Page 54 - Glass Machinery Plants & Accessories no. 5-2019

INTERVIEW and head of production, but
Interview 7,000 tons are for the glass head operator for each produc-
ably make us the biggest manu-
we already have a Bulgarian
facturer and supplier in Europe.
SIGMA – Mandelli: And these
tion step (forming, pressing, and
industry alone. We also work for
firing).
other industrial sectors but glass
GMP&A: What kind of develop-
makes up for about 90 per cent
of our turnover.
ments have been made in your
commercial activities?
GMP&A: Let’s go back to
SIGMA – Mari: Obviously, as for
Bulgaria. You said that work has
already begun on the third unit,
for your products you need to
carry out important commercial
with a third furnace for pressed
refractories … all companies, to receive orders
activities which, for SIGMA,
SIGMA – Mari: Yes, there will be are based mainly in Italy, but
production lines and driers, and are starting to be carried out in
this in turn will lead to a probable Bulgaria too. In fact, we have a
investment in another furnace too. commercial office there with two
operators who speak Bulgarian-
GMP&A: What about the work- Turkish and Bulgarian-Russian,
force in Bulgaria? who work mainly on the Balkan
SIGMA – Mari: We did have some areas and East Europe. This year
problems at the beginning with we also entered new markets
an incredible turnover of per- such as Belorussia, Ukraine and
sonnel – a normality for that Russia, with excellent results.
country. But now after five years We have received orders for
we have reached a good level of complete plants in Belorussia, also reached an extremely good
trained personnel. We also have Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria. level, and our plans for the near
a couple of our skilled operators In Bulgaria, for example, the new future - by the end of this year –
from SIGMA Italia there more furnace for Barbosa Almeida (BA are for a new furnace to continue
or less on a permanent basis (like Group) was set up by SIGMA to respond to requests from the
myself). Italy and Bulgaria together. Of market and clients.
We are now working on train- course this is also thanks to the SIGMA – Mandelli: The Italian
ing more skilled personnel for expansion we have been and are market, our longstanding mar-
important roles there too, such still carrying out. ket followed by Alberto Tedeschi,
as for the technical department Our results here in Italy have Sales Director, represents an

The growth

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