Quality Manager, Cesare Porta, explains where all the added value of Mattei compressors comes from. The result of an obsessive attention to the manufacturing of each and every individual components, their assembly and all steps of the entire production process.
Quality is a distinguishing mark; reflected in terms of functionality, materials, design, but above all else in terms of processes. “Everything at Mattei is quality, starting from the attitude that drives all employees to always push the boundaries. Because if everyone becomes an expert in their own little piece of the process, then the whole Mattei system benefits”. Cesare Porta is Quality Manager at Mattei, although he himself points out that: “Quality is not one department at Mattei; it is more a way of being”.
He continues: “Ours, is a small company compared to some of the big players in this market, and in addition to all the technological and innovative aspects that characterise our products, it is the meticulous attention we pay to every single element of detail, that makes all the difference when it comes to distinguishing us from our main competitors”.
This is reflected from the production of the individual components, through to their assembly and right up to final testing: “Different members of the team may take charge of the same parts during the different steps of the industrial process and everyone must always keep in mind, the steps which took place first and what will happen next,” explains Cesare Porta. “Those in Quality then have the task of systematically checking that there are no discrepancies when it comes to product standards, and continually looking for additional improvements”.
A process that extends through production, data flow management as well as document and information sharing: “The same levels of attention and precision are required from our employees in all areas of our business”, confirms the Mattei Quality Manager, “because quality comes first and foremost from processes and the organisation of work. It is no coincidence that the first question from an auditor is to see the company organisation chart, because those divisions are the first indication of the level of organisation of a company, in that they represent the direction that the company wants to take and the positioning level that it aspires to”.
Even more so at a particularly complex time such as this post-Covid-19 pandemic, the continuous search for quality becomes an essential aspect in the resilience of any business: “The rationalisation of company activities and the almost obsessive attention to every single detail within the products and processes are essential elements to be able to manage and overcome crisis situations” says Cesare Porta. “I recently participated in an interesting series of webinars, from the International Rail Quality Board (IRQB), which highlighted the importance of management through KPIs, establishing continuous improvement cycles to prevent any problems, as well as focusing on process stability, creating a continuous relationship with customers and establishing shared objectives. These are the cornerstones of quality, which if implemented rigorously can be the key to getting out of any impasse”.
Participation in these webinars also presented an opportunity to meet with the key players in the Rail sector, an area where Mattei continues to carve out an increasingly large space in the supply of components, starting with braking systems: “Listening to the experiences of companies like Alstom, SNCF, Siemens or Wabtec has allowed us to get a foot in the door with potential customers”, clarifies Porta, “By understanding better what they are looking for in terms of products and technologies we can be even more efficient”.
It began with IRIS certification, which Mattei obtained in 2020: “It was an important milestone for the company”, continues the Quality Manager, “but we must never stop working to improve on it and move up from bronze to the silver level. Simply because the market demands it. If we want to continue to grow, we cannot stand still and must aim to improve. Always”.
Quality is a division that the owners decided to invest in, boosting resources further in 2019 to create two divisions: one linked to quality assurance of processes, the other focused on product quality. “We’re just like two components that naturally operate in harmony”, Porta concludes, “to ensure continuous growth in every area of the company”.
September 2021
