Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 2nd May 2024 Issue no. 1112
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Autobella: Idrobase Group’s new international strategy
The first mega car wash with a complete ‘Made in Italy’ solution has been inaugurated in Xi'an. Called Autobella, it is the Italian challenge to the luxury carwashing market in China: the aim is to create a franchised chain, managed through the local production unit Idrobase Ningbo.
In Xi'an, a city of over 8million inhabitants and the capital of Shaanxi Province in the central area of the country, the first structure has been inaugurated. The result of a Sino-Italian partnership, it boasts 20 bays for manual car washing, and provides a complete solution for vehicle care, as well as a way of achieving maximum customer satisfaction.
The new project will be officially presented in May at the Interclean trade fair in Amsterdam, while the launch on the large market of the Far East is scheduled for December at Automechanika in Shanghai.
Thus begins an important transformation in the global strategy starting with the implementation of the 'Lean-Toyota' methodology at the headquarters in Borgoricco. "Paraphrasing Leonardo Da Vinci, we can affirm that quality is made of details and that quality is not a detail," says Bruno Ferrarese, co-owner of Idrobase Group." Efficientising production and reducing costs, will allow us to free up resources to allocate to strategic lines."
For this reason, Idrobase Group is identifying reliable partners in emerging countries, to whom it will delegate licensed productions for local markets; the triple objective is to contain costs, combat corporate identity theft and counterfeiting, concentrate ‘in-house’ activity on high-value strategic productions, and on the development of global marketing.
Adds Bruno Gazzignato, also co-owner of Idrobase Group: "In the Mediterranean area, we are about to open production lines for the cleaning sector, in line with the technical and price expectations demanded by the local clientele.
"These are undoubtedly difficult markets, permeated by strong social contradictions, but they are also characterised by significant growth opportunities, linked to the benefits of the oil economy."
"It won't be easy," predict the two, "but it's our contribution to that Mattei plan, advocated by Italy… And one thing is certain: wherever we are, the worker and their wellbeing remain at the centre of our entrepreneurial commitment."
25th April 2024