MILAN – In an interview with Allegra’s 5th Wave Magazine, Cimbali Group President Maurizio Cimbali talks about the founding principles of his company and new trends in the global market for professional espresso coffee machines. He also explains how a dedication to quality, attention to detail and learning from the past has propelled the iconic brand’s innovation for over a century. The integral interview is available at this link.
The market is experiencing a growing concentration
Big new competitors have entered the market, which is continuing to offer growth opportunities, but against the backdrop of a more demanding scenario. Customer relations will continue to be fundamental both in the traditional and super-automatic coffee machine sector.
Gruppo Cimbali: A turning point in the Company’s history
According to Maurizio Cimbali, 1962 marked a turning point in the company’s history with the launch of Pitagora; the only coffee machines to have won the prestigious industrial design award Compasso d’Oro.
This model represented a sea change in terms of aesthetics and for the use of innovative materials, such as stainless steel and painted iron.
With regard to Faema, special mention has to go the iconic E61, which is seen as a cult object for both its design and its technological solutions.
The Mumac Coffee Machine Museum and the Mumac Academy
To mark the company’s centenary, the Mumac Coffee Machine Museum was opened in 2012. Mumac Academy was launched shortly after, with the aim of creating a cultural and training centre targeted at coffee lovers.
Cimbali’s network of training and cultural centers is also being bolstered by Faema’s flagship Art and Caffeine store in Milan and the Faema pop-up store in New York, which opened in June 2019.
A focus on people
Cimbali Group puts people at the very heart of the company. Especially young people. There are many people who joined the company at a very young age and then found both professional development and personal fulfilment here, remarks Cimbali.
Gruppo Cimbali may decide new acquisitions
Cimbali Group needs to focus on continued grow while preserving and strengthening its unique characteristics as a family business. That needs to happen through organic growth, but also through agreements and acquisitions in both traditional and new markets.
Learning from mistakes
On a more personal note, Maurizio Cimbali admits he had to make important and difficult decisions over the course of his career. When decision-making is a big part of your work, mistakes are allowed. But it’s important that you use mistakes to learn and do better in the future.
