technical offices of pmi

[gtsolid]

Bye to all,
until a few years ago I was part of a ut consisting of many people, then we expanded by entering the production of machine tools, without exceeding 25 people.
after covid, for the phenomenon of great resignation that ahime' hit us, we stayed in 1 and a half (I also perform managerial functions).
We're in the machine tool. we have turned and sold for 2 continents, maybe 3 in autumn. a small company in which the boss still turns like a trottola to check that all the projects thread to the right direction, perhaps too often deferring the other business functions to third parties.
It seems to me that the situation is not pink and I would like to run away, since the company one day might be mine.
I know Chinese and I traveled there, but after covid nobody buys anymore. Here in Italy the market is reduced to bone and I find it drugged by government subsidies.
I see well the software part, of which I am also a fan, but we are quite clever. I'm currently learning how to plan a robot, but I'll be technical not forever. .
What do you think of my situation? I think it's common to many family-run companies that struggle to adapt to the times, since management is in love with the times they were, where cows were really fat, and young people did not "perdevano tempo" to do sports...
I don't think so with 31 years, but I'm running a potentially dangerous situation.

 

[PiE81]

Unfortunately situations like yours I have lived, I live them and are on the agenda. the organizational aspects are really lacking, the changes are hard and to carry out them it takes a strong will and competence especially from the top management.

 

[Vittorio]

I understand
even if you are the heir (it seems to me to guess) your is certainly not an enviable situation.
you have written two sacred truths
1) we have a managerial generation that is anchored to the past and are hard to understand that the world has changed. There is no longer that if you planted a broom handle they were born fruits.
2) Today it seems that the precedence is to do sports and in the second position there are apericena.

apart from this nostalgic outburst I understand your mood and responsibility
Surely for 31 years you are a white fly and not knowing exactly your situation , (I understand but I do not have the certainty ) it is recommended to me: think of yourself and let go of what you will have to inherit (for sure.. seen moments) , in poor words do not make you suffocate from what was created and follow your instincts

 

[stevie]

What do you care about?
I see an edge only for the production of special machines, strongly adapted to specific needs
for the production of machines in series I do not see future in Italy
to the worst you can always enter the maintenance sector, that will always need

 

[gtsolid]

special machines (rectors and milling heads), but the u lost 3 designers on 4. we remain production (not for the series, for the special) and assembly

 

[meek851]

I think today the ability to adapt is everything, with a lean structure as in a pmi and a little will is even easier than a big company and you have to know how to play. . . where we are now absali but there are other promising markets (gemelli) and we are entering great.. .
what I see more and more in valid pMS today is the expansion of the range of products in favor of a market demand (potential) ... possibly compartmentalized with the internal knowledge ... to tell you a , a company that made wood machines in the area now is a steel mill and would not have survived otherwise... obvious that we have to spend behind market analysis etc... but the results I tell you that I saw them with my eyes. .

the boss who turns like a trottola is a symptom of that vision that you talk about, probably still sees the company as a playground (no offense, in fact)...if you have to manage the company (or even to improve it) you recommend doing some business course. .you may have many useful ideas

 

[TETRASTORE]

a small company in which the boss still turns like a trottola to check that all the projects thread to the right direction, perhaps too often deferring the other business functions to third parties.

classical behaviour of a family-run company where the founder, with a great experience from the technical and productive point of view, necessarily finds himself to delegate other functions to others. the problem is that if others do not have the necessary skills and preparation in their field (e.g. administrative and commercial), over time the company may have tightness issues.

I know Chinese and I traveled there, but after covid nobody buys anymore. Here in Italy the market is reduced to bone and I find it drugged by government subsidies.

I don't think that the problems affecting your company are attributable only to covid, but they go searched in previous events as a significant decline in turnover has occurred since 2018 while the company seems to have not benefited from the sensitive recovery that occurred in 2021. Moreover, statistics indicate for your sector a trend in sensitive growth also for the current year, so I assume that yours is a commercial problem born perhaps from the collaboration with the big Chinese group that, at first you have allowed to distribute your products significantly affecting the turnover for which today, missing this customer, you do not have a vs. sufficient customer park that can replace it at least in part.

after covid, for the phenomenon of great resignation that hath struck us, we have stayed in one and a half

In this case I do not think that we can speak of great resignation, but of the lack of security for the future that employees have perceived noting the decline of work and on which they probably have not been reassured.

What do you think of my situation?

you are in a situation of a company in crisis in a market (for now) growing.
depends on you:
if it is not a job that interests you to carry on but you have other ambitions, let it go; You could always be a commercial technician for an industry company or other with overseas transfers and rewarding salary in the face of a commitment that will probably limit your social life a bit.
or change the sector and make the employee with the annexes and connected already seen several times in this forum.
if instead you are stimulated to carry out the family business, you must demand to be introduced in the managerial part and start to see (even with the help of a accountant) if and where financial errors have been committed and how to intervene and, at the same time, take the business part by going to look for old and new customers evaluating their needs by comparing them with your type of current production. this is a part that will require a lot of will and sacrifices, but at your age you can afford to try.

 

[TECNOMODEL]

but theut lost 3 designers on 4

I would leave here, a company that loses its "knowledge" is throwing its future.
I would analyze why these departures and try to rebuild.
Of course there is a reflection to be done before, is it something that interests you to carry out the family business or are you one of the many children of Italian entrepreneurs who will throw to the ortics the work of their fathers?
It is not a criticism, it is clear, everyone must try to realize their own aspirations, I unfortunately saw several cases of children who were "forced" to continue their fatherly activity and I have only seen disasters.

 

[stevie]

special machines (rectors and milling heads), but the u lost 3 designers on 4. we remain production (not for the series, for the special) and assembly

I don't see it so tragic, you still have a good historical project
with the insertion of 1-2 figures you can compensate
the problem I see from the commercial point of view, how is the sales network organized?

 

[gtsolid]

I don't see it so tragic, you still have a good historical project
with the insertion of 1-2 figures you can compensate
the problem I see from the commercial point of view, how is the sales network organized?

I and the master manage it: the request comes and we make the quote after being passed for theut. I have only 10% in hand we could say. Maybe I should and I could handle more.

now as now:operational tasks: programming a robot and design of electrical/fluid systemsmanagement tasks: I manage a product (from purchases, assembly, sale). invoiced on 500k a year by employing 3-4 people and external manufacturers for the pieces.

I'm going crazy to make them stay in 8h, without spending my life here.

Perhaps I should cut some of my tasks and make proposals on the commercial network

 

[TETRASTORE]

ora eat ora:operational tasks: programming a robot and design of electrical/fluid systemsmanagement tasks: I manage a product (from purchases, assembly, sale). invoiced on 500k a year by employing 3-4 people and external manufacturers for the pieces.

I'm going crazy to make them stay in 8h, without spending my life here.

Perhaps I should cut some of my tasks and make proposals on the commercial network

Your last reasoning is the right one. A figure (you or another) whose job is exclusively commercial and which, using technical support, is necessary exclusively for market research, advertising and marketing of products both directly and broadening the commercial network.
a company can have good designers and excellent technical solutions but if it does not have capable and full-time commercials it risks to vanify the work that is upstream.

 

[gil]

Firstly, compliments to bring certain questions and seek solutions, while most people in your position go to troi..oni.
I share your analysis. The only thing I can say is that there is life for the company as long as it produces something that is required. the problem is this: do something that has marketed.