ITALY CHINA: THE CHOICE OF VIBRAM, GUANGZHOU WITH A HIGH-TECH RESEARCH CENTER
Working in China “not to exploit the cheap labor but to be able to collaborate with the specific expertise of the highest level.” So David Canciani, Group Marketing Director Vibram SpA, talks with Labitalia of innovative choice made by a historian of the Italian brand: Vibram, the world leader in the production of high performance rubber soles, in 2009 opened a high-tech center of R & D and innovation, China Vibram Technological Center (Vibram China), in Guangzhou, the largest coastal city in southern China.
“The China–based Vibram tells Labitalia David Canciani, Group Marketing Director Vibram Spa-today has about 100 employees and below, in addition to the development and testing of the products, including the sale and promotion of products Vibram (soles and Fivefingers) for the local market. “
Headquartered in Albizzate, Vibram manufactures more than 40 million soles annually under the brand yellow octagon that is synonymous worldwide with quality, performance, security and innovation in the footwear industry. And ‘present in 120 countries and has production sites, research and representation in the U.S., China, Brazil and Italy.
“In China we started in the late 90s–explains–Canciani with manufacturing partners to market the soles (from the perspective of service to the European and American customers who had outsourced the production of shoes.) In 2009, Vibram has decided to invest in China, not in a factory, but a center of research and development and innovation, China Vibram Technological Center (Vibram China), located in Guangzhou. “
Officially opened on April 9, 2009, Vibram China is spread over a total area of 41,000 square meters on each space whose structures respond to different functions and purposes. “Approximately 1,800 sq–adds–Canciani are dedicated to the R & D, about 4. 000 square meters are intended to prototyping and industrialization, in a structure equipped with real factory where there are warehouses, industrial services and equipment used the sampling of the products are finished in preproduction. “
The Italian Vibram has therefore led to China sublavorazioni but not a state of the art technology center. Inside the Performing Test Center. “Spread over 1,200 square meters on two floors-says–Canciani is devoted entirely to the test. Here Vibram products, whether they are components (soles) or the finished product (Vibram FiveFingers), are put to the test by using quality testing in the laboratory and ‘in vivo’: inside the Performing Test Center, in fact, are reproduced all the different weather conditions (snow, water, asphalt, smooth and slippery surfaces) to allow, in addition to all the evidence of development, including the comparative ones. “
Open the Chinese Center for Vibram was not particularly complicated (“unless the initial difficulties with the language and the local bureaucracy,” says Canciani). To make it easier to start the activities were “the professionalism and competence of the people, so much so that the decision to Vibram Canciani–remember–it was not to open a manufacturing center (with a view to obtain labor local low-cost) but a center of expertise and excellence in the field of technological development. “
“At present sales on the domestic Chinese market does not represent a significant portion of sales Vibram–comments–Canciani though the growth trend from year to year is very interesting. Conversely, if we consider the sales of Chinese contractors Vibram shoes produce for international brands, the Vibram business in China is about 40% of the total. “