“In recent years we have understood that it would have been a big mistake not to have the largest share of our production here in Treviglio”. Fabrizio Scalzotto has been CEO of Bianchi bicycles since 2018 and has long been convinced that it is possible to bring production back to Italy, while many of his colleagues decide to flee abroad instead.
In fact, he is behind the decision of the famous Italian brand to bring back to Italy the creation of the two-wheeler that was the historic companion of Fausto Coppi. «All of our competitors, especially Germans – says the entrepreneur, who knows bikes since he has a past in the“ Campagnolo ”- at a certain point decided to produce in Europe. Do you think that the American brands to sell to Europeans have decided to come and manufacture in the Old Continent. For us Italians, therefore, it was almost a must ». What Bianchi Spa does is called “reshoring”, and indicates the process by which, after having entrusted part of the production activity abroad, a company decides to bring it back to the country of origin.
A difficult choice given that, as Scalzotto himself admits, «the cost of labor in Italy is always very high. But we are focusing on an automation line that will be the best in Europe. It is an enormous effort and yet we are sure that it will help us to contain costs: robots will help workers to work better ».
A strong contribution was then made by the pandemic. «On the one hand, our sector was one of the few that continued to work all the time. On the other hand, however, we found ourselves having to face serious problems. Like the rising cost of fuel and the inability to find spaces on cargo ships. But it was above all the difficulty in finding fundamental components that made us understand that we were making the right move: for Shimano gears, for example, we wait up to 900 days for a delivery ».
Currently part of Bianchi Spa’s production is in Taiwan: the “reshoring” involves an investment of 40 million euros, with a rate of about one thousand bicycles per shift per day starting from the beginning of 2023. In Treviglio, the new Bianchi will extend over a ‘area of 30 thousand square meters, of which over 17 thousand for production. “We preferred to focus on the redevelopment of the existing factory, which dates back to the seventies”. And there will be recruitments of one hundred under 35s, which will be added to the workers already operating, for a total of 250 people. «New entrants will be trained in our Academy: specific skills are required, which is why we are collaborating with universities such as the Politecnico di Milano. But we would also like to recall former employees who can train young people. We want that way of producing that has distinguished us in the world be reacquired ”, explains Scalzotto. The recruitments, specifies the mayor Juri Fabio Imeri, “will be linked to the territory: for us this return means a lot, both for employment and for the related activities also linked to the creation of the Bianchi Museum”.