Strategic Integration of Valiani ─ Summa Reflects on the Progress

Image By Courtesy of SUMMA NV

A year and a half ago, Summa acquired Valiani in a bid to strengthen its leading market position and expand its share in the packaging industry.

The collaboration between the two is going strong, as both companies have a similar mindset when it comes to dealing with business and focusing on delivering high-quality products.

Who Is Valiani?

Valiani, established in 1974 by Franco Valiani, traces its origins to Franco's earlier involvement in manufacturing components for trains. A turning point arose when Franco's cousin approached him with a request to create a machine for passe-partouts. Despite initially being unfamiliar with the term, Franco recognized the need for a bevel-cut machine. The machine exceeded expectations, prompting him to start selling them.

The success was rapid, propelling Valiani to become the premier picture-framing company. Notably, Valiani's machines found a place in prestigious institutions like the Louvre, The New York Public Library, MOMA, and the Hermitage.

Today, Valiani's repertoire extends beyond passe-partout machines to include digital flatbed cutters and plotters created for a wide range of materials and industries. Rooted in honesty, ethics, and ecological responsibility, Valiani takes pride in being a company dedicated to ensuring customer happiness. Their mission is simple – to make their customers profitable, efficient, and precise without breaking the bank.

Partnership Benefits

The strategic acquisition of Valiani by Summa marked a pivotal move to explore diverse markets. The Valiani family, optimistic about the acquisition, views being part of a larger group as advantageous in today’s landscape of increasing mergers and acquisitions. Nico Valiani, CEO of Valiani, highlights the benefits, stating, “It’s better for sharing ideas, projects, R&D and streamlining our marketing and sales organization. This way, Valiani can benefit from being part of a group.”

Over the past year and a half, the collaboration has proven fruitful, providing Valiani with expanded market reach in America and Asia through Summa’s global network. The establishment of new distributors across Asia, Australia, and America has proven highly successful, significantly enhancing our market penetration.

“Valiani Is The Perfect Addition To Summa. Their Product Portfolio Is Very Complementary And Their Mindset Is Similar To Summa’s.”

However, Valiani is not the only one experiencing benefits from this acquisition. With the Valiani team onboard, Summa gained a lot of know-how in cardboard applications, accelerating Summa’s strategy to become an important player in the packaging market. It also strengthens Summa’s slogan, “For every cutting need, there is a Summa”, as the Valiani portfolio perfectly bridges the gap between the Roll cutter Series and F Series.

Geert Pierloot, CEO of Summa, is positive about the acquisition. “Valiani is the perfect addition to Summa. Their product portfolio is very complementary, their mindset is similar to ours, and their experience in new markets is promising for us in the future.”

The advantages extend beyond increased sales. The collaboration between Valiani and Summa has created a platform for joint product development, leveraging the combined expertise of both entities. For instance, Valiani introduced the Summa kiss-cut tool on their print and packaging machines, showcasing a collaborative effort to innovate and deliver products tailored to market preferences.

Customers Also Enjoy The Benefits

The benefits of the acquisition go beyond our companies. It also brings great value to our customers. Thanks to Summa’s international network, customers from all over the world now have access to the Valiani product range. For example, several customers in Malaysia and Indonesia have bought a Valiani machine when previously this was not an option.

Summa and Valiani started sharing exhibition spaces, which played a pivotal role in making both brands’ product ranges more accessible. At these events, we demonstrate everything in one place, elevating the customer experience and helping clients explore our entire product portfolio effortlessly.

What Will The Future Bring?

In the near future, Summa and Valiani want to combine their marketing activities even more by, for instance, participating together in larger exhibitions like DRUPA and FESPA. Strengthening each other's sales channels is a top priority, as is building a strong dealer network that can grow with the companies to ensure a bright future.

Behind the scenes, operational excellence is in full swing, optimizing supply chains and the organizational framework. Looking ahead, working together on Research and Development promises accelerated innovation. The fusion of Summa and Valiani's R&D brilliance will yield a new generation of compelling products, bundling the best of both companies.

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