"Technology was helpful, but we were thrilled to finally see our clients and suppliers face to face", says with excitement Daniele Valsecchi, at the head of SANMIRO, back from Istanbul where last 16th September he took part to the 31st edition of Zuchex. This international trade fair was a great chance for insiders to exchange views and to assess all that was good and bad about the last few months, hugely affected by COVID-19.
"The atmosphere was buzzing. Difficulties with the supply of raw materials, the consequent rise in prices and the problems importing from China", Daniele Valsecchi states, "drove companies towards alternative markets, namely Europe. This has had undeniable and great economic benefits on the entire supply chain. Clients are starting to once again look for high standards, and quality is something "Made in Italy" does well: we are still in the game. Of course we are facing issues relating to the lack of raw materials, but this is affecting all sectors in the same way".
Zuchex was a very profitable fair, the first one after a long stop, and it even exceeded our expectations.
"This has always been a local event - explains Daniele - but this year I was glad to see clients from all over the world. I would say it was a dynamic and lively edition! And we, at SANMIRO, are more than happy, since this means the choices we made a few years ago were right. As a matter of fact, in its internalization project, SANMIRO has been one of the first Italian companies in the cookware sector to invest in Turkey, a country which represents a real gateway to the Middle East. Now that we see a growing interest in this area, we can’t but be proud and satisfied".
Another positive aspect of this 31st edition was the central role of SUSTAINABILITY, a topic in which SANMIRO has always been at the forefront.
"Sustainability is an important issue in the Middle East too, something which can’t be ignored any more", says Daniele. "Both at Zuchex and at Ambiente 2020, SANMIRO was the first company to present a green line - ECO+ - produced with PEFC certified wood flour, which does not contain chemical dyes of any kind. And that’s not all: we combine sustainability with care and original design, which is typical of Italian products".
If we talk about trends, we can't but agree that sustainability is a hot topic today. However, we should distinguish the so called "greenwashing", companies which just claim to be green, from companies like SANMIRO, who invested time and resources from day one.
"I agree - says Daniele - at SANMIRO we introduced a more sustainable process some time ago, we installed two photovoltaic systems, which allow us to save 2 months of electricity in a year, and we invested in innovating equipment, taking advantage of 4.0 benefits from the Government. We also have a plant aimed at reusing the processing waste, in a 100% sustainable way".
ECO+ is only the first green line by SANMIRO: stay tuned for some news before the end of 2021!
"We are guided by 3 important pillars: FORESEE, RESEARCH and INVEST - concludes Daniele - our main competitor is surely China, but we are convinced that, if we stick to high quality in terms of products and client service, which is undeniable for SANMIRO, we can make the difference, especially during difficult periods, like the one we are living now".
