Balconi S.p.a. began as a cake-making shop in Milan in 1953 and over the years has grown to become a modern food industry with factories in Italy and exports in continual growth to 80 countries around the world. A substantial part of the Balconi exports passes through the PSA Italy terminals. We talked about this with Claudio Ambrosini, the company’s Supply Chain Manager.

Balconi produces, for its own label and private labels, a vast range of sweet baked goods such as cakes, snacks, wafers, and biscuits. From its beginning until today, the company has transformed from a small cake-making shop into a modern food industry, but one point has always remained unchanged: the attention to quality, not only as a value for the finished products, but throughout the entire process. This is attested by the 30,000 annual checks in all production phases and the many certifications that Balconi has obtained from authoritative external bodies, which guarantee the safety of the processes and products.

How important is the value of “Made in Italy” for Balconi S.p.a.?
“Made in Italy” represents the history of this company founded in 1953 by Michele Balconi, which over the years has grown beyond the family label, also establishing itself as a manufacturer for important private labels, thanks to his sons Maurizio and Fabio.

What are your main export markets?
Our main export markets are France, Spain, and Germany in Europe, and the United States, Canada, Australia and the Philippines overseas.

What percentage of the company’s turnover is represented by exports?
At present exports represent 55/60% of our turnover and are in constant growth.

Quali sono invece i principali prodotti importati e da quali mercati?
La maggior parte delle nostre materie prime provengono dal mercato nazionale.

La logistica mondiale sta vivendo un periodo di profondi cambiamenti che sta mettendo alla prova tutti i settori industriali. Quali sono i fattori chiave per una logistica di successo nel settore food?
I fattori chiave sono il livello di servizio al cliente, che è alla base fondamentale anche per la trattativa commerciale, e la risposta tempestiva alle esigenze logistiche del cliente come la puntualità nelle consegne, KPI aggiornati e un customer service efficiente.

What are the main logistical challenges facing you today?
Among the main logistical challenges we face today, I would mention the lack of storage space, finding empty pallets on which to stack the goods, and the difficulty in finding refrigerated vehicles, in particular reefer containers for overseas export.

What are the advantages in using the PSA Italy terminals for your import-export movements?
The advantage lies in using a terminal that is logistically close to our production sites, and is decidedly reactive and avantgarde.

How do you rate your experience with the PSA Italy terminals?
It is a totally positive experience for a company like Balconi that aims to expand its presence on international markets.