People working at Biancalani Textile Machinery talk about… Belonging.

Since more than 65 years. That is how long Biancalani Textile Machinery has been operating in the mechano-textile business. Many things have changed, making it necessary to keep pace with the times. Sometimes, this means to radically alter a company’s fundamentals, but that is not the case of Biancalani. In fact, during the interview with Stefano and Ernesto, longtime employees of the company, the main theme has been the sense of belonging, remained unchanged over the years.

What is your job and how long have you been working at Biancalani?

S.D.: To date, I’m head of general services now, but I started as assistant to operational activities back in 1997. Since then, my career has been evolving gradually but constantly and I must say Biancalani absolutely gives you that chance.

E.C.: I’m a mechanical fitter and qualified welder, I’ve always been a welder my whole professional life. I have been working at Biancalani for thirty years and thanks to very specific training courses selected by the company I’ve become more and more expert in welding.

What has changed since then?

S.D.: At the beginning, there was Fiorenzo Biancalani, founder of the company we really miss today. Of course, our job was very different from what it’s like nowadays and for a number of reasons, but Fiorenzo Biancalani has paved a road we are still walking along today. Step by step and thanks to Biancalani’s faith in me, I’ve become totally autonomous at organizing my work – and being head of general services means you have to always organize it all – and at dealing with unexpected issues. This trust circle has even brought me to be the one who takes care of business trips – scouting part included – during ITMA exhibitions, a big moment in the mechano-textile industry. My sense of belonging is based on reliability and transparency and this has never changed.

E.C.: When I started working at Biancalani, the people who had helped building the company taught me everything I know now. And I myself feel that sense of belonging when I see the new generations on the job and I see myself in them, even if they are obviously quite different from what we were. But they are good at what they do and I see the company moving forward. That’s really positive. Biancalani has always invested, produced machinery, took good care of employees. Another thing that has not changed is constructive discussions that make you feel part of every project. Of course, there’s a must behind all of this: you have to love what you do.

How do you picture the company’s future?

S.D.: I’ve known Biancalani’s family my whole professional life and they’re such good people. Before anything else, that makes you believe in the company’s future. I think that nowadays a company should be careful to avoid anything that can be an obstacle to innovation and to the company’s growth. Biancalani is experiencing an important generational change and that is crucial for the company’s future.

E.C.: I hope Biancalani will keep on doing exactly what it has ever done. We all miss Fiorenzo Biancalani, a giant in the field, but he has left a knowhow made of investments in new machineries and expertise. I think Biancalani is definitely positioned to remain strong.