Published on: 04/12/2012 Updated on: 20/02/2025
MA-FRA, a historic company in the market for professional car care products, continues its commitment to environmental protection by following its business philosophy centered on the combination of a modern "green vision" and the reliability of top-quality products.
From its beginnings back in 1965 to the present day, the Milan-based company has always stood out from its competitors for a different approach to the market and to defending the Planet: in fact, MA-FRA has succeeded in the feat of bringing ecology to car washes.
Marco Mattioli, son of the founder Franco and board member of MA-FRA S.p.A., then gave an interview to Distribuzione Carburanti to explain what concrete initiatives MA-FRA has put in place in defense of the Environment: starting with its history to arrive at the future steps the Milan-based company intends to take.
Breaking the rules of the market through innovation is a challenge that needs to be raised every day: the ecological approach, from company management to production, another step by MA-FRA to combine environmental protection with superior quality products.
An interview with Marco Mattioli follows:
Why did you choose a green line for your production?
My commitment to a green approach to production is constant, I have always felt it as a social duty, as a philosophy of life to be followed. The green product has always been somewhat seen as "underperforming"-we, on the other hand, have put a lot of effort into developing this type of item and to show its great effectiveness and, at the same time, its lower environmental impact. Moreover, we are promoters, as Federlavaggi and also at international associations such as the Global Association Carwash, of the "save-water" concept, that is, of saving water, another indispensable aspect of our green policy.
Has there been a big cost in conceiving your products in this sense?
Thinking and acting "ecologically" has come at a significant cost, but we have always believed very much, since the distant 1980s, in this kind of production. However, I must say that we have been repaid for our investments in environmentally friendly products, especially abroad.
In an effort to constantly innovate and strive for excellence do you support various investments in research and development?
Exactly. Ten percent of turnover is permanently allocated to this area. But our quest for excellence is also evidenced by the certifications we have obtained: for quality ISO 9001:2008 and for the environment ISO 14001:2004. Environmental protection, in particular, has always been at the heart of MA-FRA's efforts towards excellence: a virtuous path that began many years ago, studded with successes and great satisfaction.
Having obtained ISO 14001 environmental certification, what did it mean for the company?
Obtaining ISO 14001 environmental certification is far more complex than acquiring ISO 9001 quality certification. We know this well at MA-FRA S.p.A., since we hold both certifications and, even today, we are the only Italian company in the sector to have ISO 14001, moreover guaranteed by the most demanding and prestigious body in the world, the German TUV.
To obtain a quality certification, it is enough to build an efficient document system that reflects company procedures as closely as possible. Achieving environmental certification, on the other hand, is an entirely different matter: management is considerably more demanding and costly, but above all, the plant must be prepared from the outset to obtain certification.
From this point of view we were prescient: when, in 2002, we acquired the new production site in Baranzate, we, in fact, deeply restructured it precisely with the concrete goal of acquiring ISO 14001 environmental certification.
Why would a carwash professional favor a company with ISO 14001 environmental certification?
For the carwash operator, relying on MA-FRA and its sales network means obtaining substantial savings: thanks to us, he can, in fact, reduce the costs related to the products to be used in the plant, decrease the expenses related to the efficient management of the purifier, and minimize the risks of any pollution fines.
As you can see, environmental certification not only benefits the company that obtains it, but it "cascades" throughout the entire supply chain, from the sales network to the launderer to the end customer, distributing not only advantages in terms of marketing and communication, but also and above all concrete, tangible, important benefits.
How do you train your dealers?
The special relationship with our dealers is our real strength: training plays an important role through the continuous organization of international meetings, semi-annual national meetings, and territory meetings. We also effectively train our best customers through our famous "car wash school." Owners of car wash facilities, in this way, will be able to more effectively communicate the added value of our products to their customers and earn more money.
How did you deal with the crisis?
We have come through this period well because of all the innovations we have made in recent years. We sowed seeds earlier, so the crisis period did not hurt us.
What is your motto?
"Breaking the rules of the market through innovation": not just coming up with new ideas, products and services, but making sure these are grasped and taken up by the market. This is the cornerstone of our success, this is why the market recognizes us as a leader, this is why we are the only chemical company that is a Founding Member of Federlavaggi.
How is your offering broken down?
We have a complete range of products divided into five catalogs dedicated to specific sectors, ranging from hand washing, car wash, motorcycle, marine and aviation lines, to one dedicated to industrial vehicles: trucks, buses, tractors and construction equipment. For the latter sector, we possess five other product lines for cabin sanitation and sanitization according to HACCP guidelines.
Then, for about ten years, the offerings for traditional retail, particularly in self-service car washes, have been further segmented: we were the first to introduce vending in car care items as well, making this form of sales competitive in terms of price with modern distribution.
Large-scale retail is, in addition, giving us a lot of satisfaction in terms of sales but also in terms of Brand awareness.
What would you add about your company?
I am pleased to report that, for several years now, we have been creating the "Mafralux Foam" product that has come to significantly decrease the wash cycle of the "Polish Express" program to 6 minutes versus 13 minutes for our competitors. We are also the only ones to use comparative advertising to prove the quality and effectiveness of our products-a nice demonstration of safety!
A modern and innovative company such as yours will certainly also place great importance on the communication aspect...
We invest more than 6 percent of our turnover in advertising. The plus that has enabled MA-FRA products to overcome the constraint of exclusively professional use and spread to the general public is the intense and constant commitment to communication, with advertising campaigns supported by promotional activities at points of sale.
The company's advertising strategy is extremely multifaceted and involves new media, such as the Internet, as well as more traditional means such as print media, billboards near car wash facilities, and radio and television broadcasts.
Completing this picture is the constant presence in the sponsorship of major sporting events: car and motorcycle races, soccer championships and national team matches. Finally, the constant presence of MA-FRA in all major European trade fairs should not be forgotten: from the Frankfurt Fair "Automechanika" to the Geneva Motor Show, passing through the Bologna Fair "Autopromotec" and the Bologna "Motorshow".
What are your future plans?
Research has always been very important to us: this has always led us to great innovations, such as the idea of products for washing cars without water consumption. The waterless washing niche will soon explode: small stations will be able, thanks to one of our innovative ad hoc products, to wash cars without the need to use water. We also want to develop the foreign market, especially that of countries that are about to emerge. We are already active in Eastern countries, but we want to reach new frontiers. Then there will be news on regulations, with new symbols and labels for products, which will reward the most environmentally virtuous companies.
In conclusion, MA-FRA is ... ?
A company with a sales network of 70 single-handed dealers in Italy and 40 foreign importers, all with their own warehouses and logistics structure, with an average delivery time from order of 36 hours; a company always ready to study and develop cutting-edge solutions; a company with a strong relationship with its operators, for whom two general meetings are held every year, to present new products and business strategies, complemented by meetings at regional level, organized by Nielsen area; a company that aims to acknowledge, with timeliness, the real needs of customers and to meet their needs, creating "ad hoc" products; a company where an average of 8 new products are formulated every year, with a "time to market" of 4 months; a company with a great corporate responsibility witnessed by its adherence, formalized in August 2005, to the Global Compact, a program of action - promoted by the United Nations at the direct initiative of the Secretary General - with the aim of involving the business world in a new form of collaboration with the United Nations, through adherence to ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor protection and environmental protection; a Company that, in the course of 2013, will come into possession - again through the demanding German body TUV - of the prestigious and complex OHSAS 18001 certification, which guarantees an efficient active management system for the safety and health of its employees.
[nggallery id=19]
