Attention to style details, innovative materials, flawless production quality: these are the key concepts lying at the core of Italsform’s success, Italian firm established in 1984. Values that have helped the company overcome the crisis caused by the pandemic that has deeply affected the whole world.
2020 turned out to be a difficult year for the fashion sector, especially for the footwear industry, forced to deal with the consequences of the lockdown and of the subsequent sales decrease. Despite said complications, Italsform, – supplier of semi-finished articles, rubber and leather soles, single-piece soles, and much more, for mid/high-end shoe factories -, has managed to deal with difficulties, thanks mainly to the partnerships with top-notch brands. As a matter of fact, the combination between expertise, reliability and a sound organization structure has grown, over the years, into the firm’s distinctive trait compared to other businesses: Italsform has experienced a soaring growth, resulting in the development and launch of top-of-the-range products, featuring innovative materials and a flawless manufacturing system. “Acting as partners/suppliers of renowned brands,” stated Viviana Pirini, Italsform’s CEO, “was our lifeline. In 2020, we succeeded in registering a good turnover.”
Viviana Pirini, 2020 was undoubtedly a complicated year and 2021 seems to be not far behind. How did you manage the crisis period? What are the expectations for the future?
Over the years, we have already faced dark, challenging periods, but we have always walked out of those situations with our head held high; in this case too, despite the crisis, the difficulties, the turnover decrease, 2020 turned out to be a positive year. Italsform is a sound enterprise, accounted among the most reliable businesses in the sector, thoroughly supported by its customers and suppliers. We dealt with many issues, so much so that we had to reallocate some internal resources; several customers, usually accounting for a significant share of the turnover, were no longer able to confirm their orders, yet, luckily enough, other enterprises kept faring well, thus giving us the chance to redistribute the income. More specifically, two of our brands not only managed to handle the situation, but also experienced a staggering growth. I would be very pleased to achieve the same results in 2021 too.
An incredible result. In the wake of this huge structural crisis caused by the pandemic, market prospects highlight a recovery phase. What do you think about it?
I hope that, for the next season, said recovery will be well underway. We are now dealing with a satisfying workload, but it is too early to draw a conclusion. We cannot have too many expectations, yet we are confident and eager to get back on track. The feature that helps us stand out is the ability to always be there, ready to provide assistance, even during difficult periods. We always trust the customers, during both good and bad times, when order volumes are both high and modest.
Right now, research and circular economy are two of the most topical issues: have you carried out some dedicated projects?
Absolutely. We never stop focusing on research, it is an ongoing challenge aimed at improving the product and at fulfilling the requests of our demanding customers, the latter turning to us to find precise, effective answers. This year, we have been investing significant resources technology-wise, both when it comes to the implementation of cutting-edge, sustainable, energy-efficient machinery, so to be in step with the times, and on a structural level: as a matter of fact, the firm is now equipped with a new suction system that reduces the environmental impact; moreover, we also installed solar panels, in order to achieve energy self-sufficiency in the near future. We have always believed in sustainable development and we are confident in the fact that this commitment is set to become a competitive asset in the years to come.
www.italsform.it
