Joint adventure for Fassi and Jekko

Cranes Today visited the two companies, both based in the north of Italy, a few days after the deal was announced. Fassi is headquartered in the northeast of Milan, in Bergamo, and Jekko is in the province of Treviso on the Venetian Alpine foothills.  

Diego Tomasella, president of Jekko, explained the structure of the deal in terms of ownerships stakes. Jekko’s ownership now consists of three parts with the same shareholding:  the two owners of former parent Ormet SpA, Pierluigi Tonon and Diego Tomasella, and the owner of Fassi, Giovanni Fassi.

“This agreement aims to achieve a synergy between Jekko’s technological skills and Fassi’s manufacturing skills,” Tomasella said.  “As a consequence of this partnership, there will be a need to bring Jekko’s products on high range. New models of Fassi’s articulated cranes will be mounted on crawler undercarriages, which we are already using on other models.”

Silvio Chiapusso, responsible for communications and public relations at Fassi, said: “There is no overlap in production, but just complementarity between Fassi and Jekko products.”

Tomasella added: “We also aim to achieve synergy with components, but we need to review our ranges first. For example, Fassi could supply some pieces of the crane structure, hydraulic parts, using the same electronic systems. We can also share the same suppliers.”

There is also an opportunity to transfer technology between companies.

Tomasella said: “We have already exchanged technical and technological solutions. It’s not by chance that Fassi’s technical director Rossano Cerasoli is also in Jekko’s administrative council.”

“Our philosophy is to share people with the same tasks and skills and where it’s possible we can share our know how with them.”

With regard to the sales network, both companies have already some dealers in common, for example in the USA, in some parts of Canada, South America, Israel, Uruguay, Spain, Australia, and elsewhere.

Tomasella said: “We want to underline there is no overlap between our dealers because our products are different and there is no competition.

“Mini cranes have different features than cranes, so our products require a specific sale approach.  What’s more, Fassi’s products are in a mature market instead we need a dealer to promote our mini cranes on a demonstrative level, bringing case studies of their quality and skills. When possible we can rely on that synergy, but the partnership is quite free, it’s not a revolution.”

Tomasella also said they expect to combine after sales and support with Fassi. “When it’s not possible to do that we can learn from their strong background,” he added.

Giovanni Fassi, managing director of Fassi, said, “The market potential of these machines is no doubt interesting,” and adds that “the entire staff of the company is determined to seize all chances that will turn up in years to come.”