How Las found a new balance despite the pandemic, interview to Franco Felicioni, Las managing director.
The assets on which many companies had relied changed due to Coronavirus. Many entrepreneurs had to readapt their business to the new situation, which, if one wants to look at the positive side, can be a chance to introduce new processes that had not been considered up until this year. In this interview, Franco Felcioni, LAS managing director, tells us about how the company is preparing to face the post-covid and how it replanned future investments.
2020 also brought companies to change investments plans: how did Las manage to find a new balance in this regard?
After an optimal rise in turnover, in 2019 Las decided to consider a technological renewal of the production and especially of the 1st manufacturing section. For this, the company got in touch with the main machine suppliers for wood working, both Italian and international.
The pandemic certainly slowed down the process; however, the company was still in contact with technicians in order to delineate the project, although it would be postponed.
Las still carried on its renewal project by concluding ongoing investments and making interventions on some departments, aimed at automatizing some phases of the manufacturing process.
What are the rules that the pandemic brought into question and what rules will companies like Las need to follow?
I believe what was questioned the most was the possibility to work at the office. Starting with the lockdown in March 2020, what seemed to be a need only for big companies located in big cities eventually became a reality for everyone. The company had to quickly provide employees with hardware and tools to implement smart working.
Remote working remained in place aven after the lockdown, with only a few people actually present in the office, so as to preserve the safety of all departments in case someone was tested positive for Covid-19.
Besides introducing strict regulations for behaviours inside the production department and office spaces, I think all companies will need to resort to smart working to be able to continue their activities.
What are the right technical measures to adopt to properly manage the company? What will Las invest in in the future?
In this matter, digitalization plays a crucial role in enabling companies to continue operating both on a national and on an international level.
Travel restrictions and consequent inability to visit clients forces companies to find alternative solutions to keep contact with the market alive.
In many cases, video conference has become the only way to communicate and companies need to have digital contents available to present and show to clients.