13Jul

Interview with Andrea Picchiotti

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Let’s get acquainted with Andrea Picchiotti, Effegidi’s new Sales Manager of the Italian Cable Division.

Can you tell us something about your previous professional experience?

When I was 20 I started to work as Market Developer at Coca-Cola HBC Italy in Rome. In the following years I have been employed in other companies, keeping on improving my skills regarding the same business role – which is a sort of family tradition, by the way.

How did you join Effegidi and why did you embark on this new adventure?

I moved to Parma mainly for family reasons, because my brother was living here and I wanted to be closer to him. Here I found many professional opportunities and I started to work in a company based in Piacenza. Unfortunately, due to the problems brought about by the pandemic, this firm couldn’t invest time and money in my business role.

Then, luckily, I was welcomed into Effegidi’s big family. Given the current period, it’s hard to find companies available to invest in human resources: so I must say thanks to Dr Gabelli who, as a brave entrepreneur, believed in me.

What are your personal and professional goals?

I think it’s inevitable that personal and professional goals come to coincide, for anybody holding responsibilities inside an organization.

My primary goals are to do my best to succeed in what I do, and to repay the trust that other people place in me, in my private life as well as in my career. Achieving these goals takes commitment and sacrifice. In Effegidi I was given the opportunity to use these assets, in order to be able to make a difference in my area of expertise.

Were you struck by something in particular after joining Effegidi?

Really, I was struck by the work environment!

Effegidi is more than a company: it’s a team which, as I mentioned before, makes you feel part of a family. But in this family no one can rest on his/her laurels, and its members must always give his/her best. As a Sales Manager, one of my main duties is to be sure that our customers feel part of our big family, too.

Where is Effegidi going to in the next few years?

This is a classic million-dollar question! Quite frankly, I don’t know at all: predicting the future is always a big bet, especially nowadays.

To invest in the future, a company needs optimism and farsightedness. All I can say with absolute certainty is that in Effegidi we cultivate this type of mindset, and I will do my best to help my Company to achieve its goals.

25Jun

A fresh look: Effegidi seen through Roberto Bianchi’s eyes

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One of our team’s latest “signings” tells us a story of first impression, winds of change and enthusiasm.

WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE BEFORE “LANDING” AT EFFEGIDI?

I have been working in sales for more than 25 years, with extensive experience in the tourism, insurance, and food industries. In particular, the food field has always been a core part in my professional career.

I have mostly dedicated myself to export sales: at the beginning, I worked as an area manager, then achieving leading positions.

I knew the packaging field, even if not directly, but over the years the issues related to this business component have become increasingly prominent, an integral part for the success of every project.

So, when I had the opportunity to learn about Effegidi and to consider working with the company, I was glad to offer my contribution, fully aware of having still so much to learn.

HOW DID YOU JOIN EFFEGIDI? WHAT CONVINCED YOU TO START THIS NEW ADVENTURE?

A mutual acquaintance told me about Effegidi and about this engaging job, also in the terms of the promising prospects this company had and still has. As I said before, I believed that the experience I gained in the food industry would be valuable to both of us in this new professional adventure.

This was a mutual “bet”, and I think it will be rewarding and satisfying for all!

AFTER THIS INITIAL PERIOD IN THE COMPANY, WHAT ASPECTS IMPRESSED YOU THE MOST?

Effegidi works in a very fascinating industry, where the challenge is to blend in-depth knowledge with the cutting-edge technology and apply them to this field. It’s really inspiring! I strongly believe in this project, in the company and in the people who are part of it.

And, last but not least, the opportunity to fully tap the huge potential for improvement, at both a personal and corporate level. Even if we live in a competitive environment which affects all industries, I am confident that our commitment and dedication will allow us to reach even our most ambitious goals.

EFFEGIDI IS HEARTILY COMMITTED IN CREATING INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. ACCORDING TO YOU WHAT ARE THE KEY FACTORS TO FOCUS ON?

Although I am new both to this field and in the company, in my latest work experiences I had a chance of studying and deeply understanding clients’ (from manufacturing through distribution to the consumer) point of view and attitude towards environmental friendliness, sustainability and recyclability.

Unfortunately, strict and rigorous rules are still missing. Thus, it is responsibility of the companies both directly engaged and indirectly involved in these topics to start thinking about the future and how to structure themselves to be ready for it. How to do this? By creating alternative products, enriching our company expertise with new production technology, while providing steady knowledge and consulting support. This is the challenge facing our company.

WHERE DO YOU SEE EFFEGIDI IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

It is difficult for me to make forecasts, since I am still a “newbie”. However, I think that everyone (including me) at Effegidi aims to make the company playing an increasingly critical role in its market, a leading figure for our clients, relentlessly providing reliability, practicality, quality, and support.

I trust I can contribute to it, as all my colleagues already do, to get our company to where it wants to be. Together.

Thank you, Roberto, for your eagerness and your wonderful food for thought. Welcome aboard Effegidi! We are ready to sail to new horizons with you…

07Apr

Shrink capsules: the elegance of the bottle

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The shrink capsules are used together with the labels as a final touch to make each bottle of wine personalized and aesthetically more attractive, and are able to guarantee the integrity of the cork and therefore the perfect preservation of the product.The capsules have a triple function:

– They are a safety seal for the product: the capsule is open or removed, meaning that the wine has already been opened.

– They serve to avoid the excessive passage of air between the contents of the bottle and the external environment.

– They give beauty to the bottle: the capsule is the ideal place to report your brand, or give color notes to the bottle itself.

The capsule is therefore a safety seal that makes the bottle aesthetically more pleasant and safe from a food point of view.

The material of the capsules can be of different types: pigmented, satin, or metalized. The colors instead can be of any type.

Effegidi thanks to its know-how in the world of laminated films, can produce laminates for aluminum capsules for still and sparkling wine bottles. These are poly laminates in the typical ALU / PE / ALU structures equipped with the head and the opening strip for which customized lacquers and colors are available.

PETG A VALID ALTERNATIVE TO PVC

In this sector, Effegidi also offers green solutions based on PETG (recyclable) and PLA (compostable), with a view to an increasingly conscious use of materials that are less harmful to the planet and equally high-performance.

What are the characteristics that make PETG a valid alternative to PVC?

Excellent physical and mechanical properties;
Recyclable, it can be recycled without causing environmental pollution;
It can be laminated or painted;
Strong thermal stability;
Suitable for all types of customization.

Visit the page dedicated to Shrink Capsules, to discover our advanced solutions to dress your bottles with elegance and innovation.

08Mar

Past, present and future of Effegidi: face to face with Giovanni Basile

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The General Manager of Effegidi International tells us the recipe of his success.

Graduated in Electronics Engineering with a consolidated experience both at the plant and in the effective management of the Production, Quality and Purchasing departments: this is Giovanni Basile, General Manager of Effegidi since January 2008. He has a multifaceted career path behind him, which has always been driven by a natural curiosity. Business process control, management and optimisation are the underlying theme that ties multiple areas in which he has worked, allowing him to acquire a unique expertise and valuable skills.

YOUR DIVISION DEDICATED TO FOOD IS CONSTANTLY INCREASING. WHICH AIMS DOES YOUR COMPANY PURSUE IN THIS INDUSTRY?

It all started as an entrepreneurial insight from the Effegidi management team, led by Gabelli family and, when I joined the company, we began to manufacture food packaging.
Our curiosity and our desire to broaden our expertise and to create new opportunities: this is why we decided to consider food packaging as a cornerstone for guiding and boosting the future development of our company.
What are our objectives? We aim at motivating every day more all our employees, giving them new skills to share challenges and to seize market opportunities.
Our ambitious goal is to have a seat at the table in the food packaging field.

STILL ON THE FOOD INDUSTRY, WHAT ARE EFFEGIDI STRENGTHS AND WHAT MAKES THE COMPANY DIFFERENT FROM ITS COMPETITORS?

Since the very beginning, Effegidi listens to and addresses its customers’ specific needs, thereby offering a ‘tailor-made’ packaging.
Even in our stereotyped world, each company has its own special requirements, and each product implies customised solutions. For this reason, we engage every day to ensure an appropriate answer to all possible business demands.

YOUR R&D DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS TO SUCCEED IN AN EVER-CHANGING MARKET. WHAT CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING?

The packaging field is ever-evolving. But now more than ever has social culture – rightly – propelled a drive towards sustainability.
Effegidi is a typical converter. We dedicate ourselves to the development of eco-friendly materials, since we collaborate with other leading companies and we are always aware of what is happening around us. Our strategy consists of understanding what film manufacturers are offering, working with them to fine-tune new solutions and, not least, being carefully and constantly updated about any legislative news or changes.

SPEAKING OF CUTTING-EDGE SOLUTIONS, WHAT IS FILMECO AND WHERE IT COMES FROM?

Filmeco is a product line which goes exactly in the aforementioned direction.
In accordance with those of the reference market, Effegidi strongholds are the reduction of thickness and recyclability, in addition to the research of biodegradable and compostable materials.
I believe that none of these will prevail in an absolute sense, at least in the following 3-5 years. I believe, instead, that each of them could be a part of the solution, in a market where the scope of further improvement in the environmental, technical and economic areas will be the challenge facing us all.

WHAT ARE THE CORE FEATURES OF FILMECO?

With the Filmeco line we offer technical laminates made of single materials based on polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, able to satisfy multiple requests in the packaging field, from food tray to flow-pack.
Effegidi finds its roots in the territory of Parma, embodying its culinary excellence and more generally that of Emilia region: cold cuts, cheeses and fresh pasta are three of the main – but certainly not the only ones – natural applications for Filmeco. In fact, this line focuses on the technical side of shelf life of the products, on their display in supermarkets and, last but not least, on environment.
Not to mention our offer of a biodegradable and compostable film, which stems from the cooperation with leading companies in the development of these materials.

WHAT ARE THE FUTURE PROJECTS OF EFFEGIDI IN THE FOOD FIELD?

First of all, the steady growth in the flexographic printing field, both on plastic film and on aluminium, i.e., in the chocolate and coffee sectors.
In fact, aluminium is the best suited material to combine past, present and future of Effegidi.
But we aim even higher: we want to carry around the world our expertise as a converter in the food packaging, thereby bringing a global reach to this corporate division too.
The epitome of Effegidi is its excellent evolutionary capabilities: it is transformed, it constantly changes, it progresses.
Resourceful, fearless, spirited, it has challenging goals.
It remains true to its roots and confidently advances towards future.

03Feb

Why it is necessary to insulate the electric cables and wires

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For effective insulation, it is necessary a nonconductive material, or a material resistant to the flow of electric current.

Insulation materials resist electrical leakage, prevent the wire’s current from coming into contact with other conductors, and preserves the material integrity of the wire by protecting against environmental threats such as water and heat.

The safety and effectiveness of the wire depend on its insulation.

Both electrical and transmission cables make use of insulation to protect their enclosed conductors from temperature extremes, abrasion, current/signal loss, and moisture.

Effegidi laminate films are manufactured with non-ferrous (Al or Cu) and plastic (PET, LDPE, PVC, EAA, BOPP) materials.

LAMINATES FOR CABLES INSULATION

The choice of material used for insulation and sheath can have a significant impact on the overall performance of a cable, and there are a number of key factors to consider when choosing the right material for your application. Our laminates combine different materials to optimize their specifics and guarantee a high level of insulation.

Our laminates combine different materials to optimize their specifications and ensure a high level of insulation.

Learn more about our technical laminates intended for cable insulation: our technical department is always available to develop new projects and customized materials according to needs.

SINGLE-LAYER FILM FOR INSULATION

For effective isolation from electrical and electromagnetic interference, it is necessary to use high-performance materials capable of guaranteeing high mechanical performance.

Single-layer films due to their intrinsic features ensure a high degree of shielding and protection from external interference.

Discover Effegidi single-layer films: Our long experience in the field of cable shielding and taping is synonymous with quality.

07Jan

New year, new prospects: an interview with CEO G. Gabelli

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Gianluca Gabelli, CEO of Effegidi International, tells in an interview how the company has faced the delicate period that characterized 2020 and the company’s prospects for the new year, which will be full of new challenges, innovative products, and winning collaborations.

WHAT WAS THE 2020 BUDGET?

2020 was a difficult year, the situation that affected the world changed everyone’s habits, even within our company, and, clearly, in the relationship with customers.

But with determination, we have sought and found the most suitable solutions to continue to have a dialogue with customers and collaborators, making the most of the means that digitalization makes available.

Part of the team worked in smart working during the months of lockdown, while for the employees of the production department we put in place a constant shift that allowed the respect of the distancing, as well as having provided all the necessary PPE and required by ministerial regulations.

From a commercial point of view, we did not record any obvious drop in production, partly because the company, under the Ateco codes provided, has remained open and productive throughout the stop period.

LET’S TALK ABOUT PROJECTS: THE MOST RELEVANT UNDERTAKEN IN 2020?

From some perspective, it was a year that laid the foundations for new collaborations that could prove successful in the coming years, both internationally in the cable world and the food sector.

We have also developed new customized cable products: these are very special technical couplings for the American and European markets. In the coming months, we will give more news on new products in development.

WHAT SUSTAINABILITY GOALS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED AND WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT STEPS?

Environmental sustainability is a topic that is particularly close to our heart. That is why we have also invested resources and energies in 2020 in the research and development of increasingly green materials.

With this in mind, we have developed a new product for packaging: it is a recyclable product (a single product comparable to PET) and therefore reusable.

WHAT ARE THE 2021 RESOLUTIONS?

One of the major goals of 2021 is certainly to remain strong in some market segments that this year has suffered slowdowns due to force majeure.

We also set ourselves the goal of strengthening our presence in the American market concerning cable products, in the hope of concluding agreements also relating to the food world, a purpose that we have also initiated during 2020.

We are also aware of how much this shift towards the digital world, especially to reduce distances with distant customers and collaborators, has proved to be successful, and we hope to be able to further encourage the use of these means until they become every day and not exceptional.

Finally, we foresee huge investments in Business Intelligence, because our gaze is always geared toward the future.

WHAT HAS TAUGHT YOU THIS PAST YEAR, AND WHAT VALUES WILL ACCOMPANY YOU IN THE NEW YEAR?

2020 has taught us once again how important it is to always keep in mind what really matters: people.

From the very first period of the health emergency, we have put in place all the necessary provisions to ensure that employees and collaborators feel safe: from the creation of new insurances to the promotion of new work shifts, including the increase of digital tools for remote work.

Our company is made up of people, and our thanks go to them for the past year: for the commitment, perseverance, and proactivity that they have always demonstrated.

01Oct

Substitute plastic with new materials: PLA

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The eco-sustainability question is one of the most important at the center of the political, economic and social debate of recent decades. Consumers have finally gained the awareness that plastic, if not properly recycled, is an enemy material of the Earth and therefore it is necessary to limit its use.

One of the best ways to respond to this type of problem is to look for innovative materials that are sustainable and biodegradable and not derived from petroleum.

With these premises, biodegradable bioplastics made from vegetable and renewable raw materials have been identified as one of the best alternatives to plastic in terms of performance. Among the advantages of their use there is also the decomposition time in composting which is very short compared to the years required for the plastic to degrade.

The study of new materials is making great strides in terms of product quality and environmental sustainability: among these there is PLA, otherwise known as Polylactic acid or polylactide.

PLA IN FOOD PACKAGING

Effegidi, working in a sector that necessarily makes use of certain materials intended mainly for food packaging, has sought the right way to adapt the product offer to the ever-increasing demands that people and institutions have developed towards the issue of sustainability.

Today our attention is focused on PLA (Polylactic Acid).

It is a material that in recent years has become the protagonist of the search for innovative materials that can be used for food packaging: it derives from the processing and transformation of the sugars of corn, beet, sugar cane and other natural and renewable substances, avoiding so in full the use of oil.

This bioplastic, in fact, is biodegradable and compostable, therefore it rapidly degrades in the soil once the necessary temperature and humidity conditions are reached.

In the field of food packaging, PLA represents for us the most similar alternative to plastic in terms of performance and characteristics, and is ideal for obtaining completely biodegradable containers and sealing films.

Find out more about our commitment in the green field on the page SUSTAINABILITY.

01Sep

GREEN ECONOMY: A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

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In recent years we often talk about the concept of green economy, a concept strongly discussed on a social level, which summarizes the desire to start an economic recovery that takes into account and indeed responds to present and future climatic and environmental problems.

The green economy is defined as an economy from which an improvement in human and social well-being derives, thanks to the reduction of environmental risks. It is an economy that provides for reduced use of carbon and greater investments in the use of alternative and sustainable resources.

The concept of Green Economy is in fact closely linked to that of sustainable development. The latter, in fact, links the protection of human resources to the economic, social and institutional dimension to meet the needs of current generations and avoid compromising the ability and possibilities of future ones.

Reorganizing energy and selecting sustainable materials that are less harmful to the environment, as well as raising awareness of citizens and companies on the issue of sustainability, are the first steps to take to start the transformation towards a new green system, with the aim of:

optimize efficiency in the use of non-renewable resources;
increase energy from renewable sources.

GREEN ECONOMY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

For this to happen, an effective and lasting transition over time to a green economy is necessary, with coherent and shared interventions by the various associations involved, institutions and individuals active in the area (businesses and citizens).

Companies are also called upon to do their part: Effegidi has been following the development of technology towards sustainability for years and with interest and proactively participates in its customers’ green projects.

We promote, within the company, actions aimed at raising awareness on certain issues, especially on the responsible use of plastic material and its recycling (you can find more information on this page).

We firmly believe that it is not enough to use the word green or the suffix eco to be the bearers of a philosophy linked to the environment. We need to implement strategies, pursue research, look for real innovations.

Being green is not a choice limited to free time but it is an essential lifestyle to have a better future for everyone.