50 years of tradition in tapware pushing us towards a future of people, innovation and digitalisation
by Riccardo Poletti
Sales Director of Idral
Taps and sanitaryware market trends
2020 is a particularly important year for us because the company is turning 50 and new scenarios full of challenges and opportunities are opening up. This year, in fact, we expect to consolidate the positive trend of 2019: according to CRESME, which presented the new economic report on the construction sector, the new data testify to the consolidation of the positive trend of investments in the renovation of existing real estate; public works are the main driving force, and we expect that taps and fittings and the plumbing industry in general will also benefit. Overall, CRESME forecasts assume a 3% growth in total investments (new construction and renovation) in 2019, followed by 2.4% in 2020 and 2% in 2021. In addition, our constant presence on the international market brings us growth satisfaction and a constant opening of new scenarios; challenges with the world are the reason that drives us to develop and create new products to meet every need.
Industry 4.0
The company's investments follow the needs of the plumbing market, which is constantly on the move and increasingly demands an immediate response and rapid change. To do this, this year Idral enters the market with a new in-house production system that has revolutionised the old way of working: thanks to the investments made during 2019 with a view to transforming ourselves into Industry 4.0, today we are ready to face new challenges and offer our customers much more efficient support, with faster and more punctual responses and order processing times.
In addition, with the new automated warehouse for storing all our components and the help of robots , we are able to work in real time, i.e. 'on request', and adapt the product according to the customer's needs, right up to making a completely customised plumbing product. Working with some 70 countries worldwide, this choice had become indispensable and is the winning answer to keep up with what the various markets require.
In addition, one of the fundamental activities that Idral has been doing for years is to monitor the market and constantly update products and services: knowledge of one's own capabilities and constant contact between collaborators is indispensable to better understand market positioning and improve the level of products and services offered, as well as the professional skills of personnel.
Innovation and digitisation
We will therefore continue to focus on innovation and continuous improvement. Thanks to our customers, who have been following us for years, and to our staff, who are increasingly well trained, we have been able to develop taps and sanitary fittings with new technologies and materials every year. Our research and development department is constantly focusing on new materials and technologies.
In March, we will be present at the Milan Expo comfort fair: we will have a reserved space in a special area dedicated to companies that propose innovative solutions aimed at saving water and energy. We will present a new electronic anti-legionella system for water supply managed remotely, which will have a number of variants for data collection and the possibility of being programmed according to the various needs of public bodies, such as hospitals and healthcare facilities in general, hotels, retirement homes, campsites, etc.
Another important event for us in 2020 will be the Bologna trade fair "CERSAIE" in September where, as has been the case for many years now, we will be present with a stand full of innovative products and dedicated to water saving, accessibility and hygiene in public environments.
By now, since June 2019, our new website has been active: easy to consult, from which you can also download all the product data sheets and view all the new products we present regularly.
Customised services
We will continue the path begun last year of supporting designers through our promoter who, in addition to visiting and informing them about the various solutions we propose, is able to make inspections, develop specifications and suggest solutions, and solve problems encountered in the execution of works. During the Fair we will show a preview of our new catalogue-image dedicated to designers, which will serve to explain the potential of Idral and suggest the best solutions by showing our best references of sanitary and hospitality facilities in the World, always with a view to water saving and more accurate hygiene.
Thank you for being part of the IDRAL family...
Faithful to our tradition we will continue to work to ensure the satisfaction of our people, our customers, our staff, our collaborators and suppliers and we are grateful to be able to celebrate with all of you the wonderful results we have achieved together in these 50 years of history with the enthusiasm of knowing that a future full of opportunities awaits us.