The final consumer usually thinks about shoe soles as the least relevant elements in a finished item; the truth is they represent small engineering masterpieces. Research, in this sector, represents the essential and most important piece to make roots in the market and making a difference.
The sole factory Don Diego knows this well, and for over forty years has been overseeing the sector by offering products that are the result love, passion, experience and above all knowledge of raw materials. On the last day of Lineapelle, after the “games” were over, we met Luca Moroni, Sales Manager, who underlined the unceasing commitment of the Macerata-based company to invest in the science of materials in order to achieve excellent levels of quality and innovation.
What have you decided to display at this edition?
“Actually, we presented few innovations because the dates in which the fair was held were not ideal for us. Moving Micam’s dates and not Lineapelle’s was an issue for us, as it is difficult to bring news when timelines are not yet ripe to present them. The important thing for us was to get back in touch with the fair we had been missing for two years. We will evaluate the rest later.”
What feedback did you get?
“The show was quite positive: we met several of our customers and even foreign ones visited us. Before the fair we didn’t have high expectations, so we feel satisfied.”
What projects are you focusing on most in this period?
“We are always looking for innovative solutions that will give us the opportunity to then certify them. Sustainability has always been dear to us and we have tried to make the most of it. An example is the production process of our Ecosoles line: “special” soles that allow reuse of waste and a lower environmental impact. We want to continue and focus more and more on the path of patenting.”
Is Ecosoles your exclusive patent?
“We have patented the sole itself. This procedure takes time but we prefer it because it defends us from possible plagiarism.”
The market is increasingly oriented towards sustainability, do you also have proof of this?
“There is a lot of attention, even if it often is only for informational purposes. Customers ask and then take longer to evaluate. Someone is only now approaching this type of product but we have found a lot of interest anyway.”
La lascia con un’ultima domanda: di cosai cui lei oggi è contento e su cosa, invece, è ancora necessario lavorare?
“Siamo molto soddisfatti dell’armonia interna all’azienda e del modo in cui stiamo lavorando. La nostra rete vendita riesce a raggiungere tutti i nostri clienti, anche nonostante le difficoltà del periodo. Veniamo da anni difficili ma per fortuna stiamo riprendendo gli appuntamenti in presenza”.
One last question: what are you happy about today and what, on the other hand, do you believe there’s still to work on?
“We are very satisfied with the harmony within the company and the way we are working. Our sales network manages to reach all our customers, even despite the difficulties of the period. We have come from difficult years but luckily, we are resuming the appointments in person. There would still be necessary to work on the dates of the fairs. It is essential to bring them back to more congenial periods. If it had been the other way around, that is Lineapelle instead of Micam and vice versa, it would have been optimal for all exhibitors. This edition has displeased everyone.”