Could you briefly introduce your company?
Established in 1978 in Piacenza, an area that has always been fertile for the world of machine tools, JOBS has in its DNA a strong vocation for the production of 5-axis machines and its product offering is mainly targeted to the aeronautical and automotive sectors. Over the years, the company has expanded its product proposal thanks to the acquisition of several brands, extending its production also to include SACHMAN-brand horizontal milling machines, RAMBAUDI-brand portals and SIGMA-brand machining centres. In addition, for the Italian market only, an important division of JOBS deals with sales and service for the machines of the FFG group, to which we belong.
You are long-standing exhibitors of BI-MU. What does the exhibition represent for you?
BI-MU is the main showcase for the sector in Italy and therefore, we never miss the opportunity to participate! Moreover, although today, compared to the past, there are many alternative opportunities to trade fairs for meeting operators and presenting new products, I am sure that an exhibition like BI-MU still represents one of the best tools for a company to show its product offering. The value of a direct meeting, with customers and as well as with suppliers in the exhibition halls is unparalleled! Indeed, during the few days of the trade show, you have the chance to come into contact with a high number of operators from different fields and countries, but not only… Being at the fair is also a way to interact with the market, closely studying competitors and especially trends that are crucial for future sector investments.
What are your expectations for the next edition?
In broad terms, I have interesting expectations for the fair, although, I must admit, it is still early to be able to speak in advance about the outcome of our participation. The Italian market is experiencing a difficult period, with the obvious exception of some specific application sectors. Nevertheless, I expect some developments and improvements from now until October, to be quantified according to when and how the incentives of the new Transition Plan 5.0 will be applied. These should revitalise the market and incentivise new investments. It is important to stress that, despite the unfavourable forecasts for the beginning of 2024, the sector has maintained a good energy: this makes me confident about the trend of the next months and the success of 34.BI-MU.
| “… the “green” issue is really cross-cutting for all machines, so we will continue to work in this direction. In addition, our two historical sectors, aeronautics and automotive, are currently very active so we have positive forecasts for the future! …” |
Could you tell us in advance something about your exhibition display (stand, technologies, products)?
In the limelight of our proposal will be Grand Speeder Ultra, an innovative 5-axis milling machine, presented as a concept at the end of 2023. Besides this product, we will also show the grinding machines from Grinding Technology, a part of the FFG group together with us, as well as branded solutions of our import brands. The common theme for all elements of our stand display will be energy streamlining. In fact, the “green” issue is really cross-cutting for all machines and will be crucial in future incentives, so we will continue to work in this direction.
In addition to the “green” topic, what are the other trends that will influence your production?
In our world of large-sized machines, demands for automation are increasing, a trend formerly related to small or medium-sized machining centres only. Indeed, the focus is shifting from the mere performance of a machine – i.e. the level of execution speed of a processing cycle – to its reliability and ability to work unattended, with self-diagnostic capabilities. Moreover, as far as the world of milling machines is concerned, our customers are demanding more attention to precision and increasingly flexible solutions. Therefore, we will keep on manufacturing machines that can offer more machining options, with a perfect mix of robustness and dynamism.
What are your predictions for the future of JOBS?
At the moment, our two historical sectors, aeronautics and automotive, are currently very active, even if in different ways, so we have positive forecasts for the future! Looking at aeronautics, I can affirm that due to the difficulties related to the pandemic, the sector is experiencing a real boom. Automotive sees a period of great innovation – the transition to electric and hydrogen vehicles is fostering the creation of a new range of products and we look forward to the coming months to have a clearer view on the evolution of the sector – characterised by few investments on production and many on modelling, an aspect to which Jobs addresses its solutions. I would like to add that, the “crisis” in the aeronautical industry in the past years has taught us a great lesson for our future management: it is essential to always be flexible and carry on business, despite everything, with alternative solutions and strategies. Moreover, we will continue to focus on machines that can be adaptable to multiple applications, on high-level offering and an ongoing dialogue with customers and suppliers – essential to keep on creating partnerships and customized solutions. In this way, we will be able to distinguish ourselves in the machine tool scenario, an extremely competitive world, where Asian competition is becoming increasingly strong – no longer only because of its favourable prices, but also because of the quality of its products.
Interview released in February 2024.
