EDITORIAL

Video message of the CEO

Dear Colleagues, Customers and Partners,

2020 represents a stage of important change for the whole world and for Itema. In these first months at the head of Itema Group, we witnessed an escalation of the crisis generated by the pandemic, an unpredictable scenario that we faced on a global scale as a company and, first of all, as people. I am very proud of the promptness and flexibility shown by the companies of the Group and by all the people who make it up. Itema Group, with its historical tradition, even in this never-seen-before scenario, has been able to react with great determination, showing once again all its strength and the solidity of its foundations;

For over 50 years, Itema has brought the excellence of Made in Italy in every corner of the world through its innovative weaving machines and through the passion for the loom of its people. Indeed, excellence, passion and innovation have always been the founding elements at the helm of the Group, which I have been able to find daily in all our companies in these first months of collaboration.

It is from these values that traditionally drive and represent us that I would like to start developing my idea of “Itema of the Future”, pairing them with a smarter, more digital and more sustainable approach;

As I often repeat, the Customer is not an entity outside the company but he lives within it, he is always next to us and, therefore, it is fundamental to act as true partners towards him. Our goal, today, dear Customers, is no longer to simply provide you with innovative and advanced weaving solutions, but with a 360-degree assistance service that is an integral part of the entire process, providing all our technical and commercial support from the moment of selection of the loom that better suits your needs and throughout the whole life cycle of the product.

To maintain our competitiveness on the market and to continue to grow we must first start from our way of working, investing in the training of our people, who represent our strength and our excellence and therefore deserve to always be a priority, and in the digitalization. When I talk about digitalization I am not only referring to the goal of making our processes and production sites smarter, but I also refer to products and services, to make the life of our customers easier and easier.

Last but not least, sustainability is an integral part of our drive towards the future, with our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our activities and saving resources. The textile industry is one of the most polluting activities on the planet and although the weaving phase is much less polluting than others, Itema has been investing and will continue to invest for years to make this process and the entire value chain even greener.

To these objectives we will work on with constancy and commitment as a team and as a big family: the contribution of each of us is essential for their achievement in the short and long term. Indeed, Itema uses the time and resources of the present to invest in its future.
It is in this global context full of uncertainties and concerns that I therefore undertake my position as CEO of Itema Group, with even more dedication and motivation. I am sure that together we will be able to face all the present and future challenges, further strengthening our presence in global markets and contributing to the growth and value creation for our employees, for our customers and for Itema itself.

Ugo Ghilardi
Itema Group CEO