FAAC Group
Newsletter
Summary
FAAC Inside
FAAC budgets and prospects
Why a newsletter? 2
Dear Colleagues,
I would first of all like to
The FAAC Group in
say hello and extend my
the word: key infor- 3
best wishes for a good
mation
2009 to all of you.
The idea of creating
SAP, umbilical cord to
4 “FAAC Inside”, literally
the BRANCHES
“What’s happening inside
Faac”, seemed an excel-
New colleagues of the
5 lent initiative to me.
FAAC Group
Having a Newsletter
A new challenge: available, to be exclu-
sively used and read by
the institutional 6 marked growth which
all employees of the
image manual
FAAC group throughout
the world, will undoubt-
And the winner is…. 7 edly be an excellent
“virtual” shortening of the
The Vikngs of Perstorp 8 geographical distances
which actually exist be-
tween our companies,
The entry key 9 distances which prevent
us from getting to know
each other better and
What connects the
from sharing information
C720 to a German
12 of a professional and
invention of the early
(why not?) also a per-
Thirties?
sonal nature! I hope that,
with the contribution of
FAAC, July 1978 ….… 15 all of you, “FAAC Inside”
Gennaio 2009
will continually grow and
I hope that, circulating
FAAC prizes your work
16 with each new issue in-
because….…
formation and curiosities
originating from the vari-
ous parts of the FAAC
world, it will meet with
your approval and will
become an unmissable
N° 0001/2009
appointment for every-
body.
Year 2008
The consolidated turn-
over of the FAAC group
grew by approximately
1.5%, "at constant pe-
rimeter", in the year
2008 compared to 2007.
This albeit limited growth
in reality has a special
value, as it was recorded
in a year which was char-
acterised, in its second
half, by a considerable
drop in demand, owing to
the world financial crisis.
The first half-year of
2008, closing with very
was almost in line with
expectations at the start
of the year, was followed
by an unexpectedly chal-
lenging second six
months.
The international crisis
and its repercussions,
causing a contraction of
the real economy with a
resulting lowered confi-
dence in investment by
companies, produced a
reduction in economic
activity in various coun-
tries and therefore also in
the companies of the
FAAC Group involved.
In reality, the results of
our Group recorded very
different courses in the
second half of 2008, de-
pending on the geo-
graphical area: while in
most of western Europe
and North America the
drop in demand was felt
particularly strongly,
Eastern Europe and the
emerging markets re-
corded very significant
by Andrea Marcellan
growth compared to the
previous year.
From the point of view of
profit, we expect a
growth in pre-tax profit
2008 comparable to that
of turnover. This growth
does not yet reflect the
benefits of a series of
actions initiated last year,
and directed at a contain-
ment of production costs
and the costs of raw ma-
terials or intermediate
products used in produc-
tion.
Year 2009
The new year looks as if
it will still be a difficult
year; the widespread
feeling is that of a sce-
nario in which markets
will show zero growth in
terms of value, if they do
not actually decline, even
in those areas which have
so far been less affected
by the collapse.
In virtue of this, the 2009
budget of the group was
made prudently, although
with some growth com-
pared to 2008, combining
realistic growth ambitions
with a great determina-
tion to control and con-
tain our costs. We will
therefore continue the
actions initiated last year,
aimed at controlling in-
dustrial costs, in order to
produce savings which
will feed the strategic
investments of the
Group.
 Page 2 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

Continued from page 1

In this
light, it is important to re-
member that the Group will
invest several million euros in
the following key sectors:
Research and Development:
the budget available to cover
out-of-pocket expenses of
people, services and neces-
sary materials will be in-
creased, and it will also be
increased for investments in
equipment, moulds, patents
and software.
Sales: the budget to increase
the territory covered by the
group outside European mar-
kets is growing and, after the
most recent structure opened
in the United Arab Emirates
at the end of 2008, we also
envisage direct investments
in other countries in the
world.
Production: we will examine
and we will test "Lean Manu-
facturing" technologies, more
specifically on the three new
FAAC products available in
2009 ( the C720 - S418 low-
voltage electromechanical opera-
tors and the S450H hydraulic
operator ).
Finally, the year 2009 will
also see us extremely atten-
tive to the possible acquisi-
tions of companies or tech-
nologies which could enhance
the international competitive-
ness of the Group. This will
also be possible thanks to the
asset situation of our com-
pany, which is able to finance
itself without having to resort
to external sources of fi-
nance.
Finally, I would like to con-
clude by wishing everybody a
year full of satisfactions, both
professional and personal.
invite you to continue as you
have always done (perhaps
still more so, given the year
which awaits us…), whilst
being fully aware of the
soundness of our Group,
earned over forty years of

Why a newsletter ?
First of all, we would like to say a sincere "Hello" to all our colleagues in all companies of the FAAC Group.
Do you know how many there are? Quite a few! At least 20 operative companies!
Many of you will wonder what the new FAAC newsletter is and why it has been decided to promote it just now.
Well, as with all things, when you are ready to start off, it is better to have clear ideas and to know where you
are going; therefore, we would now like to reply to these and other questions in this article, so that each one of
us knows what to expect from this newsletter, what information to look for and, if you wish, how to participate in
producing it.
A company Newsletter is typically a small virtual meeting place, a sort of magazine, collecting together, in our
case, instead of comic strips, serious (but nonetheless entertaining or interesting) information regarding the
"FAAC world", this term meaning the world of all companies belonging to the FAAC Group.
What do they do? Where are they situated in the world? Who works there? How many people work there? What
do they think?, etc. etc.....these are all examples of the information which will appear in the Newsletter. We will
publish, and we will share with every colleague, a variety of news and articles, a lot of images and also various
stories which speak about the FAAC world, which are recent, useful and, we hope, also entertaining to read, with
the aim of making the industrial Group for which you all work a little better known to every reader.
It will not change our daily work, we would like to state this immediately, but we think that it will change our
mentality, our curiosity and the thoughts which are with us as we do our jobs. We believe that knowing a little
more about, and a little better, the events and the people of the group where we work every day, so passionately
and with such dedication, will be both stimulating and curious and, to tell the truth, also rather necessary.
This is the exact purpose of the Newsletter, to regularly bring us, every few months, information or mere curiosi-
ties from other geographical parts of the FAAC group, places which might sometimes be far away from our usual
workplace (far away from Europe, from Asia, from America, from Oceania and from Africa!) but much closer to us
than they might seem, because these will concern, solely and exclusively, colleagues, products, events and re-
sults of our Group.
We will try to let as many of our colleagues speak as possible, so that each geographical area can tell its story
and so that more information, stories and also memories can be shared. Anybody who would like to take part can
do this by contacting the editorial team which, whilst it might be virtual and of different composition with each
issue of the Newsletter, will still have a base in Italy, albeit small.
And so, at this point, we have said everything; it only remains for us to hope you all enjoy your read, and that
we all continue to enjoy our work within the FAAC group!
The Editorial staff
FAAC Inside
The FAAC Group in the world:
key information
What do we do in the
FAAC group?
We design, we build and
we market complete
products and solutions for
the control and automa-
tion of pedestrian and
vehicle accesses in resi-
dential, commercial and
industrial sites.
These products, in other
words, simplify the lives
of the private users who
use them or permit busi-
ness users to increase
their productivity in their
daily work.
What are the compa-
nies in the FAAC
group?
The first is Faac S.p.A.,
the Italian parent com-
pany founded in 1965
and, since then, located
in Zola Predosa, near Bo-
logna.
Apart from this company,
there are 13 FAAC
branches, all of a com-
mercial nature (with one
or two exceptions) in the
N° 0001/2009 Page 3
by Jacopo Malacarne
world: What products are
Australia (Sidney), manufactured at the
Austria (Wals-Siezenheim), plants of the FAAC
Belgium (Bruges), group?
China (Shanghai),
The United Arab Emirates
(Dubai), The main families of
France (Lyon and Massy), products are gate open-
Germany (Freilassing), ers of every type, garage
India (Noida-New Delhi), door openers, industrial
England (Basingstoke
door openers(folding
Hampshire),
Holland (Den Haag), doors, sectional doors or
Poland (Warsaw), throughout the world, all up-and-over doors), to-
Spain(Madrid), employees of a Company in gether with shutter open-
Sweden (Perstorp), the FAAC group, and we ers, automated systems
Switzerland (Illnau), speak 16 languages every for automatic pedestrian
The USA (Cheyenne and doors, automatic barriers
working day.
Jacksonville). for car parks and also
Among which work sec-
motorways, complete car
Then there is FEL in Ire- tors are employees of
parking systems and sys-
land, a company which the group subdivided?
tems for control of pedes-
produces electronic de- Approximately 15% of all trian access and conceil-
vices in Dublin; DAAB in FAAC people in the world ing traffic bollards.
Sweden which produces work in Research and De-
automatic systems in velopment or in Technical
Perstorp; Voltec in Support, 40% work in Pro-
France, which produces duction, 33% work in the
shutter openers in Bor- Commercial and Marketing
deaux, Genius in Italy, sector of the group and,
which produces auto- finally, 12% work in the
matic systems in Ber- Administration and Finance
gamo, Spazio Italia, sector.
which produces Access
Control systems in How many manufactur-
Padenghe sul Garda, Al- ing plantsare there in
tron in Italy, which pro- the group?
duces tubular motors in At the moment, there are 7
Sesto San Giovanni. manufacturing plants
Will others be added in throughout the world: 4 in
the future? Italy, 1 in Ireland, 1 in
France and 1 in Sweden.
The answer is yes, un-
doubtedly. After the most
recent company to be
added, that is to say, the
branch in the United Arab
Emirates, there will per-
haps already be others in
2009, which will be added
to the Companies in the
group.
How many of us are
there, overall?
At the moment there are
approximately 770 of us
FAAC Inside
The Financial Director of the group explains and comments on the next release of the SAP management
SW to all FAAC branches
SAP, umbilical cord to the BRANCHES
The subject of SAP is, by
its nature, rather difficult
for everybody. And then,
at FAAC, it has always
been a cause of anguish.
I will therefore try, within
the limits of what is feasi-
ble, to use language as
simple and as everyday
as possible.
I can say one thing:
choosing SAP was not an
easy decision. This ERP
system (an acronym for
Enterprise Resource Plan-
ning), which undoubtedly
represents excellence
amongst control and gov-
ernance models through-
out the world, was in-
stalled at FAAC in Bolo-
gna in the now faraway
1999, and currently con-
stitutes the management
framework at FAAC, Gen-
ius and Fel. But people
who were here then
probably remember what
a torment the start was.
We are a Group com-
posed of fairly heteroge-
neous companies, each
possessing its own man-
agement software. This is
inevitable because of
both their different cul-
tural-geographic situa-
tions and their different
sizes, and produces dif-
ferent habits and styles.
The subject of integration
is, and remains, central.
For people who, like me,
have lived this group for
almost twenty years, and
have seen innumerable
attempts to coordinate its
image, style and man-
agement model, it is diffi-
cult to overcome disillu-
sionment, transcend a
minimalist solution and
consider embarking on
organisation of the com-
pany, with a project for
computerization of the
branches of the group.
Until one or two years
ago, we considered it
more effective to concen-
trate on operations (the
usual catchphrase "sell,
sell, sell!!!!") and leave
the burden and vexation
of the management of
computerization to the
more peripheral members
of the management
team. Therefore, inde-
pendence and freedom of
initiative was the rule,
apart from audit and con-
trol activities, which went
from a unified and organ-
ised series of company
reports, on the one hand
to, on the other, periodic
examinations to verify
the professional correct-
ness of management.
What does this involve?
Is control missing? Abso-
lutely not!
However, something is
missing with this ar-
rangement: the capacity
to lead, with centrally-
based decision making,
which is today summa-
rised in the acronym
CPM. For the few readers
who are uncertain about
the acronym, Corporate
Performance Manage-
ment expresses the need,
indispensable in mature
systems, to permit man-
agement to take more
aware decisions, in a logi-
cal context which does
not only permit an analy-
sis of economic and fi-
nancial results but, in
particular, an evaluation
of the strategies and pos-
sible alternative scenarios
to launch the company
into the future.
Having identified the
problem, the solution can
only be found in imple-
mentation of the SAP
system in all companies
of the group. This idea
tends to transform the
N° 0001/2009 Page 4
by Giorgio Vitali
individual legal entities
into synapses of a single
nervous system of control
and management.
So, an umbilical cord? I
really don't think so. Per-
haps we could define the
current system in this
way, based on a system
of collection and integra-
tion of data via the web.
I would rather define it a
network system, where
data can be read every-
where in the same way
and, obviously, with the The Financial Director of
same significance. the Group
How many deserts and
how many oceans we will
have to cross to achieve
this goal! In truth, we
had initially thought of a
solution based on Busi-
ness One, fundamentally
a sort of little brother to
SAP, much more user
friendly and more flexi-
ble, but this choice was
then abandoned in favour
of SAP, due to the objec-
tive difficulty of ensuring
the necessary stable inte-
gration of information.
Therefore, our dear
branches, or consociates
as you prefer, will have
to make some effort to
adapt to a common
model, which seems de-
signed to suppress the
excessive liberty of the
"Until one or two
peripheral areas of the
years ago, we
group, but in reality fixes
considered it more
common management
effective to
rules. However, you will
concentrate on
say, does this not risk operations (the usual
becoming a rigidity which catchphrase "sell, sell,
limits innovation and de- sell!!!!")"
velopment?
A good question: but
when has anarchy ever
produced concrete re-
sults?? Perhaps it is bet-
ter for us to leave crea-
tivity to the artists?!?
What do you think?
 Page 5 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

The route we intend to use to take the process forwards envisages, first of all, the
creation of a basic kernel, which can then be exported to all the companies, contain-
ing the essence of the rules of the game. The kernel should then be the model on
which management of the group consociates rotates. And here lies a doubt: is our
“There is no doubt model really the right one? Are we able to say, in all conscience, that the FAAC
that there are things model represents the best system to implement?
which need to be Paradoxically, I do not think at all that ours is the perfect model to be integrated
improved and models within the group; I believe that, indeed, there are many aspects and procedures
to be planned, but which need to be developed and perfected to improve the management and simplifi-
today the great prize cation of activities. Why then?
to be attained is the Well, for what it is worth, for almost 10 years this is the system which we have used
unification of and which has enabled us to manage FAAC. There is no doubt that there are things
procedures, and this is which need to be improved and models to be planned, but today the great prize to
the priority goal. ” be attained is the unification of procedures, and this is the priority goal. The analysis
of the so-called Kernel had the merit of finally forcing us to work on a group vision,
concentrating our focus on the limits of the present moment, and making us realise
that while we are integrating the branches, we have to adjust and improve the visi-
bility of the entire network.

New colleagues who became part of the FAAC group in the second half
of 2008

FAAC SPA -Bologna - Italy

FABIO FATTORI, with a diploma in electrotechnics; since October he has been part of the Commercial Man-
agement Italy department, in his role of commercial officer at the Padova branch. He reports to the Head of the
Department.
DANIELE GNESINI, graduate in Company Economy; since July he has been part of the Administrative
management, control and finance department, in his role of financial controller of foreign consociates. He reports
to the Head of Management Control of the Group.
MICHELE LORENZANI, with a diploma in Electronics: he has dual Italian and Dutch citizenship and, since
December he has been part of the Marketing management, in his role of product manager for tubular motors. He
reports to the Marketing Director.
JACOPO MALACARNE, a graduate in mechanical engineering; since July he has been the new Marketing
Director of the group. He reports to the Managing Director of FAAC SpA
MASSIMO MENGOLI, with a diploma in Electronics; since September he has been part of the Technical
management department, assigned to Technical Support. He reports to the Head of the Department.
MICHELE PASELLI, a graduate in electronic engineering with top grades; he arrived in November to rein-
force the Marketing Management department, in his role of Product Manager.
FRANCESCO SPECCHIO, a graduate in mechanical engineering; since October has been part of the Tech-
nical management department, in his role of mechanical designer. He reports to the Head of the Department.

GENIUS SpA - Bergamo - Italy

MAURIZIO FACCINATO, since August he has been assistant to the Production Manager.
GIANLUCA SCAFFIDI, since July, he has been operating in the logistics area, he handles expediting.

FAAC UK -Basingstoke - United Kingdom

CHRISTOPHER DODGSON, mechanical engineer, is the new technical manager, he depends on the Ge-
neral manager.

F.A.A.C SA - Madrid - Spain

JOSE’ ANTONIO GARCIA RUIZ, with a diploma in Engineering; he is the head of the commercial de-
partment in Spain for the tubular motors range.
 Page 6 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

We would like to talk here about the next issue of the FAAC Brand Manual

A new challenge: the FAAC institutional image manual

———- by Gloria Guastaroba

There are many challenges which FAAC, with its staff, has faced and won over
the years of its activity, greater or lesser challenges as they might have been,
but we certainly never gave up in the face of difficulty.
One of the new challenges which involves all of us is called "Coordinated Group
Image".
Perhaps some of you have already heard about the project launched to draw up
the "Corporate Brand Manual and communication guidelines", which the Image &
Advertising office of the parent company has been developing for some time.
It is not easy to rationalise what has been developed and has evolved so freely
and with almost no rules: it was time to become aware that there are many of
us, we speak different languages, we have different experiences and mentalities
but each one of us represents the same enterprise: the FAAC Group.
Here is the challenge: to represent FAAC throughout the world in a way which is
consistent with the values and prestige which, over time and with intelligence
and hard work, have been constructed.

A few months ago, we thus started work to formalise, simply and effectively, the
ways in which we will present (or not present) the company logo, the company
symbols, the logos of the specialist installers and of the products, always consid-
ering their visual appearance, their colours, their clarity and, in particular, the
message and values which the reader perceives from the methods used.
Working to implement this project, we realised that there are many considera-
tions which must be made before applying a rule to the guidelines: what is the
most privileged observation point from which to observe the largest number of
existing experiences, so we can take these into consideration?

Here at the Parent Company, we examined, with the contribution of the various
company managements which report on their experiences throughout the world,
a large quantity of material, both old and new; we proceeded by choosing, and then immediately afterwards
jointly reevaluating, what initially seemed more than satisfactory, to the point where we would become more
than satisfied. A complex work.
This is the reason for collecting and systematically organis-
ing so much material and making it available to everybody.
For both us and you, it is consequently indispensable to
accept this challenge: a change, a “leap” in mentality.
Every time I speak about FAAC, I have to try not to rely on
my experience alone but tune into the history and experi-
ence which this company has accumulated and try to pre-
sent these in their completeness.
The guidelines have the purpose of showing us as we are,
in all our diversities, all part of the same enterprise: the
rules can be checked, shared and improved, but they must
be followed.
Soon the fruit of this work will be formalised and repre-
sented in a paper-based manual, as well as in convenient
electronic files which will be sent to everybody who works
daily with FAAC, throughout the world: colleagues at the
Parent Company, Consociates, Importers and our Clients.
The efficacy of this work will be the fruit of your, and our, contribution.
If it should be necessary, there is an e-mail address, infobrand@faac.it, already active, which will permit fur-
ther replies to specific problems of external image and communication: you are not alone in finding solutions
to the problems with your work.
The experiences which reach us from your e-mails will enrich our shared company heritage.
FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009 Page 7

We present the result of the competition to identify the company Pay-Off

And the winner is…….. by Sylvia De Paepe

Taking hold of the look of the FAAC trademark and evaluating the various aspects linked to the
brand, we decided at the end of September to also renew the pay off, that is to say, that brief
phrase, sometimes even only one word, which should summarise the essence of the company, its
values, its emotions or its products and which is often found coupled with the trademark in order
to make the company brand easier to remember.
Nike “just do it”, ENEL "l’energia che ti ascolta" or Garnier, “Take care of yourself” ….. are exam-
ples which we all remember
We were looking for a worthy successor to "Parola chiave" (key word), the pay off which has been
with us for years; so, why not try a large-scale and collective generation of ideas (brainstorming)
with all our colleagues, in Italy and overseas?
Who better than us, the people who collect the comments from the clients, the technical staff
who know every detail of the products, all of us who live the trademark every day, to understand
the essentiality of the trademark, the brand values?…
This idea was then translated into a competition open to everybody, which concluded on 31 Octo-
ber.
The number of proposals received reached almost 400, for the most part in English, but some
people also proposed slogans in Italian or French.
Our colleagues in the parent company gave free rein to their imagination, but our French, Eng-
lish, American, German and Austrian, Polish and even Chinese colleagues were no less imagina-
tive, without forgetting the colleagues from our Italian branches.
The work and contribution of everybody was wonderful; the proposals were, in certain cases, en-
tertaining and in others genuine masterpieces.
What a pity that only one proposal was needed….
After various selection procedures and finally creaming off the short list, I have the pleasure of
announcing who has won the pay off:

Proposed by A. Parrish, of the FAAC UK subsidiary.

A pay off which compresses into few words the essence and the essentiality of an entire universe.
Our universe is that of automated systems, of automation and, from this, the importance of the
word Automatic.
We offer a product which makes life much simpler for those who use it and, from this, we arrive
at Simply…
FAAC is known for its essentiality, with no frills, and for exceptional products of great quality, and
does not really need a fine catchphrase.
We are proud of what we do, without having to shout it from the rooftops… and here, instead of
an exclamation mark we chose a simple full stop.

To A. Parrish our congratulations, in addition to the prize offered, and a heartfelt thanks to all of
you for your contributions.
FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009 Page 8

Let us begin to introduce the companies which form part of the FAAC group:
DAAB in Sweden and its MD, Ola Hanson

The Vikings of PERSTORP by Ola Hansson

Did you know that there are "Vikings" in the FAAC group?
Since 2007 the Swedish DAAB company has been part of the group
and consists of 32 “Vikings” who want to do business in the world
just as their ancestors did: the Vikings!
DAAB produces and markets automatic systems (gate openers, auto-
matic barriers and industrial door openers of large capacity and
size), a market niche projected towards the world of heavy industrial
applications.
Our “Valhalla” (as the Vikings called paradise, their place of rest), or
Perstorp as we call it today, is a small town located in the south of
Sweden, just 100 km north of Copenhagen.
Perstorp is not a large town, not even by Scandinavian standards, it
has only 7,000 inhabitants. The same town also plays host to a large
chemical company which is called… Perstorp AB. In 1970, Perstorp
AB employed approximately 2,000 people; today, however, it has
only 1,000 people, all office staff, and they contribute to making it
an avant-garde player for chemical products in Sweden.
Like the Vikings of old, DAAB is a strong presence in its domestic
market (we are the main producers in Sweden) and the company is  The “crew” at DAAB with its members

curious to leave the frontiers of its own country to explore new

markets. At least nowadays, these modern-day Vikings can guaran-
tee the safety of the women in the foreign populations they en-
counter…
The name "Vikings" derives from the old Nordic languages of the
ninth century AD and it means "pirates". In those days, you cer-
tainly couldn't say no to the Vikings; nowadays, however, our Vi-
kings are decidedly more friendly…
I have personally been a Viking since I became part of DAAB in the
spring of 2008. As a Mechanical Engineer specialising in Logistics,
prior to DAAB I first worked in the Sales and Marketing sector of
various companies which sold products and solutions for the logis-
tics and transport market - like the Vikings, I then travelled the
world to sell my products …
In reality, I am not a pure-blooded, short-tempered Viking, I am
often with my family, in fact: my wife Annette and my daughters
Nikki (14) and Michelle (10), or with other friends in Helsingborg,
the town where I live. My house is next to that of the footballer
Henrik Larsson who played for Barcelona and for Celtic. The
“treasures” which I conquer in my Viking expeditions are spent by
my wife and daughters on our two horses: Alex and Cent.
Like our colleague Erik Kooijmans, I like running very much and I
go jogging, although my speed is much less - but if we count speed
per single kg then perhaps I could beat him! Unfortunately, 25
years and 25 kg ago I was much faster: I could run 10 km in 34
minutes.
I like Orienteering, a popular sport here, where you run through
woods with a map to find the finishing line.
The Vikings of DAAB are slightly odd and have a strong desire to
conquer 2009!
I can ensure everybody that the team will do its best to bring home
all the bacon we can.
 Page 9
In this article, a colleague of ours at FAAC SpA (Italy) illustrates the professional and human experience of his
three years in Shanghai (China)
XIAN, ancient capital of the
Chinese empire: Fabio and the
Terracotta army
Tibet, the roof of the world,
with its lakes over 4,000 me-
tres above sea-level
FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009
The entry key by Fabio Irrera
When my Marketing colleagues asked me to write this article, I
was not really sure where to begin and now, after completing
it, I have realised that it is still too limited a means to commu-
nicate the powerful, penetrating feelings that China still pro-
duces in we westerners.
Let's get to the story!
At the end of 2004, I was asked to consider my general willing-
ness to go and be General Manager of the FAAC structure in
China: and so the adventure started.
I had only the most basic notions about China; I thought of
Tibet, Beijing, Tienanmen square, the cultural revolution,
chicken with almonds …….perhaps also of a "guide", which
might have been very useful, but I also knew that only direct
experience would allow me to learn and understand something
more about China. And so it was!
I have to say that what most struck me about China is not how
different it immediately seems, it’s more what you don't see
but what you constantly face living with Chinese people, that is
to say, the deep cultural difference which exists between the
West and the East, a difference which really challenges you.
My observation point for the discovery of China was Shanghai.
FAAC had been present in China since 2000 and towards the
end of 2003 a company was created to give a push to sales,
guaranteeing a better service to the market.
At the start of 2004, FAAC Shanghai Gates and Door Automa-
tion Trading had an operative core of fewer than 5 people;
now, at the end of 2008, FAAC Shanghai has a core of approxi-
mately 20 people and a GM, Dr. Serena Spagnolo, who joined
the FAAC Shanghai team in March 2008.
The context
Over these last 4-5 years, the ways foreign investors operate
in China have changed greatly: this is due to the fact that
China has changed a lot, but is also because the world has
changed greatly too.
The new Chinese law on work in 2007, the rhythm of spas-
modic growth of foreign investments, the uncontrollable devel-
opment of the real estate market and local stock exchanges,
had led the Chinese to think of the possibility of practically
unlimited development and, at the same rate, of rapidly satis-
fying their expectations of affluence.
Only in 2008, due to the effect of the world financial crisis and
the collapse of the stock exchanges, including those in China,
has the average Chinese been obliged to face up to a new
"sober" dimension to economic growth: the population has no
experience with which to evaluate this new situation.
FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009 Page 10

In the context of the public investment plan passed to stimu-

late the economy, extremely rich and dynamic, it seems easy
and immediate to obtain significant results but two crucial as-
pects must be considered:
wealth: in China it exists, but it is held by a percentage of the
population estimated at around 5% (a value which is still siz-
able in the light of the 1.3 billion population of China). How-
ever, it does not contribute consistently to fuelling domestic
consumption, given the powerful, characteristic inclination to
saving.
culture: dealing with China requires a comprehensive knowl-
Shanghai - Huangpu River
edge of its cultural context;
Not to take these factors into account can limit the success, or
lead to the failure, of any business mechanism which, in the
western world, would undoubtedly be successful.

The key
We are getting to the heart of my experience, the entry key to
China, its values: I will offer you a number of examples of
what I discovered.

Durability and aesthetics

The life of a product in China (but I would actually say "life in
China”) is evaluated with criteria which are profoundly different
to how this is done in the western world: the western short-
term time perspectives of 1-2 years are considered medium to
long-term in China; a space of time of 2-3 years is an abso-
lutely long-term period which guarantees full satisfaction in the
use of goods.
On the other hand, precisely because of the rapidity of each
phenomenon, the first impression counts greatly and appear- The GM Serena Spagnolo and I
ance has a significant importance; therefore, it is fundamental
for a product, particularly if it is imported, to be attractive, of
generous size and aesthetically pleasing, so that it can be a
source of pride to its owner.

Production volumes and containment of costs

After the cultural revolution, the most widespread doctrine was
"make money", a doctrine followed with a completely Chinese
approach: "make money" means producing something in very
large quantities for a social context which is, on average, poor
or, in any event, has a reduced inclination to consumption, to
satisfy basic needs.
The most suitable means of doing this is the containment of
the price of the product; therefore their industrial approach has
historically been directed at the production of large volumes at
very low cost, in order to offer the product at the lowest selling Shanghai - motorways
price.
From this assumption come investments devoid of planning,
the right equipment or suitable forms of control.
 Page 11 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

The significance of “YES”

I noticed that for a Chinese person, it is an enormous burden to say NO, unbearable. It is much sim-
pler to say YES: one must never dispute or refute a statement by another, particularly if he/she ranks
higher.
But a YES for the Chinese takes on many more meanings compared to those with which we commonly
consider it: Yes, I am listening to you - Yes, I have understood even though I do not agree with you -
Yes, I'll see what I can do.
You have to pay great attention to the gestures of agreement which a Chinese person makes, they
can never be considered as definitive.

“Guanxi” and the management of good rela-

tions
“Guanxi” is a fundamental practice in China, followed
by everybody.
Possessing a great spirit of individualism, the value
and the power which a single individual can hold within
society, a company or a group is closely linked to the
system of relationships he/she can use to exchange
knowledge, information or favours, either for his/her
own use or that of others, amongst the individuals who
form part of his/her "guanxi".
The “guanxi”, therefore the whole of one's own good
relationships, is also fundamental for a foreigner who, Conviviality is one of the ways with which to
look after your own “Guanxi”
like me, has worked in China and has managed an ac-
tivity there.

Successful experiences
Today, all our major competitors, European and non-European, are present on the Chinese market,
with a considerable and significant presence of Chinese producers too.

In spite of the fact that we were certainly not the first

to set foot in China, FAAC has been able to acquire a
position of leadership in the sector of automated sys-
tems for gates and to carve out a lesser, but still signifi-
cant, presence in other markets.

I would like to remind you of just two successful experi-

ences which demonstrated all of our potential.
In 2007, in spite of our not having cast-iron references
and the fact that we were not at the avant-garde end of
the market as regards technical solutions, we won a
tender for the supply of over one thousand (1000)
automated systems for safety doors on Lines 1 and 9 of
the overground railway in Shanghai.

In 2007 we won one of the most prestigious tenders for

the supply of FAAC CITY bollards, for a State engineer-
ing company: over 30 bollards for the Customs control
station at the border between Hong Kong and China.

See above: Line 1 and 9 of the overground railway in Shanghai

Below: Customs control between Hong Kong and China with the bol-
lards.
 Page 12 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

Our Research and Development colleagues tell us what goes on "behind the scenes" of the new gearmotor for
sliding gates named "C720"

What connects the C720 to a German invention of the

early Thirties? by Marco Monterastelli e Luigi

In 1931, in Munich, Lorenz Braren founded Cyclo

The planning Team for the Cyclo
GmBH to construct and market a gearmotor device
he had invented, which was absolutely innovative.
It did not contain traditional gears with teeth with an
involute profile (Fig. 3), but undulating and perfo-
rated gears (Fig. 1) which made them look, in sec-
tion, like a children's toy or something made on
Mars, so strange were they.
In 1935, Sumitomo, a Japanese company which
made gearmotors, obtained a licence to produce the
Cyclo and, since the Second World War, has handled
distribution of the product throughout the world.
A Cyclo gearmotor is sturdy and precise in opera-
tion, and it takes up much less space than traditional
gearmotors.
There are two main reasons for its sturdiness.
First reason:
its teeth with a cycloidal profile (Fig. 2) have the
same curvature when they touch, while teeth with
an involute profile (Fig. 3) have an opposite curva-
ture. Fundamentally, with the same transmitted
force, in the case of the Cyclo the contact area is
much more extensive.

Fig.1 Fig.2: In the Cyclo profile, the teeth have the same curva-
ture in the area where they touch.

Fig.3: In the involute profile, the teeth have an opposite cur-
vature in the area where they touch.
Second reason:
In a cycloidal gearmotor, many pairs of teeth are
simultaneously engaged and therefore the load is
distributed over a number of points (Fig. 4).
It is precise in operation because there is very little
“play” between the teeth. It produces enormous re-
duction ratios in an extremely limited space.
However, being made entirely of metal, and requir-
ing very precise construction, the Cyclo motor is in-
evitably very expensive!
Consequently, it has enjoyed success in technically
very demanding sectors for which the high cost of
the motor does not represent an insurmountable
problem, such as the robot, machine tool and aero-
space sectors. When you board an aeroplane, think
that the ailerons contain a component like this!
FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009 Page 13

Fig.4

At the end of 2001, the FAAC Technical Office began to

consider a research project which revolved round a new
interpretation of the Cyclo motor, completely different
from the original.

The challenge was to make this type of motor consistent

with costs in our sector, partly forfeiting extreme preci-
sion, given that this was not a key factor.

It immediately appeared evident that the components

would need to be produced in plastic.

It is common to think that plastic is a very cheap material.

In our case, it is the production process, the moulding,
which is cheaper, as we chose to use an expensive techni-
cal polymer.

The precision of the components obtained

through moulding is less than that of com-
ponents produced by shaving, and conse-
quently the cycloidal profile was abandoned
(Fig. 2) in favour of the typical involute
profile (Fig. 3).
The first FAAC prototype motor (Fig. 5) was
designed to be fitted to a swing-leaf gate.
We had confirmation of the sturdiness of
the basis system, whilst it was rather too
noisy.
In 2006, the project was relaunched, in
consideration of an application strongly re-
quested by the Marketing department for a
low-voltage operator for sliding gates.

The first solution we thought up was that shown in Fig. 6.

That which was the output shaft in the first prototype was blocked, so that it was the motor body which
rotated concentrically around the motor.

This principle is the subject of the patent which we subsequently deposited.

 Page 14 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

Fig.5 Fig.6

The C720 has a pinion with all of 28 teeth (Fig. 7), expressly because the pinion itself is the mobile
body of the motor: the entire reduction, which is achieved with a 1/49 ratio, is contained within the
gear mechanism which engages with the rack on the gate!

Therefore, the pinion of the C720, made of acetal resin, possesses both inner and outer teeth.

This is a very complex component which required all the technological know-how at FAAC.

The performance of the motor was very high: with the same thrust and speed on the gate, the C720
requires slightly more than half the power required by products currently on the market, both those
made by FAAC or by competitors.

The final result is thus a very simple object, light, silent and reliable, of which we all feel very proud
and from which we expect great satisfaction.

Fig.7
 Page 15
Today we meet Tiziana Manopoli, one of the “veterans” at FAAC S.p.A. (Italy) - Tiziana officially became part of the company in
July 1978.
Tiziana photographed at a
company dinner some time
ago
I remember that there
was an office with a
few people working in
it, and a basement
where there were two
designers who were
designing future
products at a
technigraph.
FAAC Inside
FAAC, July 1978
Q. Why officially?
R. Officially because in
June 1977, while I was
still going to school, a
number of students were
asked if they were inter-
ested in acquiring some
practical experience at
certain Bologna compa-
nies. It was thus that I
presented myself at the
FAAC offices, then situ-
ated in the immediate
suburbs of Bologna.
Q. Excited?
R. To tell the truth, I did-
n't have time to feel ex-
cited because, at the
time, the company was
so small that I was un-
able to find it. I remem-
ber that I went into a
butcher's and asked:
“Does anybody know
where FAAC is?" The
questioning glances of
the customers in the
shop made me think that
Martians must have ar-
rived; however, once the
initial bewilderment was
over, the owner of the
butcher's indicated a side
road and… I finally ar-
rived at FAAC.
Q. Any special memo-
ries?
R. I remember that there
was an office with a few
people working in it, and
a basement where there
were two designers who
were designing future
products at a techni-
graph. I joined the com-
pany, temporarily replac-
ing a girl. After a month's
work, I finished my ex-
perience as a student at
FAAC and I received my
first salary of 100,000
Italian lire (approximately
51.00 euros). An unfor-
gettable moment and one
of great emotion for me.
Q. We are speaking now
of your first working day
in July 1978. The com-
pany had just moved to
Zola Predosa and was
easy to find. So every-
thing went well?
R. Well …not exactly. The
company at the time was
in open countryside. I
went to work on foot. The
bus stop was a few kilo-
metres from here. I ar-
rived at 10.00. The be-
ginning was not all it
could have been and I
remember that I was
very frightened, also be-
cause as soon as I en-
tered, shyly saying good
morning, everybody
looked at the clock before
replying, astonished.
They had already been
there for almost two
hours. The structure was
much smaller than today
but very futuristic for its
time. The wooden ceil-
ings, the internal gar-
dens, the sundial with the
signs of the zodiac on the
floor had been the cause
of numerous visits by
external architects and
designers. The American
pine which is still inside
FAAC was then a small
sapling imported directly
from the United States.
Q. Since that day 30
years have passed. Many
things must certainly
have changed.
R. At the time, the com-
pany was much smaller
and there was a much
more familiar and direct
relationship with the
founder, Mr. Manini.
We had an IBM computer
the size of a wardrobe
and all letters were writ-
ten with a typewriter,
using carbon paper to
obtain copies for our files
and errors were corrected
with Tipp-Ex. Urgent
messages were sent
abroad by Telefax. Cer-
tainly the biggest change
has been that of technol-
N° 0001/2009
by Stefano Orsi
ogy. There were few tele-
phones. All documents
(goods received notes,
packing lists, etc.) were
written by hand.
FAAC was one of the very
many craftsman-founded
engineering companies
which were founded in
the Sixties in Emilia
where, owing to the
many manual mechanical
manufacturing lines,
there were, unlike today,
many more men than
women on the production
lines.
Q. In 1978 would you
have imagined becoming
a company known
throughout the world?
R. I remember that when
I became part of FAAC,
all my mother's friends
considered me very fortu-
nate because the com-
pany was considered,
already then, very sound.
At that time, the com-
pany only produced auto-
mated systems for out-
door and underground
swing-leaf gates, and
they were products in-
tended for a well-to-do
clientele (NOTE: at the end
of the Sixties, a complete
automated system could
cost as much as a small car
of the time). I was cer-
tainly lucky to grow in-
side a company which, in
many ways, has always
been ahead of its time
and a leader. Just think-
ing, however, that in my
first office there were
four people who dealt
with order processing,
one who followed clients
in Italy and another the
(few) foreign clients, co-
ordinated by an adminis-
trative director, with one
telephone between us, I
couldn't imagine that
FAAC would become a
leader company in its
sector, throughout the
world.
 Page 16 FAAC Inside N° 0001/2009

In this article, a colleague tells us how a company brochure arose in 1985

FAAC prizes your work because ….…

by ”il Vecchio”

Year 1985,
Italy, Emilia Romagna, Bologna area, zooming in on a small company in the industrial area in Zola
Predosa…….
In the office of the young employee, the light is still on and the odour of cigarette smoke is strong.
- Oh, are you still here? –
- I've a few things to finish ….-
The President nods but does not leave, indeed he
scrutinizes the young man with interest; he, em-
barrassed, raises his eyes and lowers them again,
fearing the worst for a moment.
– Look... do you always wear jeans and a T-shirt?
– Yes, well, it depends….
- Um…, I think we have the same size more or
less…., you could wear my jacket ….
The young man remains silent for a moment,
again fearing the worst….and then, nervously…
Why, is there a party?
No, we'll have the party! –
And then.....The day after, a photographic set
was improvised, with the right location and, more
especially, a model.
The young man was obliged to have a hair-cut at
Celeste in Piazza Roosevelt in the city centre of
Bologna, and to also wear the President's jacket
and his boss's tie, in order to then become im-
mortalised - 36 tooth smile, briefcase in one hand
- opening, adopting a statuesque pose, a shining
zinc-coated gate: In this way the first cover of
the gatefold brochure from the small Bologna
company was produced.

That unlikely model was me, and the small

manufacturer of automatic systems for automatic
gates - it goes without saying - was that which
would later become famous throughout the world
under the name FAAC SpA.

Year 2008 - a few weeks ago, my colleague Ste-

fano was ordering some old files; he showed me
the gatefold once again, laughing fit to burst.

What an incredible journey this company has

made up to here! I felt a deep pride: where will
we be in another 100 years time?

Attention! Can you recognise the model photographed in this old brochure?
FAAC Group Newsletter

To contact the editorial team of the NEWSLETTER - FAAC S.p.A. - Via Benini, 1– 40069 Zola Predosa - BO – Italy
E-mail: infonewsletter@faac.it

From the FAAC INSIDE Editorial Staff:

Starting from the next number, we would like to introduce a column dedicated to the use of the FAAC logo for the customisa-
tion of objects, clothing, banners, etc…..
Send us the photos of anything unusual which you find, either travelling, working in your country or in other countries: accom-
pany the photos with a short explanatory message. The most original photos will be published in the newsletter and the Re-
porter will win a prize of one of the new FAAC merchandising T-shirts.

The following assisted in the preparation of this issue of the NEWSLETTER::

Sylvia De Paepe Ola Hansson Fabio Irrera

Marketing Management Office - FAAC SpA MD - DAAB—Sweden Plant Manager - FAAC SpA

Stefano Orsi
Head of Image & Advertising Office, FAAC SpA

From the left:

Gloria Guastaroba
Image & Advertising Office - FAAC SpA
Luigi Pasquali, Head of Mechanical Design - Stefano Venanzi, Mechanical
Design Office - Marco Monterastelli, Technical Director – Lanfranco Solmi,
Head of Electronic Design - Alessandro Bullegas, Test laboratory- Claudio
Angelini, Mechanical Design Office - Riccardo De Maria, Mechanical Design
Office - Gino Di Paola, Head of Test laboratory- FAAC SpA

Giorgio Vitali Jacopo Malacarne Andrea Marcellan

Group Financial Director Group Marketing Director Group Managing Director