In 1980 one of the initial partners left the company; the remaining
two decided to interrupt the exclusive relation with Pimespo and
to develop and manufacture battery chargers on their own. The
decision was made on the basis of market surveys carried out in
the material handling sector, paying particular attention to lift
trucks. But it was also a result of the two partners' intuition:
they realized that diesel machines for material handling would
be replaced by electric units very soon because of environmental
issues. Thanks to electronics pollution could be reduced efficiently
and a better control of functions was achieved with increased
manoeuvrability.
During the first two years the company concentrated on the development
and production of battery chargers; afterwards it used its know-how
and technology to widen its offer and include systems for material
handling control, on-board instruments, truck accessories, etc.
With the advent of microprocessors, these new products and battery
chargers improved their features and replaced analog components
which had become obsolete because of their large dimensions and
less quick response to controls. The company started its ascent:
from the initial 7 employees and 200 m2 covered area, it passed
to 15 employees working in a 1.100 m2 building in 1990. The product
range was widened steadily thanks to a Technical Department capable
of using new technologies to update old products and obtain new
ones.
The policy of the company was decided by the two partners: they
controlled the commercial departments directly and the remaining
activities indirectly by submitting them to their final approval.
In 1997 L. Baricca took over his partner's share; in 1999 Nuova
Elettra changed its style into "Nuova Elettra s.r.l."
(= limited liability company) and became part of the small-medium
industry.
At first Nuova Elettra sold its products on the Italian market
only; its main partners were firms and repairing shops located
in the North. As Southern Italy is very far and it was impossible
to cover the whole area, an agency was set up to take care of
all Southern regions (Campania, Basilicata, Puglia and Calabria).
The agents (operating on non-exclusive basis) were supported by
their own sales network and a warehouse in Naples; their aim was
to penetrate the market of Southern Italy, meeting its particular
requirements especially as for daily care and assistance on behalf
of people living in that area.
In 1988 Nuova Elettra approached some companies abroad, but only
in the 90's it started developing its own distribution network
in foreign countries. A service network was also set up both in
Italy and abroad ("Nuova Elettra" workshops with a special
Service contract) to provide the customers with correct and quick
information in case of breakdown, technical problems, etc.
In 1996 the new Nuova Elettra building was finished: 800 m2 for
offices and 3.500 m2 for production departments. The new building
represented an additional step in the expansion policy of the
company with its improved production departments as well as newly-designed
assembly lines to increase productivity and comply with safety
laws. Computers were then adopted in the whole company to obtain
an integrated and co-ordinated control of data and information.
As demand rose, the company aimed at increasing production and
sales volumes to obtain higher profits and use them to re-organize
our company.
In the same year the company decided to expand at international
level. The first step in this search for new markets was the establishment
of a trading subsidiary in Germany, Nuova Elettra Gmbh, near Cologne,
necessary to ensure a constant presence and to tackle the market
from the inside. Four people work in Nuova Elettra GmbH: the managing
director, who is also in charge of the Commercial Department,
two technicians and an accountant. The subsidiary does not carry
out any production activities, but it only sells finished products
directly ordered from Nuova Elettra and stored in its warehouse.
Expansion also included a policy of vertical integration, limited
to the most crucial half-finished product in the production of
battery chargers: the transformer. A share in a transformer manufacturing
company was bought, which allowed prices and deliveries to be
kept under control.
Today Nuova Elettra operates all over Italy and abroad.
Its target includes:
- large companies manufacturing lift trucks and batteries, for
which Nuova Elettra also produces custom-made products such as
half-finished products and accessories;
- lift truck repairing shops, which are supplied with battery
chargers and spare parts;
- companies using Nuova Elettra products for their production
process.
An efficient sales organization has been set up to deal with these
target-groups. The commercial team consists of two managers responsible
for Italian areas and an export manager, headed by the company's
owner.
