Thus everyone knows at the headquarters

It is the story of a young company. Italian footwear manufacturer in the region of Venice, Geox, founded by a pattern in the business by accident. Mario Moretti Polegato ("MMP", say its teams), now CEO of Geox, was to resume the wine area of the family (1). After a Congress in the United States, he went hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Suffocated by the heat, it attempts to break into his soles for less hot. A wacky, but effective idea. He then filed his first patent: a sole in gum hole, complemented by a revolutionary membrane that evacuates sweating while preventing water from entering the shoe.

Major market of sport shoe, Nike to Adidas from Reebok, not to want not. That never mind. In 1992, with five employees, the son of family starts, convinced of its future success. Its strategy Manufacture in the region (which is one of the main trades) city shoes say comfort, average range (2). Deal first with the children, and then to seduce men and women. Starting with Italy (3), and then expand in Europe (4), in the United States (5) where the market is more carriers before attacking Asia recently. His company draws footwear, and then it produces in countries at low prices: for part in two plants it owns Romania and Slovakia, and the rest from outside suppliers, including at the Viet Nam in China (boots), or Brazil (sandals). Finally, it distributes to 408 stores (retail, franchise or stores owned by Geox) and 68 countries. To date, 600 employees work at the headquarters and 468 shops belonging to Geox around the world. If the company is impressive success (read here), it is particularly original in its management.

Hundreds of patent deposits

"We want to look like Sony instead of Prada," says founder MMP. Translate: our ambition is to be an innovative enterprise in high tech, a fashion company. The final mark "x" ("geo" means "land" in Greek) is there specifically to highlight the key "techno". Alessandro Sacilotto, Director research and development, rolls on gold, since MMP says devote 3 of its turnover in R & D. A record in an industry of labour. A team of about 20 young employees (including 15 engineers) is located in the heart of Headquarters (450 employees), in a big house laboratory. Armed with microscopes and equipped with machines, sometimes manufactured House, they perform tests on prototypes, shoes and clothing, Geox now wants to develop (6). Vests and jackets are ventilated through tiny holes in the level of the shoulders, the research showed that it was there that the heat out. Tirelessly, these young professors sunflower in white aprons are moisture, check its evaporation, measure in transpiration rates, verify materials, calculate the friction resistance by mechanically situation of walking shoes. A large manual, classified secret defence, lists the main findings. But the R & D does not mention the computerization 3D prototypes (development in twenty hours instead of a week) that practice already Timberland (7). In addition to fundamental research, R & D specialists also have the upper hand on the quality (they do random checks), and finally are the production of mussels thereof.

The company innovates and takes action on the protection by patent, because what is night awake MMP, is "may be copied". Each innovation is thus 100 deposits in various countries. In addition, the company devoted more energy to the design of its products: a style Office has just opened in Treviso. The 2006 models, sports, casual or classic are now more elegant and especially more likely. To identify a younger clientele, MMP has not hesitated step to devote the bagatelle of 10 of its turnover in advertising and promotion in 2003 (Timberland in expenditure 3).

An atypical company

Yet, the communication on applied technology to footwear is difficult to pass. "At the beginning, says same MMP, newspapers refused to our advertisements." Pretty sexy step and not very vendor: the evacuation of sweat is not really a subject that is dream. Now, thanks to the growing reputation of the mark, the magazines are less pray, but communication efforts will continue: MMP indeed intends to broaden his message: ""the shoe that breathes", we will go to:""Geox breathes from head to foot" "(by the clothing).".

Balance: a company is relatively unusual. "Even if our design and our peausseries are Italian, we manufacture in 28 countries, and know very rapid international expansion", says MMP. A worthy of the American dream success, while keeping the spirit of SMEs. When asked what characterizes its organization, Stefano Rossi, Director of human resources (HRD), a former Benetton, answers from the tac to tac: "We are a family business." Thus, everyone knows at the headquarters. On the other hand, we have professional tools, such as coaching, and the rigorous process of management careers and salaries. But what is really special, it is our growth. 30 more each year, this means quickly recruit to imperative needs.

These last twelve months, he thus hired 125 people claimed by the business. The watchword: efficiency and flexibility: "it favours young candidates, which route shows that they are adaptable (which have experienced several homes, schools, or country), and dynamic (if they have worked for their studies).". When they are not academic, for functional positions such as administration, finance or trade, coming instead from vocational schools: we appreciate indeed that they are already trained in the world of footwear.

Efficient logistics

Have hired them, it remains to breathe them the very special spirit of Geox. Every two months, a classic one day integration path form new: presentation of the premises, innovation is the membrane on the Holey sole and the Organization of the company. But most importantly, as early as 2001, HRD has internal Geox school (see opposite). "The first year, we have taken that Italians." We had an information campaign and had received 4,000 applications for positions 15. It is always us who define the programme, in relation to the operational. A year, it focuses on chemistry, because Geox is working on the shoe, and another year on the logistics, to accelerate the distribution to stores.

Its model and its teams MMP table on a major expansion in the United States and Asia, with aims to "to become the number one world city and sport shoe", to the size of very large. The project is ambitious because competitors are not lacking: Timberland, Clarks and other Nautica, not to mention the chic shoe type Tod's, and the sport shoe, which is only a part of the sales of the mammoths as Nike there.

If the bar is high, the exercise is possible. The Geox model is modeled on that of Inditex (Zara), with a "time to market" (the time between the production and delivery) very reduced, which allows him to stick to fashion closer. "Our logistics to power stores is very effective, confirms Luciano Santel, CEO of the group.". And we know adapt to local markets: we are not proposing the same models in Paris and Milan, or the same size in Germany and Asia. We thus collons at best to the application.

The challenge of Geox now Point doubt continue the pace of its progress.