“Bund Together” in the pulsating heart of Shanghai
On 06 September 2017 Caleffi opened its second branch on Chinese soil in Shanghai.
The inauguration ceremony was also a time for two different cultures to come together, share experiences and align their horizons - not only from a business point of view.
BROWSE THE PHOTO GALLERY OF THE EVENT
The welcoming words of Marco Caleffi set the ball rolling and related a sense of pride and a deep passion for the company in memory of his father, the company founder. His speech also told of a steely determination to reach decisions which upheld product and process quality over the years in order to retain Caleffiís intrinsic Italian core - just like the choice not to relocate the manufacturing activities - at a time when many others had no qualms about doing so.
Caleffi's propensity for innovation to the advantage of the market was highlighted and mention was made of the CUBOROSSO - (the red cube-shaped Centre for Studies and Research) and the MAV - one of the biggest automated vertical warehouses in Europe - which has enabled the company to improve the most important logistical issues on the market.
Marco Caleffi also recalled the most recent major C+ operation: the acquisition of Cristina (taps and fittings): “I would like to think that when Cristina entered the Caleffi Group, it was an exceptionally effortless and uncomplicated handover. The Caleffi Groupís interest in Cristina, a robust company with a consolidated turnover of over 50 million Euros, stemmed from its desire to branch out without straying too far from its own industrial sector. Cristina is an exceptionally prestigious trademark in Italy and abroad and its potential was such that an 100% acquisition seemed to best move to make. So, today, the Caleffi group has a consolidated turnover of about 350 million Euros.”
Sixty years of strong steady growth and innovation that is firmly anchored in tradition are the two mainstays which sustained us as we undertook this new business adventure: Shanghai is the sixth sales office in an intricate business setting with 12 branch offices and 4 companies each of which have a distinct identity of their own.
Sergio Casarino, Global Sales and Marketing Manager, and Shu Xuesong, CEO of Caleffi China also took the floor during the evening.
The former focussed on the prime role played by those present (existing clients, potential partners and players of various types in Caleffi's business life) and how material they have been to the success of the group which exceeded 300 million in sales in 2016 - a record figure in its corporate lifetime. The reasons behind this success lie in our commitment to people, both inside and outside the C+ ecosystem, to the support we strive to provide our Customers with from A to Z even before they actually become Customers and to constant investments in real innovation, deliberately avoiding any price wars. Quality cannot be compromised upon. The same market approach has been used on the tricky Chinese market so that we can offer our Customers the same service quality standards as we do on the more mature markets.
“We believe in China. This is why we are going to keep on investing, especially in the Shanghai area where we have ambitious objectives for growth”, concluded Casarino with conviction.
Then Shu Xuesong, at the helm of Chinese market for Caleffi for over twenty years and directly involved in the challenge, took the floor. In his speech, he recalled the first important event, ISH 1996 in Peking when Caleffi was officially presented to the Chinese market.
He explained that so far there is less awareness of certain themes that are familiar to we Europeans, such as temperature setting, system balancing and heat metering, but over time the Chinese market is becoming increasingly clued up. Greater attention to comfort and an efficient use of energy is taking on an increasingly important role in peopleís lives as it dawns upon them that by adjusting their systems, they can not only save money but also comply with energy regulations - a major consideration in these parts. So, Caleffi has plenty of room for growth.
In short, words of pride, optimism and fierce resolve, but especially a perfect occasion to celebrate. Many thanks to Shu Xuesong, known in Italy as Dario Shu, and to all the efficient Chinese team!
