"Innovation is our driving force"

Biesse Group, a leading manufacturer of machinery for the processing of wood, glass, stone and plastic, held a very successful gala evening on April 16 at its premises in Pesaro. Italian minister for constitutional reforms and relations with parliament Maria Elena Boschi gave a significant speech, calling Biesse Group a prime example of innovation and made in Italy, a reference point around the world. Raphael Gualazzi and the “Neri per Caso" band provided the music.

“Innovation is our driving force". This message greeted the guests inside the factory, where, just a few yards from machinery, the tables were arranged, helping them to immediately relate to the world and spirit of the company and its founder. They were welcomed by the voices of the presenter Alessandro Greco and the radio speaker Cristina Borra which guided them through a story that began in the 1950s, with videos, photos and testimonies, up to the present day, when president and son of the founder Roberto Selci together with his grandson (who gave his grandfather a drawing) took to the stage. The backdrop to the three read: "We need to smell the scent of the past to find the energy to shape the future", to emphasise the importance of memory, experience, and the vital work carried out over the years by Giancarlo Selci, which will guide the company in its future decisions.

There was excitement and lots of emotion but more than that. The editor of newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, Roberto Napoletano, and the director general of Confindustria Pesaro Urbino Salvatore Giordano, commanded everyone's attention when they launched the book "Machine Made" dedicated to Giancarlo Selci and accompanied by a video with best wishes from some of his friends. And then there was quality music with performances by Raphael Gualazzi and "Neri per Caso" who closed the evening with an outstanding "a cappella" song. There was also a charity spot, reflecting the Selci family's deep belief in the need to consider the company not merely a job provider, but also a place to give people the opportunity to affirm their humanity and values.

The founder Giancarlo Selci, the creative genius behind what has dubbed itself a "pocket multinational", can now say with satisfaction that he has created a model of brand Italy that has conquered the world. Today the Biesse Group employs more than 3,200 people worldwide, with a particular emphasis on the foreign market (over 46% of employees live abroad). It has grown strongly over the last three years, with almost 400 new staff, along with revenue growth of 251 million between 2009 and 2015. Indeed, growth "exploded" in 2015 with an overall rate of 21.5% compared to the year before. Biesse serves a wide range of international customers (exporting over 87% of it products), including Howdens Joinery (UK) and Ikea (Sweden) present at the event, to name just a few.