Serghey Sokolov has been heading up the Mattei representative office in the Russian Confederation since the beginning of 2017 and talks about the fast-moving context of the commercial situation in these countries, delivered by the consolidated relationships with several distributors across Russia, Ukraine and Belarus: “Actually we easily oversee two important countries like Ukraine and Belarus; we are well present in the European part of Russia as far as the Urals, whilst in the Asian part and in the Far East our presence is more sparse. From this base we are working to expand our reach in other CIS countries; we have some concrete opportunities for strategic expansion in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, where negotiations are well under way with potential new dealers”.
The compressed air market in Russia and the CIS has all the main players in the sector present. “The situation is pretty saturated, with the presence of all the major brands, both local and international, as well as the engineering companies that create OEM machinery. As such the range of compressors is very varied, especially in terms of price: an element which is held in very high regard and where the Chinese producers do very well. Whilst the Chinese have such a competitive advantage, Mattei plays on the quality of the compressor, the strength of the Made in Italy brand, which is a factor that is appreciated in this area and in fact many customers are looking with interest at our compressors. To define our target market, I would say that mostly we go after modern, dynamic companies with good financial credibility. They’re cutting-edge, entrepreneurial businesses who appreciate the most innovative aspects of Mattei technology; firstly, for the energy efficiency which makes our machines an excellent investment over the long-term, as well as the environmental contributions, thanks to the reduced electricity consumption”.
For Mattei compressors there isn’t a preferred sector within the market: “Rotary vane technologyis well positioned in all the main industrial sectors, which are very diversified; ranging from textiles to food and from engineering to construction. Mattei stands up well to the competitor onslaught, thanks to the advantages of the compressors: in addition to the aforementioned energy efficiency, there is the excellent quality of the compressed air supplied even in the most extreme operating conditions, and the fantastic reliability over time, which allows intervals between one maintenance service and another that is far greater than those for screw compressors. Added to this is the qualified and timely after-sales service”.
“As for the ranges that are in highest demand, these are the ERC, AC and the energy-saving Maxima series, all of them mainly with 45kW power, even if in many industrial sectors our higher power machines are also required”.
Serghey Sokolov concludes: “Since I have worked in Mattei I have seen our presence in Russia and the CIS grow, but the possibilities still to be explored are numerous. Mattei has credible products and a solid company structure, that also through relevant marketing actions, can aim to make the brand even more known in the other areas and application sectors that these countries have to offer”.
[From Issue 12, Vane Magazine, September 2018]
