After working in the sales department of an Italian manufacturing company for ten years, Mirco felt the need to broaden his horizons to an international environment in 2018. Mirco explains: “Out of personal interest, but also because I saw that the Italian non-food FMCG market was changing and becoming increasingly open to new suppliers from the rest of Europe. While the Italian market used to be quite closed to foreign companies, this began to change step by step. Partly thanks to European retailers opening stores in Italy, the dynamics changed — and with them, my role.”
New mindset
Mirco was working for a European manufacturer of foils and waste bags when he made the move to our sister company Fora Folienfabriek in 2022, and to Packit two years later. “Careers at Packit are particularly interesting to me because of the variety of product categories. It gives me the opportunity to broaden my knowledge. I am no longer just involved with foils and waste bags, but also, for example, with fragrance products, packaging, and carrier bags. Additionally, it has changed my mindset: from being a salesperson at a manufacturing company to a role within an organization that combines production and trading. Packit offers a European mentality and a broad, international vision, which I can also convey to customers. They often ask how markets are developing outside of Italy.”
A different way of doing business
“My workday will not be much different from that of my colleagues in other countries: filled with daily issues and challenges. What is different, however, is the way of doing business. In Italy, very few customers work through tender procedures. The market is fragmented and my work consists of many conversations, personal appointments, and direct negotiations. A more old-school way of sales: an Italian does not buy from a company, but from you as a person. Not just talking about work, but also about family, sports, or culture. That is truly part of it.”
“Italians do business with people, not with companies – and that is exactly where Packit makes the difference.”
- Mirco Bottarelli -
Freedom and trust
Mirco continues: “The first introduction to a different way of working and thinking is never easy, but I soon felt understood by my colleagues and involved in the workflow. From the beginning, I have felt like part of the team and I receive full trust and support from management for the expansion into the Italian market. I am not imposed with a strict strategy and there is no top-down way of working. Packit trusts me as the local specialist. Admittedly, Italy is beautiful, but also complex. The key to success lies in adapting to local needs without losing the European mindset. Because Italians do well… but Italians and Dutch people together do even better!”