03/18/2017
A year of growth and development for TMB, looking ahead to new challenges!
Four years have passed since TMB started production at its renovated plant in Via Ca 'Nova Zampieri in the town of San Giovanni Lupatoto, just outside Verona. The Ruffo family company manufactures a complete, wide range of vacuum cleaners (commercial, professional and industrial), tools, self-service equipment and single disc machines. Renovating the plant was a strategic choice that has proven successful for the production launch of this historic brand of professional cleaning technologies Made in Italy, which are widely appreciated both at home and abroad. The full logistical-productive integration of TMB within the Ruffo family Group is producing excellent results, so many that the Verona-based company balance sheet for 2016 is set to close with a growth index of 20%. This is the fruit of high-quality production as well as close attention to the needs of the end user and to the requirements associated with green cleaning, namely energy savings and environmental sustainability. We met with the CEO of TMB, Giampaolo Ruffo, to jointly analyze market trends and take stock of the health of this particularly dynamic, young company with an eye to the future.
Mr. Ruffo, with the arrival of autumn, industrial activity is now fully operational. We cannot deny the fact that the period we are currently going through is difficult, indeed quite delicate for Italy, and we cannot talk about a full economic recovery at all. In the background, too, the scenario for all businesspeople is complex due to the major challenges posed by innovation, digitization, robotics and Industry 4.0. Are you concerned about these prospects?
“Absolutely not because they represent opportunities for development, something I have always believed in. I do not see these issues as potential obstacles, but rather as choices that are almost mandatory for successfully facing competition on the global market. As for the first part of the question, the country's situation remains stagnant: the internal market is still strong, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to work in, as we are having to operate among the thousands of bureaucratic traps and labyrinths within it. Fortunately, TMB is growing, both in terms of turnover and volume, thanks to exports and the emergence of our commercial presence in a number of new business sectors, where we have succeeded in positioning ourselves particularly well”.
Is this in reference to Europe or other continents?
“The best results for us have come from non-European states: I am referring in particular to the United States and Japan. Unfortunately, the indicators that we are receiving from the Old Continent are not positive. We are witnessing a generalized slowdown in the EU economy, while Italy is not showing any concrete signs of recovery. In fact - to come right out with it - it seems to me that in some ways, things are getting worse here. If we analyze the reasons for our rediscovered competitiveness in the US and in the countries in that geopolitical and economic area, we have to admit that much of it depends on the appreciation of the dollar over the euro. Indeed, this circumstantial factor has been very important for us, because it has allowed us to establish ourselves in places that were previously inaccessible”.
The results obtained so far reward the great efforts in research and development you have made in recent years, with particular attention - in the design of new models - to ergonomics. What are the factors that have the most influence on the popularity of TMB products?
“Innovation was certainly the cornerstone that allowed us to begin commercial penetration in countries that we had previously not even considered. Above all, our machines are appreciated for their ease of use. This is because at the core of each new project are products that are able to combine the best possible quality for each model and the ability to deliver excellent working performance, with the requirement that the utmost comfort for the operator is guaranteed”.
It is a commendable effort, especially if we consider that certain views of robotics tend to depersonalize the man-machine relationship, with the sole advantage being automation. Do you think this is a risk or an opportunity within the professional cleaning industry?
“It is undeniable that robotic technology is destined to make its mark on our social and industrial future, because this process is irreversible. However, I do not know how soon or when it will actually be available. Today, in my opinion, from a practical perspective, it can only work if there are strictly defined standards for manufacturing processes. For example, cleaning rooms represents the opposite to all of this, as it requires a number of very different operations. Indeed, each of these is composed of multiple elements. In short, robotic technology is not currently able to offer an adequate response to these specific requirements”.
Within the production environment, product customization is increasingly important: what does this mean for TMB?
“First of all, let's be clear: in using this term, I am referring to the substance, to the know-how of the machine, and not to the aesthetic design or the accessories. For us, in this sense, customization of our models is key in that it entails an on-going effort to meet the cleaning requirements, working needs and other requirements expressed by the users of our machines. To do this, as a company we must be able to consistently collect feedback and information from the market and from our end users, using this to develop suitable products that are designed to solve all the forecasted cleaning challenges. Obviously, to give substance to our plans, we need to be able to count on dealers and distributors who are suitably trained and involved in this design process, which begins with listening to the user”.
With an eye to cleaning contractors, who make up the core of your customer base?
“Yes, because they are our main commercial spokespeople in an extremely competitive market, where a price war is battled on a daily basis. I am convinced that there are still many niches that remain unexplored, precisely because the professional cleaning world is vast and is destined to mature in step with the economic, social and civil growth of the global community”.
A final question regarding the year that is about to draw to a close: how would you evaluate it in terms of the performance of your company?
“It has been very positive, not only for the reasons I have already mentioned, but also because the company I have the honor to lead has earned a precise and valuable place within the Group, thanks to the commitment of all the staff members. I will mention just two of the many advantages of belonging to the great Ruffo family: the collective approach to the market and the communal design. This pair of conditions is important for the production development of TMB which - along with many other elements - enable me to look to our future with renewed optimism”.
Mr. Ruffo, with the arrival of autumn, industrial activity is now fully operational. We cannot deny the fact that the period we are currently going through is difficult, indeed quite delicate for Italy, and we cannot talk about a full economic recovery at all. In the background, too, the scenario for all businesspeople is complex due to the major challenges posed by innovation, digitization, robotics and Industry 4.0. Are you concerned about these prospects?
“Absolutely not because they represent opportunities for development, something I have always believed in. I do not see these issues as potential obstacles, but rather as choices that are almost mandatory for successfully facing competition on the global market. As for the first part of the question, the country's situation remains stagnant: the internal market is still strong, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to work in, as we are having to operate among the thousands of bureaucratic traps and labyrinths within it. Fortunately, TMB is growing, both in terms of turnover and volume, thanks to exports and the emergence of our commercial presence in a number of new business sectors, where we have succeeded in positioning ourselves particularly well”.
Is this in reference to Europe or other continents?
“The best results for us have come from non-European states: I am referring in particular to the United States and Japan. Unfortunately, the indicators that we are receiving from the Old Continent are not positive. We are witnessing a generalized slowdown in the EU economy, while Italy is not showing any concrete signs of recovery. In fact - to come right out with it - it seems to me that in some ways, things are getting worse here. If we analyze the reasons for our rediscovered competitiveness in the US and in the countries in that geopolitical and economic area, we have to admit that much of it depends on the appreciation of the dollar over the euro. Indeed, this circumstantial factor has been very important for us, because it has allowed us to establish ourselves in places that were previously inaccessible”.
The results obtained so far reward the great efforts in research and development you have made in recent years, with particular attention - in the design of new models - to ergonomics. What are the factors that have the most influence on the popularity of TMB products?
“Innovation was certainly the cornerstone that allowed us to begin commercial penetration in countries that we had previously not even considered. Above all, our machines are appreciated for their ease of use. This is because at the core of each new project are products that are able to combine the best possible quality for each model and the ability to deliver excellent working performance, with the requirement that the utmost comfort for the operator is guaranteed”.
It is a commendable effort, especially if we consider that certain views of robotics tend to depersonalize the man-machine relationship, with the sole advantage being automation. Do you think this is a risk or an opportunity within the professional cleaning industry?
“It is undeniable that robotic technology is destined to make its mark on our social and industrial future, because this process is irreversible. However, I do not know how soon or when it will actually be available. Today, in my opinion, from a practical perspective, it can only work if there are strictly defined standards for manufacturing processes. For example, cleaning rooms represents the opposite to all of this, as it requires a number of very different operations. Indeed, each of these is composed of multiple elements. In short, robotic technology is not currently able to offer an adequate response to these specific requirements”.
Within the production environment, product customization is increasingly important: what does this mean for TMB?
“First of all, let's be clear: in using this term, I am referring to the substance, to the know-how of the machine, and not to the aesthetic design or the accessories. For us, in this sense, customization of our models is key in that it entails an on-going effort to meet the cleaning requirements, working needs and other requirements expressed by the users of our machines. To do this, as a company we must be able to consistently collect feedback and information from the market and from our end users, using this to develop suitable products that are designed to solve all the forecasted cleaning challenges. Obviously, to give substance to our plans, we need to be able to count on dealers and distributors who are suitably trained and involved in this design process, which begins with listening to the user”.
With an eye to cleaning contractors, who make up the core of your customer base?
“Yes, because they are our main commercial spokespeople in an extremely competitive market, where a price war is battled on a daily basis. I am convinced that there are still many niches that remain unexplored, precisely because the professional cleaning world is vast and is destined to mature in step with the economic, social and civil growth of the global community”.
A final question regarding the year that is about to draw to a close: how would you evaluate it in terms of the performance of your company?
“It has been very positive, not only for the reasons I have already mentioned, but also because the company I have the honor to lead has earned a precise and valuable place within the Group, thanks to the commitment of all the staff members. I will mention just two of the many advantages of belonging to the great Ruffo family: the collective approach to the market and the communal design. This pair of conditions is important for the production development of TMB which - along with many other elements - enable me to look to our future with renewed optimism”.
BACKWARDS