabricators to be as flexible and as proactive as possible.
Q. What are the best possible remedies you can advise in order to maintain optimum profitability in the market in India where the margins are shrinking?
India must specialize in providing metal fabricators with equipment of the highest quality that is powerful, technologically advanced but above all precise. When margins get smaller, precision is the solution. Machines will have to be designed to provide a return on investment based on the precision of the forming and elimination of metal waste, combined with powerful technology that augments the productivity cycle.
Q. What is your vision for FACCIN?
Our vision, at FACCIN Group, is to offer through our advanced vertically integrated production, a tailored and energy-efficient product-service system that exceeds our customers’ expectations while minimizing material waste and energy consumption.
