Tecna People | Gian Luca Zanoni, Ceo of Inter Ser

Founded in 1996, Inter Ser operates in the international sale of ceramic machinery and original spare parts. The company is based in Vercelli and has a logistic hub in Sassuolo.

What are the main market trends in terms of technology and which of these are you devoting most attention to?

The market is constantly in search of solutions capable of cutting production costs while improving quality and productivity. The most significant trend continues to be digitalisation and the integration of digital technology into production processes. This is because digital technology allows for greater control over the production process and consequently improved efficiency and operator performance, in turn resulting in lower production costs.

Another important fact is that more efficient production equates with a lower environmental impact, an aspect that is now crucial for all players in the supply chain. In recent years, INTER SER has developed a business line devoted specifically to identifying, evaluating and selecting the most promising technologies developed by small and medium-sized companies in the Sassuolo ceramic cluster. These companies have a high level of expertise but prefer to focus on product innovation rather than investing in a sales force to market their products abroad. By leveraging its market knowledge, INTER SER has developed an approach that allows it to develop successful synergies for all players involved and often results in dedicated partnerships.

INTER SER looks after all aspects of marketing, allowing companies specialising in innovation to focus on developing new solutions. We provide constant feedback from our discussions with leading players in the industry, who are delighted to have access to more effective solutions than those of the major suppliers. To give you an idea of the scale and depth of this process, each year we meet with around 30 companies in the Sassuolo cluster and organise as many as 100 presentations and follow-up meetings. This enables us to select 5 or 6 significant innovations for the industry, which we then present to over 300 customers in all the countries in which we operate.

Which geographical area has been most active in recent months?

After displaying a remarkable level of dynamism for almost three years, almost all global markets have experienced a significant deceleration in recent months, with the exception of a few specific areas. This slowdown is reflected in capacity saturation rate, which has dropped from an average of 90-95% to around half of that figure. Although this trend reversal has been quite significant, we had been anticipating a period of slowdown and I believe we will see a market recovery as early as mid-2024.

What are your expectations forTecna 2024?

We have high expectations for Tecna 2024 and are working hard to prepare for the event. It is the most important exhibition in the sector, attracting visitors from all over the world and involving the participation of world-leading companies from the Sassuolo ceramic cluster. We will be present at the event to promote our approach centred on the tireless pursuit of innovation, which involves embracing new developments, fostering collaboration and sharing best practices.