SYNCRO GROUP looks to the future of plastics and is already preparing to meet the 2025 targets, when 30% of plastic materials will have to be PCR. To do this, it is focusing on technologization and gender equality.
SYNCRO GROUP is an expert in the automation market for plastics extrusion lines and groups market and complementary companies that can develop tailor-made engineering solutions for their customers, starting from the up-stream to the down-stream. This 2024 will be a year of waiting for the Group, despite a steady trend in recent years and a 10% increase in production.
Nevertheless, SYNCRO has thought about its future by introducing servitization as a product standard: a solution that will result in an increased business, because it is able to involve all those customers who are not able, at that time, to deal with major investments. The company’s strength lies in its low environmental impact solutions embracing the concept of circular economy and gender equality, a topic which is dear to SYNCRO, which has a pink quota of over 25%, where women also hold managerial roles, confirms Daria Crespi, Group Marketing Director.
Mrs. Daria Crespi, are the rising costs of raw materials, energy and logistics related to the war scenario factors that have affected the plastics sector?
“You can see that there is a general downturn that has been lasting since the beginning of the year and that has been covering some sectors in a different way. The recycling field is having a decrease from 20 to 25% because virgin material costs less and this results in major market share losses. In 2025, on the other hand, 30% of plastic materials will have to be PCR (Post-Consumer Recycled) and we are preparing for this important growth segment.”
Which are, on the other hand, the group’s prospects for 2024?
It will be a year of waiting; we do not expect exploits despite our trend has been steady in the last few years and we have grown by 10%. In 2023 and 2024, thanks to a greater capillarity of group companies and a better proposal of all services offered, we expect to maintain market shares as budgeted. Physiologically, the market will not grow, but SYNCRO GROUP has planned to introduce servitization as a product standard. This way, we expect a business increase by approaching customers who, at that time may not be able to face major investments, so we will be able to enter new markets and provide a service (state-of-the-art machinery and technology but, above all, data management for improved production efficiency) and not the direct sale of a machine.”
What do you think will be the performance of the industries in this sector in the near future?
“According to our estimations, it will remain stable for 2023 and 2024 because investments are partially blocked. The crises in Russia, Middle East and China, the latter which is still feeling the effects of Covid, are not helping the world market to grow. Dynamic markets are USA, Latin America and India for the time being.
After 5 years the Plast-Fair is back, how did it go and what differences did you find compared to the last edition? What solutions did you receive the most demand for?
“Taking into account the historical period, this year we can say that Plast 2023 gave its good results. The fact that there were fewer working machines decreased the interest of foreign and overseas visitors, thus loosing Asians and North Americans. With regard to SYNCRO GROUP, the most successful products were definitely the Caccia-MYX presented right at Plast and all the machinery dedicated to recycling. The laboratory and product quality control lines with web inspection were also very successful.
Those mentioned above are all technologies designed and dedicated to Zero Waste Myssion in the circular economy focus.”
Getting equal opportunities between women and men at work is an important achievement. How important it is to talk about these issues at legislative level and how much more needs to be done instead at cultural level, which aspects should be insisted on?
“Over the years we women have won, piece by piece, our place, but I don’t think it is enough. There have been very few concrete actions and even, in some cases, they have worsened conditions. One of them has been the introduction of the single-family allowance, which has lowered the thresholds of amounts paid out and deductions, thus streamlining the payroll. At cultural level we are still in a dark period, where people prefer an employee without “constraints” because concrete help to be able to reconcile family and work life cannot be easily found. At legislative and cultural level, we should fight to give all employees the opportunity to reconcile work and family and to find ourselves too, because we can sometimes afford to be tired. These are topics dear to SYNCRO GROUP, which, still talking about genders, has a pink quota of over 25%, where women also hold managerial roles.”
Can you tell us about your experience as a woman within the plastics industry and, possibly, how you have dealt with events regarding gender inequality?
“I think that Career and salary levels are the milestones, the big limits that even the Italian law does not regulate. Respect, on the other hand, is something else. Women have to prove they deserve it while for men, especially if they hold certain roles, it is often taken for granted. Conflict is sometimes generated when ‘old-fashioned’ men clash with a woman of undoubted professional ability and effectiveness. These are the major limitations that I have always encountered in every field of work and have tried to overcome by bringing results and professional ethics to increase my credibility as a professional in the field I work in. Gender inequality arises, lives and dies exclusively among those who cultivate it themselves. Let’s abandon it and try to make the most of our diversity.”
What would you recommend to young women who wish to work in this field?
“We function differently and we have to accept this. The emotional part of our brain is what sets us apart, that moves us, that gives us strength and sometimes even takes it away. I would advise to simply be what we are; to have hunger, tenacity, motivation, acquire skills and soft skills; to never stoop to playing with our femininity to get attention or success, but to feel free to dress and make up exactly the way that makes us feel most beautiful and confident. Talent cannot be neither hidden, nor you can’t even pretend to have it. I would advise all small and big women to work hard to stand out and achieve their goals, which must be clear and defined. I would advise them to fall because you also must learn to get back up, with dignity and grace; to never take advantage of anything or anyone and let no one and nothing downplaying one’s value and work. We have the strength, intelligence and skills of Valkyries, warriors, mothers, women. Proud to be so, always.”
SYNCRO GROUP is a leading supplier of automation for extrusion, quality control systems, material handling and storage, defect measurement, recycling lines, laboratory and pilot lines through the expertise of the companies SYNCRO, PLASMAC, PLANTECH-CST, ACELABS, EUR.EX.MA. and SB DRY..
SYNCRO GROUP has 9 production plants as well as subsidiaries in the USA, Brazil, China, Japan and India.
Thanks to INTERPROGETTI EDITORI for the interview with Eva De Vecchis in the magazine LA PLASTICA OGGI E DOMANI.
