INTERVIEW
Cresco assistet Ferretti International, a general contractor with worldwide in EPC projects, at the Libyan Iron and Steel Company empowering works.
Ferretti International was in Libya at the outbreak of the recent war. What has been your experience throughout this difficult period?
The political climate at this time forced us to temporarily slow down the activities of our sites in the Country; however, we constantly maintained contacts with our local partner, we still have confidence in the Libyan market and, more generally, in the North-African one, considering the enormous potential of this area and its need for large investments in industrial projects and in the infrastructure development.
The assistance of consulting engineering firms that are used to operate in an international arena, as Cresco, is an excellent support for the success of a project .Alberto Ferretti
What’s the situation of the Libyan market after the war? Have Italian companies managed to maintain market positions of the past?
The signals we received are a clear sign of rapid resumption to work: in fact, one technical team of ours conducted several surveys to restart the activities as soon as possible. We are about to start for the completion of projects in progress and to develop other opportunities. In addition to the organizational front, the revival of Ferretti International’s activities assumes precise contours also on the commercial side: the relationship with our clients has been renewed and it has already honored the financial commitments made.
Despite the events, your company wants to keep its vocation to internationalization?
Certainly! Our strategic commitment continues in the direction of a renewed confidence in the African market: Tunisia and Libya, where we were already settled with permanent seats, and Nigeria, where we recently opened a new branch. We also invested in Central and South American market with the creation of a company in Brazil and Mexico. In these areas, which are experiencing an incredible economic expansion, we are developing projects and our intention is for a long-term strategy.
Which are, in your opinion, the most promising markets?
I think Africa is a breeding ground for major investments, in which foreign business can favour the structural and organizational strategies for the long term. The contribution of companies internationally operating, especially those that are proposed as General Contractor, can really be key. The remarkable economic growth of South America, of Brazil in particular, is a clear sign of the increasingly important position of this market on the world scene. The know-how and the managerial skills are the differentiating components on which companies play the challenge of investing. Another market that we look forward to is Russia: the rewarding aspect is a project management culture which we can approach to for project of significant scale in a territory that, for geographical extent and variety of natural resources, provides many opportunities.
We know that your company is proposing as a direct lender of the investments of its customers. Could you better explain this strategy?
We have implemented some of these operations and I see it as an option to be deepened: I am convinced about the importance of offering a financial architecture as an added value of great potential, and this leads us to continue in this direction.
Ferretti International is recognized as a reference point for action of a certain complexity in the field of industrial construction. How did you create this enviable credibility in the market?
First let me emphasize that we can count on having great experience that dates to a century-old family tradition, that began with a focused effort in industrial plants, regarding special foundations, civil works and refractory assembly. Then, we diversified our business by acquiring specific skills, also through joint ventures and partnerships, getting to take over the entire chain of the project, from engineering to construction and assembly, integrating the skills according to a logical turn-key and entering new sectors, from infrastructure to buildings. I am sure that the skills in project management are defining elements for our company and I believe these are fundamental to approach the international market. Of course, is also important to ensure high standards of quality, safety and environmental management, for which we hold certifications: the strict application of the rules is a fundamental requirement to operate assuring certain performances. The element that constitutes the truly differentiating quid is the ability to develop value engineering able to combine the requirements relating to the phase of engineering to those of the construction, in order to ensure an excellent commercial proposal that matches to a speed of run, efficient and effective, according to an on-time and on-budget philosophy.
For the success of a project how important do you consider good engineering support? What was your experience with Cresco?
I believe that the assistance of consulting engineering firms that are used to operate in an international arena, as Cresco, to be an excellent support for the success of a project by virtue of the fundamental role that covers the design phase.
