Welcome to a great start to 2020 for everyone!

Hi and Happy New Year to you all!
I usually dedicate my first post of the year with a review of the previous year, along with the projects and new year resolutions for the coming twelve months, so here I am once again.

Let’s start with a look at 2019, a rather strange year in my opinion. And, above all, very challenging.
All in all

MICROingranaggi’s turnover remained the same compared to 2018, standing at seven million euro.

There are many reasons why we are satisfied with this result. On the one hand, the sale of one of our machines in October 2018 had made an impact of around €230,000 on that year, an amount that we were not able to count on in 2019. On the other, we were able to optimize our purchases and tweak some sales prices, hence profit and liquidity rose and we all know they are more important results than the overall turnover in general.

2019 was also a year of substantial investments: almost one million euro,

almost double compared to the previous years and spread throughout all corporate departments. In any case, the most significant investments referred to the Industry 4.0 standard compliance activities, an evolution that demanded considerable effort by all those involved, especially the need to put in place radical and important innovations in very little time, with the implementation of the new management system that brought about a profound change (and, in some cases, a complete overhaul) of most of our internal and external operational work flows and the relative management system, or also such as the MES system connecting all the machines to the company network.
As I am sure you can imagine there were many moments of stress and tension, but I am proud of the reaction and positive response of all our collaborators.

What can I say of 2020?

A year I find worrying yet nevertheless optimistic.

Worried about our economy, given the uncertainties in Italy’s political situation, the difficulties encountered in the automotive sector, Brexit, the customs duties imposed by China and the USA, the tensions between USA and Iran, but also the climatic conditions of our planet. All factors which, in one way or another, may have repercussions on all of us. Without forgetting that ten years have now passed since the last economic crisis.

My optimism however mainly refers to MICROingranaggi. The significant investments in recent years has made us stronger, ready to respond to market demands and – more generally – more prepared and efficient. We are able to count on professional experts, but also our historic human resources who – thanks to their ongoing commitment and regular professional training – are able to ensure continuous improvement. Without forgetting that if, on the one hand, new professional opportunities for our products have emerged, many more new projects are in start-up mode in an array of merchandise sectors. Projects that will definitely bestow new lifeblood to the new year.

Our intention this year is to focus on the development of new MICROingranaggi brand products, even if the main goal we have set ourselves for 2020, is to consolidate all the new aspects introduced in 2019: we intend to understand and learn to correctly apply all the new technologies in which we have invested to our day-to-day operations.
Operations that, ironically, may become more complex if MICROingranaggi‘s growth during the coming year reaches significant levels. In short, we would really need a year without significant increases in turnover, even if this is something no-one usually hopes for!