Family ties: Honors for generations of success
BY MARIELLA RADAELLI
Luminosityitalia.com
Smart family controlled businesses are the fabric of Italian economy. Ten were awarded the “Di Padre in Figlio- il gusto di fare impresa” prize on Nov 28 at the Palazzo Mezzanotte at Piazza Affari in Milan. Now in its sixth year, the honor is given to entrepreneurs in at least the second generation of a family business that has a registered office in Italy and revenues of more than 10 million euros.
Run by N+1, Borsa Italiana, Banca Albertini SYZ S.p.A. and Deloitte, among the others, and supported by Milan and Monza Chamber of Commerce, the awards are well respected nationally as a celebration of individual and collective entrepreneurship that demonstrates how family businesses turn visions into reality.
From almost 150 entries, an independent judging panel of business leaders narrowed the field to 45 finalists and finally 10 were awarded. But all this year’s finalists were notable for their distinctive character and passion as well as quality, consistency, flexibility and resilience. All overcame challenging succession issues and contributed to Italian industry.
Most of the companies have at least three generations of family ownership, but some have a legacy stretching back seven generations or more -- such as Marchesi Antinori, a family business stretching back more than six centuries with 26 generations of winemakers. Today specializing in Chianti with high-quality wines at a range of prices, Marchesi Antinori was started in the 14th century during Renaissance age in Tuscany when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Guild of Vintners in 1385.
“Our longevity amazes us too,” says Albiera Antinori, vice-president of Marchesi Antinori. “Our family cohesion in the centuries has been strengthened by our love for a way of life. We have embraced nature. We live on the gifts the earth gives. So it is easy for us to fall in love with our job”.
Almira stresses that another secret of Antinori success and longevity is awareness that the company does not belong to a certain generation but is a common good that has been inherited and must be protected for future generations.
Though they have all rich local heritage, recipients of the award are also international.
That is especially true of Brugola OEB, a leader in manufacturing fastening components for automotive industry. Founded by Egidio Brugola in 1926 in Lissone of Monza and Brianza province, the company is ambitious about overseas expansion. It generates more sales abroad than other businesses and achieved that foreign growth organically.
“We export the 100 percent of our production to the US, China and Europe,” says 36-year-old CEO Jody Brugola, the third generation to run the company. “We are currently investing in a very strong project in US,” he says. “Last July we established a headquarters in Plymouth, Detroit. We want that to be the American replica of our Italian headquarters in Lissone, which employees 350 people.
“We already have 30 people in Plymouth but we definitely want to grow. We are recruiting right now. We need more a specialized workforce in the fastener sector.”
He said that the company aims to be the world leader in the critical fastener sector applied to car engines. They started to work with Ford Europe in 1996 and Ford USA in 2006. Their new clients include BMW, Mercedes and Nissan. “Toyota is our next dream,” he says.
Brugola noted he avoids risky projects that may turn into cash black hole. “Certainly, we prefer to invest in the US than China,” he says.
In contrast, European countries are the growing market for Noberasco, a food producer from Liguria that is a leader in the dried fruit sector. As it continues to focus on performance and innovation, the historical family business from Albenga just opened a new high-tech production center in Carcare, in Savona province, to satisfy new clients from across Europe in addition to Italy.
“Yes, we are certainly growing in Europe, especially in Germany, France and the Scandinavian countries,” says Mattia Noberasco, the fourth-generation of the successful family controlled business founded in 1908 by his great-grandfather, a Ligurian greengrocer.
10 top honor recipents
Luminosityitalia.com
Smart family controlled businesses are the fabric of Italian economy. Ten were awarded the “Di Padre in Figlio- il gusto di fare impresa” prize on Nov 28 at the Palazzo Mezzanotte at Piazza Affari in Milan. Now in its sixth year, the honor is given to entrepreneurs in at least the second generation of a family business that has a registered office in Italy and revenues of more than 10 million euros.
Run by N+1, Borsa Italiana, Banca Albertini SYZ S.p.A. and Deloitte, among the others, and supported by Milan and Monza Chamber of Commerce, the awards are well respected nationally as a celebration of individual and collective entrepreneurship that demonstrates how family businesses turn visions into reality.
From almost 150 entries, an independent judging panel of business leaders narrowed the field to 45 finalists and finally 10 were awarded. But all this year’s finalists were notable for their distinctive character and passion as well as quality, consistency, flexibility and resilience. All overcame challenging succession issues and contributed to Italian industry.
Most of the companies have at least three generations of family ownership, but some have a legacy stretching back seven generations or more -- such as Marchesi Antinori, a family business stretching back more than six centuries with 26 generations of winemakers. Today specializing in Chianti with high-quality wines at a range of prices, Marchesi Antinori was started in the 14th century during Renaissance age in Tuscany when Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Guild of Vintners in 1385.
“Our longevity amazes us too,” says Albiera Antinori, vice-president of Marchesi Antinori. “Our family cohesion in the centuries has been strengthened by our love for a way of life. We have embraced nature. We live on the gifts the earth gives. So it is easy for us to fall in love with our job”.
Almira stresses that another secret of Antinori success and longevity is awareness that the company does not belong to a certain generation but is a common good that has been inherited and must be protected for future generations.
Though they have all rich local heritage, recipients of the award are also international.
That is especially true of Brugola OEB, a leader in manufacturing fastening components for automotive industry. Founded by Egidio Brugola in 1926 in Lissone of Monza and Brianza province, the company is ambitious about overseas expansion. It generates more sales abroad than other businesses and achieved that foreign growth organically.
“We export the 100 percent of our production to the US, China and Europe,” says 36-year-old CEO Jody Brugola, the third generation to run the company. “We are currently investing in a very strong project in US,” he says. “Last July we established a headquarters in Plymouth, Detroit. We want that to be the American replica of our Italian headquarters in Lissone, which employees 350 people.
“We already have 30 people in Plymouth but we definitely want to grow. We are recruiting right now. We need more a specialized workforce in the fastener sector.”
He said that the company aims to be the world leader in the critical fastener sector applied to car engines. They started to work with Ford Europe in 1996 and Ford USA in 2006. Their new clients include BMW, Mercedes and Nissan. “Toyota is our next dream,” he says.
Brugola noted he avoids risky projects that may turn into cash black hole. “Certainly, we prefer to invest in the US than China,” he says.
In contrast, European countries are the growing market for Noberasco, a food producer from Liguria that is a leader in the dried fruit sector. As it continues to focus on performance and innovation, the historical family business from Albenga just opened a new high-tech production center in Carcare, in Savona province, to satisfy new clients from across Europe in addition to Italy.
“Yes, we are certainly growing in Europe, especially in Germany, France and the Scandinavian countries,” says Mattia Noberasco, the fourth-generation of the successful family controlled business founded in 1908 by his great-grandfather, a Ligurian greengrocer.
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| Recipients of the 10 honored multi-generation family businesses. |
- Nuceria Group
- Fratelli Fantini
- Saes
- Marchesi Antinori
- Patificio Rana
- Alfagamma
- Sol Group
- Press UP
- Eptal
- IBL Banca
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