Fimet Maniglie

In 1986, after working as a non-commissioned officer, a coachbuilder and then a paint dealer, Vittore Bianchi founded Fimet Maniglie. The company initially had its own foundry, but Vittore later decided to sell it and resort instead to the services of a few trusted suppliers. The main market was Germany and over the years Fimet was to become a guarantee of quality. But in the early 2000s, with the introduction of the Euro and competition from China, Fimet realised it had to look to the East for customers. The entrepreneur decided to focus on less developed countries such as Former Yugoslavia, Albania and Macedonia. This and the recent sideline in custom-made products have been Fimet’s winning moves.

“Even if you fall, get back on your feet,
set your sights on your rival and outrun him.”

Vittore Bianchi, Fimet Maniglie

“There are two speeds: that of visible power, of formal hierarchies, and that of invisible power, of understanding.”

His children Marica, the current sales manager, and Luca, the technical manager, as well as about thirty employees, 90% of whom are women, give the impetus to Fimet’s turnover and innovation. Fimet’s I Factor is an understanding among not only the members of the family but also among those who work in production and in the warehouse. This understanding means direct dialogue with the owner and a (seemingly almost unconscious, indeed natural) flat organisation of business management: Vittore and his two children do not to want hierarchies to get in the way of daily work.

Fimet Maniglie is a Brescia-based company from Casto in Val Sabbia that turns over 5 million euros, of which 90% abroad (20 countries), and employs 25 people. It sells through distributors, one per nation, and recently opened to the Italian market with agents, one per region, and a bespoke production service. The company does not resort to external designers but instead uses CNC machines and robots. It takes part in the most important fairs in the sector and does trade mainly with countries where there is little competition with other all-Italian companies.

Sustainability

Fimet is looking for solutions to reduce the environmental impact of its packaging: it has reached an agreement with a supplier to create paper packaging, and uses only wooden pallets. For ethical reasons, it commissions galvanic treatments that do not contain harmful products, even ones not expressly prohibited in Europe.

Digital innovation

The company uses an ERP and, over time, has equipped itself with a robot and semi-automatic and new generation machinery. In the future it intends to purchase a CNC machine to reduce working times and further increase quality.