Interview with Enric Vila, Managing Director at Marchesini Group S.p.A. – Spain & Maghreb subsidiary
On the occasion of its 50th birthday, as is customary, Marchesini Group is set to attend Hispack. This year it will do so with a schedule of activities to commemorate the celebration of a group that specialises in designing and producing a wide range of machines and packaging lines for the pharmaceutical and beauty industries. Enric Vila, its managing director for the Spanish and Maghreb subsidiary, is optimistic, envisaging an interconnected future with ever-increasing importance for knowledge, versatility and innovation.
Marchesini Group is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. How would you assess the company’s current situation?
We’ll celebrate it with our eyes on the future, without neglecting the values and passion that constitute distinctive features of the group. This year we’re presenting a new logo; the 50 reflects the 2M company with which everything began, then going further and aiming for infinity. The group is investing heavily in innovative solutions associated with the world of packaging, but also in digital services and artificial intelligence. Discussing the future means looking ahead, and so there are many projects underway, including a challenge to young people, the protagonists of tomorrow. We’ve involved university students from all over Europe by asking them to work in groups to develop innovative business solutions in the field of pharmaceutical packaging.
Continuing with such a significant date, in what way do you think the company has evolved the most so far and what has it retained from its beginnings?
Throughout these years, the Marchesini Group has explored new markets, always seeking to export, in search of specialised areas with very specific technical know-how. This has enabled us, on the one hand, to continue with the production of versatile standalone machines with rapid deliveries, and, on the other, to go on offering our customers more comprehensive and personalised solutions based on their requirements.
The spirit and values with which we think about new solutions and the future are what have always set us apart. Since 1974, our desire to innovate and think outside pre-conceived boxes has differentiated us, we’ve found a source of strength in diversity and we’ve always sought the well-being of people and our employees.
Do you have any kind of special event planned for the commemoration?
The aim is to introduce Marchesini Group to as many customers as possible, which is why we’ve organised different events in Barcelona, Madrid and the Maghreb to celebrate it with them. Besides, during the different fairs we’ll hold events to celebrate our birthday, starting with Hispack, Achema and so on, and in September the group will bring all the staff together in Bologna as the main celebration at an internal global event.
Marchesini Group Ibérica was launched three years ago. How far have you got? What growth and sales plans do you have for the region?
This year we’ve purchased the future headquarters of MG Ibérica, located in Cerdanyola del Vallés near our current facilities, and we intend to open them in the first half of 2025.
As for sales, we’ve divided our commercial area into specific fields in order to professionalise and increase our expertise. We therefore have the following divisions: the Pharma Division, which integrates the Packaging, Aseptic, Process and Laboratory divisions, and the Beauty Division.
Customer service has been our hallmark for many years, and we’re continuing to reinforce this area with the new recruits planned for this year with the aim of supporting all the teams we’re setting up in our region.
Marchesini Group manufactures automated packaging machinery and supplies equipment to some of the largest brands in the pharmaceutical and beauty sectors. What are customers in the two sectors demanding the most? Can you perceive any significant differences, or are the solutions they’re requesting similar?
The needs of the two sectors are becoming increasingly alike. The current demand for more sustainable packaging is on the rise in both pharma and beauty; Marchesini Group finds it easy to meet, as we’ve been working in this area for many years so as to be at the forefront of these kinds of solutions. Cybersecurity is also a very important issue in the industrial world, as customers want to have their equipment connected and they require specific security protocols to prevent computer attacks.
Which significant challenges do you think the pharma and beauty sectors still face in terms of their packaging?
One of the fundamental issues for both sectors is definitely the sustainability of the solutions proposed with regard to energy efficiency and the products’ packaging materials. Working in these two directions means thinking about the new generations and our planet, and it entails major efforts in the fields of technology and projection, but it’s a challenge that we’ve decided to take on and it’s encouraging us to improve our solutions from a greener and greener standpoint.
You’ll attend Hispack with a stand distinguishing the two sectors in which you operate. Can you give us a preview of some of the new products you’ll be presenting?
At Hispack we’ll have a stand that integrates the two sectors, placing special emphasis on the group’s 50th birthday with a specific image for the event. We’re going to display different kinds of equipment representing the main solutions we currently have to offer. One new feature will be the particular visibility we give to machines from companies that have recently joined the group, including M.A.R., Bonapace, Axomatic, Rejves and Dumek.
We’ll also set aside a space for our digital development area, with the innovation of our change of format by means of virtual reality.
This year we’ll have a larger stand, allowing us to increase our visibility and improve the service we provide to our customers.
Cristina Benavides, Hispack partner
