Sover requests mobility: production department scheduled to close end May

The Cannicci family: "SMEs hit by a world crisis with no respite. We must now look for new balance and new flexibility Eyewear company Sover of Soverzene today officially requested mobility for its production department employees: twenty-one people are involved, 17 in production and 4 indirect, out of a total of 55 employees.   Today's request for mobility also establishes the closing date for Sover production, which should be around end May when current orders have been fulfilled. This will not in any way affect opticians and suppliers as no changes will be made to the sales networks.   It is a decision that the Cannicci family undoubtedly describes as "one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, in our entrepreneurial history". "This will be our 50th year in business" – explained company president Paolo Cannicci – "and it is unfortunate that we must lay off collaborators with whom we have established a long relationship of trust and esteem. But we have been burdened by years of recession, a downturn in consumption, economic and financial crises in the main outlet countries, Italy especially, in addition to increasingly tough competition from Asian markets. A crisis that has given SMEs no respite: as a result, redefining Sover is decision that could not be postponed any longer.   "Naturally, our first thoughts are for our production collaborators and their families: we have already undertaken to help them find new positions. It is not an easy task these days, but since it came to Parma in the early Sixties our family has always respected this territory and contributed to its economic and social growth. We will continue to play our part, even at this difficult time".   The second thoughts are for the new Sover that will be redefined and modified in the light of the years of considerable instability of national and international markets. "The next steps" – explained general manager Stefano Cannicci – "will be to cut back on structural costs and investments in commercial networks and marketing. We must divest ourselves of non-strategic assets, create a new, more streamlined structure that will open up new markets – I'm thinking of Brazil, Russia, India, China, Korea – thanks to a more competitive offer. We want to rebalance the company and, after the first stage of recovery, join forces with complementary companies for the development of niche and other licenses. "We must also correct a concept that appeared in the press just recently: Sover's objective is not to delocalize at all costs, but to achieve the flexibility that will enable it to be competitive for any eyewear requested. If we do not do this, the market itself will force us to close the whole company. We aim to achieve this objective by the beginning of next year, if not before".   "At this crucial stage" the Cannicci family concluded, "the territory, our employees, our customers, suppliers and so on are all being enormously supportive. An important sign for Sover and its people, a sign we want to respond to by working hard to achieve the objectives we have set ourselves".