In accessories, customer needs should be addressed promptly
For almost 60 years, Metalbottoni have been leaders in the world of accessories for casual and fashion clothing. The company offers a vast range of buttons, rivets, buckles and badges with authentic Italian style. Gregorio Valli , CEO of Metalbottoni, converses about the company's latest offerings and the importance of R&D.
How many manufacturing units do you have? Where are they located and what are the production capacities of each of the units?
We produce mainly in Italy, in our headquarters in Chiuduno, but the growing importance of export has led Metalbottoni to be present in the most important international scenarios: in 2012, we inaugurated Metalbottoni Asia headquarters at Dongguan city in China, and in 2013 we opened offices at Istanbul in Turkey. Both are supported by the professionalism and design of the motherboard.
Metalbottoni has a legacy of over 60 years. How has the company evolved over six decades?
The company was founded in 1959. Initially, only aluminum buttons were produced, and then in the late 1960s, brass button printing was introduced. The headquarters have always been in Chiuduno (Bergamo) and the original building was enlarged in the 1980s due to the growth of activities. The company grew rapidly and consistently over time, combining the great vocation to craftsmanship with constant attention to new technologies. Expansion abroad began in the 1990s. Nowadays, the third generation is stepping in, in a company that is increasingly focusing on managerial management accounting, aimed to maintain its core values.
Please give us an overview of the different types of accessories manufactured by your company.
We produce a wide range of accessories: jeans buttons, snap buttons, rivets, buckles but also badges, hooks, rings and labels. We currently have six product lines:
1. Monster, dedicated to denim world with buttons, rivets, badges and buckles;
2. Labora, a collection of accessories dedicated to fashion and pret-à-porter;
3. Shirting, a range of buttons and cuff-links for shirts in five different materials;
4. Gummix, a range of accessories created through rubber or silicone fusion processes with textile materials. This system is also a Metalbottoni exclusive patent;
5. Leather Accessories, labels combined with different materials using various techniques including metal, leather, recycled leather, microfibre, synthetic leather, all guaranteed and certified;
6. Gravita, the collection dedicated to the world of sportswear with a special focus on snap buttons, launched in 2017. A line that is the result of constant research and development of new technologies. All products of the Gravita collection are patented.
Which are your major international markets? Are there any untapped markets that you are planning to penetrate in the near future?
Today, the company's main markets are Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Benelux, North European countries and the United States. Our goal is to gain greater penetration in these markets, and also focus on new segments.
Does India seem to be potential target market in the future?
Given India's long tradition in the apparel industry, mainly in the cotton business, we may seek some potential partners to invest in this market.
What is the USP of your accessories? What sets them apart from their competitors?
Heritage, passion, creativity and innovation are our keywords that combine with an excellent customer care service, which is recognised by our clients as strength, along with our product quality and segmentation. We assist the customer at every stage of the sale, from the choice of the solution that best suits the garments, to prototyping and testing services. We believe that innovation, as an output of research and technology development, is a very important driver to compete on market: the in-house technical office drives the R&D activities, while the style office monitors new developments and market trends in an integrated approach, guided by the inspiration for excellence.
From where do you source your raw material?
We buy raw material in Italy. We choose and check continuously our suppliers in order to guarantee the best quality standards and a production compliant with EU and international rules.
Can you tell us about your major international clients?
We serve many global brands, both in the denim industry and high-end fashion segment.
Are you planning to introduce any new products in the near future?
As mentioned, in April 2017 during the Kingpins Show in Amsterdam we launched Gravita, a new collection entirely dedicated to sportswear and the world of snap buttons: a collection where technology, total innovation, technique and attention to detail combine in creativity and dynamism. Now we are working on a collection of items dedicated to beachwear and swimwear that we are planning to launch by the end of this year. We aim to strive even more on research and innovation to offer affordable but always high quality products.
How do you see your market segment growing in the next 5-10 years both locally and internationally?
This is a very competitive market, where demand is more fragmented. Hence, accessories producers must be able to offer a wide and comprehensive array of products. Moreover, it is very important to be able to answer promptly and quickly to customer's needs. In today's scenario, customer care is a fundamental added value for the market. The Italian market experiments the same global market situation. Furthermore, we can definitely notice an increasing attention towards price that now involves high-end market as well.
What initiatives are taken by the company to ensure sustainable and eco-friendly products?
We developed our own No Impact protocol in 2011, which outlines 'green' solutions that we apply to all our processes with 100 per cent eco-materials and manufacture. No Impact means a number of commitments: environmental responsibility, eco-sustainable materials and manufacturing processes, reduced consumption and streamlined processes. Moreover, we request 'green' certification and practice from our suppliers. The 'green', No Impact pathway extends to a broader range of activities and generates virtuous processes that involve all our production chain: 65 per cent of Metalbottoni headquarters is intended for cultivation and green areas; 45 per cent of the company energy requirements are provided by solar panels; we use natural materials and processing cycles with a low environmental impact.
What is your R&D team like? How much do you spend on R&D on a yearly basis?
We invest heavily in research and we are proud of our internal R&D department, strengthened in 2015, which is continuously studying technical solutions to meet market needs and find solutions to customer requests. This continuous innovation has led to exclusive patented and patent-pending products. We believe that innovation, as an output of research and technology development, is a very important driver to compete in the market. It's important to underline that innovation will continue to go hand in hand with the focus on sustainability. So, we will continue to seek greener technology solutions, because this is a concept to which the market is increasingly growing.
What are your growth expectations from the company for the next two fiscals?
We are planning a double-digit growth in the near future.(HO)
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