Pierangelo Borroni

How do you define the current state of Indian woodworking industry? What is your take on Indian woodworking industry compared to that of Italy?

Pierangelo Borroni: For the Italian companies, the Indian market is a very important market. We cannot compare much but we can compare Indian market just something like the Chinese market. Indian market already uses technological machines of very high level sinc e a very long time. And this relation started, I think some ten to fifteen years ago. At the moment the Indian market is growing again so much so that the Italian companies are getting the machinery directly in the Indian market.

So, for us it is very important and I think for the future it is necessary to invite more and more Italian company to visit the India and try to sell their machines for the Indian market because the potential of the market is very high. Our promotional activity is to push the Italian company to sell Italian machines abroad and in the same time to push Italian company to go in India. However, it is not so easy because the average dimension of the Italian company is very medium to small. And sometimes the Italian company doesn’t have the financial capacity to penetrate into the market, to come here and to find the local importer to invest money to send the machines. So our aim is to help these companies.

What are the changes you have observed in recent years?

Pierangelo Borroni: India is composed of both traditional furniture and modern furniture and the capacity of the Italian machines is to satisfy both the clusters. Probably I think, I am not too sure though, that ten, fifteen or twenty years ago the Indian production probably was concentrated only on traditional furniture but now the time is changing and in the same time Indian market is changing.

Do you have any plan to execute ‘Punto Italia’ concept at IndiaWood like WMS Canada?

Pierangelo Borroni: Here we talk about Italian cooperation with the Italian Trade Commission; a venture of the Italian government who dedicates their time and economic sources to help the Italian company to penetrate into the global market. In this case our association, ACIMALL is organizing some promotional activity in several countries in the world; invite the Italian company to participate and as you can see we have this Italian dedication.

Some Italian companies prefer to come with us and try to find a local agent here. In this case we have Italian pavilion. And there is the ‘Punto Italia’. Now the difference is that the Italian pavilion is the stand and the ‘Punto Italia’ we have some information easily here. ‘Punto Italia’ is actually a promotional activity of Italian pavilions and participation of more representatives. From the Punto Italia you can give away some brochure, or you can display a video of your production. ‘Punto Italia’ is a promotional technique, where you can give some brochure that’s all. Instead in the Italian pavilion you can bring with you, your machines, or tools or other materials!

What are the marketing strategies going forward in 2020?

Pierangelo Borroni: Marketing strategy is the same, do not forget that the ACIMALL is not only their association who collects the main Italian company dedicate their production of the woodworking machinery, ACIMALL is also the owner and the organizer of Xylexpo.

Xylexpo is the main hub of business in Milan in next May dedicated to woodworking machines. So, we decide to divide our marketing strategies between to proceed with our support Italian companies to promote and at the same time and to do not forget or support our exhibition.