California is New Home to Italian Packaging Manufacturer

June 14, 2012

The Sorma Group will also set up a training lab to develop local talent.

Sorma USA, a division of The Sorma Group of Italy, has decided to put down roots in Visalia California. Visalia is an ideal location for the company which manufactures packaging and palletizing lines for the fresh fruit and vegetable industries.

"We want to be close to our customers, even at the expense of higher costs," explained CEO Marco Bini. "We recognize how important it is to be at the center of the prominent agricultural area in the world, a modern system that requires fast response and a great level of service."

Bini sees the California location as an opportunity that "will allow us cut the carbon footprint of our manufacturing and delivery system. And it will create savings to our customers."

The facility, which opens in October, will print packaging material and assemble machinery that will serve not only the U.S. market but also Canada and Mexico.

Another advantage to this location was the availably of skilled labor, Bini explained. But he wants to push further in the area of talent. As part of its commitment to the community, the company has established Sorma Academy, a training lab designed to help develop the local talent.

"We want to able to educate our people to a level of excellence and dedication that will make them attractive to our customers. We want to teach our people those skills that make a great technician: patience, dedication, empathy, technical skills, honesty, hard work, precision. Ultimately, we want our customers to hire away from us highly skilled technicians that will help them better run their business in a region where engineering skills have been lost due to de-industrialization. This is the objective of the Sorma Academy."

The company also has manufacturing plants in Italy, Germany, France, Spain and Turkey.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.