A growing market force
1 January 2005The Italian-based laundry manufacturer, Imesa has invested heavily in technology and is increasing its presence in the export market. Janet Taylor reports
For Italian-based laundry equipment manufacturer Imesa, Texcare 2004 marked yet another stage in its continued expansion and in raising its profile in the European and world market.
For this was the first time it has been present at a European-based exhibition with its complete portfolio of laundry equipment, soft- and rigid-mount washers, dryers, ironers and drying ironers, all produced in-house.
The company has been under the ownership of the Miotto family since 1979. It employs 115 people including office staff, and occupies a 22,000m2site at Cessalto in the Treviso province of Northern Italy.
Imesa has invested heavily both in automating its production and in developing its products with the aim of expanding its export sales.
Sales director Carlo Miotto says it now considers itself in the middle league of European producers of laundry equipment.
In all aspects of the business it observes the company motto: “Technology in progress”. It gained ISO9001 in 1994, claiming to be the first Italian company to do this.
Examples of range development include introducing its own wetcleaning system in 2001, and in 2003 producing its own ironers for the first time.
Two-thirds of its current total production – around 4,000 machines per year – goes to export and a third to the home market. Carlo Miotto says the company is working to expand its presence in export markets. He wants to be part of the decision-making process in laundry files, not just in Europe but in all countries of the world.
Imesa has ETL approval for its machines for the USA, and the Americas are a particular goal. The company seeks an increased presence not just in the USA, but also in the central American and south American countries.
Having a complete, self-produced range is important as it will allow distributors to offer a complete package whether they supply OPLs (the larger part of its business) or the growing number of forward-thinking drycleaners who are expanding their business by offering laundry services.
Carlo Miotto lists five reasons why distributors should take the opportunity to work with Imesa:
- a competitive range of products
- high level of quality
- streamlined production with interchangeable spares to minimise stockholding
- willingness to invest in commercial and technical training
- convenient location for trading with EU, eastern Europe and Mediterranean countries and for the main drycleaning companies.
