Interview with UDIB President Gian Marco Dalpane

. As the most specialized fastener related association in the region, could you please talk about related events/activities UDIB has successfully given and achievements UDIB has made in 2017? What positive benefit and influence have these events/activities or achievements generated over your association members and other associate industries?

Well the first very positive result is that we did achieve three more associates becoming the third more participated association in Europe in terms of number of members and I think the second in terms of turnovers.  Furthermore we’ve registered good cooperation with the Public Administration either at Italian and European level, in controlling and getting more fluent the documents exchange for the incoming surveilled goods.  We also empowered our website to give our associates the possibility to have more visibility and, with proper links, more business opportunity, being among a group of very well trusted companies.  We did also participate as a delegation to a couple of international fasteners fairs.

. According to your observation, what is the major industrial development trend in the Italian fastener market? To which industry sector are fasteners in Italy mainly delivered and the approximate proportion of delivery to each industry sector?

Certainly the most valuable Italian fasteners market is the automotive. Unfortunately during 2017 this has not given the positive results that are usually expected.  On the other hand,  the automation sector has registered very important growing results following the national program named “Industry 4.0” positive flow, also thanks to very important tax reduction programs.  The metal structural construction industry is still doing well, even if the raising of this sector seems to be less important than the past years.

. We observed that the distribution and logistics support systems in the global fastener industry have been focused more on the establishment of more intelligent automated warehousing and distribution systems, and many European companies are taking the lead as well. What is your opinion toward this? Is it a challenge or opportunity for fastener distributors who need to obtain fast/efficient executing capability and ensure high quality of fasteners at the same time? Could you please talk about the current development and dedication of Italian fastener companies to the establishment of intelligent warehousing and distribution systems?

Certainly as just mentioned the advantage of a reduced taxation is pushing the industries to invest in a new logistic organization and even our members are not losing this opportunity. In fact several of them are renewing or changing their establishments doing very important upgrades to become more competitive and improving their impact on the market. We all believe that the cost reduction through the improvement of the entire process is the key for future success. By the way we must consider the Italian average distributing company dimensions, that frequently dramatically the logistic chain organization impact, so I think it’s important to improve the system and always be aware of the real single capacities, either in terms of volumes or customers typology.

. Facing competition from fastener distributors in other countries, what advantage do you think Italian distributors have to help themselves gain consumers’ admiration, either in the local Italian fastener distribution market or in the entire EU fastener distribution market? 

The Italian distributors have certainly very important characteristics that are appreciated worldwide.  First of all is their flexibility. This is something written in the DNA of any Italian businessman, and thanks to the usually small dimension of their company, this results natural.

Second, the very good quality of the products. The goods can be made in Italy or abroad but they are always very well controlled, following the Italian’s very strict rules and legislation. The third one is the wide range of stocks available. In fact an Italian distributor can count on the first fasteners manufacture industry in the world together with a good import channel thanks to the good importers and their perfect relationship with the biggest Asian manufacturers.  All these matters naturally lead us to the fourth point that may be the most important one: the Italian distributor can offer very good conditions to the market in terms of price that is usually very profitable, especially if compared to some bigger European competitors.

.  Many UDIB members have been collaborating with Asian suppliers for years. Do you have any new expectation toward the continuous future collaboration with theses suppliers? And, does UDIB have any plan to further reinforce and strengthen the collaboration and partnership with these suppliers from Asia?

UDIB has among its members a lot of very well known partners of the Asian suppliers. The relationships are really excellent and both parts appreciate the seriousness of the other, during years and years. UDIB by itself is trying to widen these relations between always more and more companies.

. What is your opinion and analysis of Italy’s and EU’s fastener import/export volume and value calculated from 2016 through the most recent month of 2017? Do you think there may appear some significant improvements in the future fastener import/export volume and value of Italy and the entire EU?

I don’t think that these two years will be remembered for their special figures. For sure they will remind us the cancellation of the antidumping duty and the extreme variability of the raw material price.  These two reasons gave the players of the market a lack of stability that usually is not favorable for the growing of the market.  Some of our members have pushed the foreign market with very good turnover and profits.

. What is your expectation and prospect toward the fastener distribution market of Italy and even the entire EU in 2018? Does UDIB have any plan to promote and create a better fastener distribution environment for 2018?

UDIB has no intention to manage the market but the possibility to create better conditions for the growth and the stability.

. As the President of UDIB, could you please talk about how you would like to do in the upcoming new year to lead your association members to maintain their competitive edge in the global fastener market and voice for your members’ interests?

We will meet for our general assembly in November, and during this meeting I’m sure the members will have the possibility to compare with one anther certainly finding new ways to cooperate and to merge their forces as much as possible to combat the bigger European companies’ strength.  UDIB will try to push them in this cooperating direction with the aim to create a better Italian distributing system and a new empowering in the European and entire world market.

. Do you have anything else that you would also like to share with our readers worldwide?

The Italian market offers great opportunities of growth. Current distribution suffers from the too high number of small players on the market. The future will be of those distributors who will join the forces to be more competitive on the market.