International Workshop 2019

With over 32 FAAC subsidiaries around the world it is important that at least once a year they all get together and have the occasion to discuss the business successes, market prospects and commercial opportunities from all the corners of the globe. 

This year at the Hilton Hotel Mohrenstrabe in the beautiful city of Berlin, we were able to gather over 100 colleagues for this annual meeting. Over 4 days were spent discussing strategy, sales, finances, products and markets. It provides a forum for General Managers, Managing Directors, Sales Directors and Financial Managers to debate the cultural and commercial differences found in all the continents and what can be learnt from our colleagues representing these regions.

It is comforting to learn that our Barrier and Gate products are perceived as the best in their class all over the world. Our Tubular Motors, although not common in the UK, are strangely, hugely successful in Northern Europe and Australia. Our relatively new product ranges of Automatic Doors and Bollards have taken the world by storm, with amazing results and growth in all regions, Asia, Australia, Africa, Europe, North and South America all showing excellent results and continued growth.

There is somebody looking for sales of the AirSlide in Antarctica as we speak!

Apart from comparing market differences and product sales, time is give to our colleagues from FAAC Spa Research and Development, and Magnetic Access, who demonstrate the new products coming to market, the further enhancements of existing items and the concept products looking 3-5 years hence. This seems to stimulate the most input from the inspired participants as the road maps always seem to be too long. Everybody agreed that FAAC/Magnetic have some innovative and inspirational products to launch in the next few months. These are genuinely market leading designs that will have a dramatic impact on the Access Automation Industry. The next 6-12 months will be one of the company’s most exciting times.

The week was sprinkled with product demonstrations and training programs, together with interactive workshops and team building exercises to get the cerebral fluids flowing.

On a more serious and humbling note, one of the Trustee’s for the FAAC group, Mr Andrea Moschetti explained how some of the profits were distributed by our owners, the Dioceses of Bologna. In 2018 money was used to provide new buildings for the Homeless, Disabled and rehabilitated prisoners. Also help was provided to families with social needs, like schooling, rent, health care, dentist and vacations.

However, probably the most valuable time was spent socialising with the 100 or so colleagues with dinner at the Parliament Building Gendarmerie Hauptstadtrestaurant, a trip to the Berlin Wall Memorial and dinner on a Spree River tour, all places where the most valuable strategies are formed.