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CN

A Stronger Cannon USA for a Strategic Market

FOUNDED IN 1978 , CANNON USA WILL SOON CELEBRATE ITS 40 YEARS OF ACTIVITY IN NORTH AMERICA . WE DISCOVER WITH PAOLO SPINELLI , THE CEO , IF IT ' S TRUE THAT “ LIFE BEGINS AT FORTY ”
Paolo Spinelli is CEO of Cannon USA since April 2003 . Born and raised in Italy , holding a degree from Politecnico di Milano in Mechanical Engineering , he matured a solid background in Polyurethane foaming plants since 1982 .
After several years spent in management positions with Cannon Afros in Italy , Cannon France and Cannon Viking in the UK , Paolo was selected to lead the North American branch of the Cannon Group . We learn from about his company , who will soon th cross their 40 milestone .
Cannon News : Who is Cannon USA today ? Paolo Spinelli : We are a 6 0 - p e o p l e C o m p a n y p r o v i d i n g S a l e s , M a n u f a c t u r i n g a n d Service for the Cannon Group ' s lines of products in North America . We do it for various major industrial markets , with local Product Management and a strong designing capacity in both mechanical and software departments . We are proud to contribute , with many years of pro itable results , to the growth of Cannon in America .
CN : Which are your main markets ? PS : I think that , amongst our competitors , we are the most widely present in very different ields of the Polyurethane industry and now also of the Composite areas : one third of our turnover comes from the Automotive industry , with a very diversi ied range of technologies , one third comes from the thermal insulation business , split between refrigerators and insulation panels , and the remaining one third includes a world of other applications . Flexible foams , ilters , technical article , aerospace , sport items … you name it , we are in it . It ' s easier to state where we are not present , in Polyurethane : roof spraying equipment , shoe soling , adhesives and coatings , TDI-based cast elastomers . The rest , we know .
CN : How do you cover such a diversi ied range of technologies and markets , from the organisational point of view ? PS : With a sound staff , that has been streamlined , if compared with the situation of a few decades ago , reinforcing it with fresh , competent members . We have hired new , young forces in the Technical Of ice , R & D and Service groups . We regularly replace our retiring staff with new employees , which contribute with a modern mentality to our problemsolving approach . Our Sales forces have been reinforced , we count four specialists for the Automotive markets and three for Insulation . The R & D facility now counts a fully dedicated staff utilising a diversi ied range of equipment – four different dosing machines , one press and a robot – for various technologies . We use it extensively to run trials with our customers and the Raw Material Suppliers , both for testing new applications and for producing batches of prototypes . Our “ plus ” factor has been the capacity to develop , and maintain , in the USA the know-how for design and fabrication of this equipment : this guarantees the de inition of projects in full accordance with our client ' s requirements , using locally available components and providing a fast and quali ied tech service and spare parts supply . We daily cooperate with our Italian sister companies for the exchange of innovation and technology , working with them for the most complex jobs , those who require our European manufacturing resources . What makes us different is our capacity to serve and assist our customers with an important number of quali ied technicians . Backed up by a staff of designers quite familiar with the processes and equipment . We have the solutions promptly available , without waiting for a European Headquarter to respond .
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