A strong identity marker, a guarantee of quality and product protection, and a communication interface with the customer: the closure is confirmed as a technical component that operates on multiple levels and holds high strategic value. «It is not just a simple cap – emphasises Enrico Bracesco, CEO of the Crealis Group – but an element that conveys quality, positioning and identity, guiding the consumer’s choice whilst ensuring the product’s protection and safety».
This is not just a slogan but the expression of a philosophy that directly guides the Group’s research and development investments; on average, the Group invests 6% of its turnover each year in improving processes and products.
Industrial unification, not just rebranding
The Crealis Group has recently undergone a rebranding process. The new structure is the result of a consolidation process that has brought together, under a single umbrella and a single name, 8 historic brands, 13 production facilities and expertise spanning both wines and spirits. Bracesco explains: «For Crealis, the move to a single brand is not a marketing exercise. Nor was it motivated by a desire to streamline internal costs. Rather, it is the formalisation of an industrial and organisational transformation that directly impacts processes, response times and service quality throughout the entire beverage supply chain». The reorganisation was initiated to address the growing complexity of a global market that is increasingly diverse and fast-paced. In such a context, unification is a way to respond more effectively and efficiently to the customer, whatever their request and wherever they may be. In the past, the eight entities that now make up the group operated with a high degree of autonomy, each with its own name, specialisations and expertise, inevitably creating complexity: non-standardised processes, multiple commercial interfaces, limited technological integration and inefficiencies in addressing customer requests: «The reorganisation had become necessary and now introduces a more coherent model, structured into two production business units dedicated respectively to wines and spirits supported by cross-functional central functions, such as research and development, quality and sustainability, and a single global sales team». The aim is to simplify interaction with the market, offering a single, clear and integrated point of access to the entire portfolio of solutions.
Standardisation and proximity: a necessary balance
From an industrial perspective, this change translates into greater integration between production sites: processes are gradually being standardised, production is becoming more interchangeable across geographical areas, and logistics are managed in a coordinated manner, whilst ensuring consistent quality standard: «At the same time, however, the plants remain integrated across the main market areas, maintaining that proximity to the customer which is essential for ensuring rapid response times». The result is a balance between global scale and local service, which is becoming increasingly central to beverage companies. The real distinguishing feature of the transformation, however, concerns the management of skills Bracesco explains: «We have created central teams aimed to gathering local best practices and putting them together at a global level». This approach translates into a systematic effort to map skills, transfer the most efficient processes and develop cross-functional teams dedicated to continuous improvement. A transition which, in addition to the technical aspects, also implies a cultural shift: from a local mindset to a global vision, whilst maintaining a strong presence in individual markets.
“One-stop-shop”: simplifying without losing complexity
With this new organisation, Crealis can position itself as a “one-stop shop” for its customers, making interaction simpler and clearer with a group that, over the years, have been structured across different brands, areas of expertise and organisations: «In the past, a single customer might have found themselves dealing with different contacts depending on the product required – capsules, screw caps, closures for spirits. Today, however, there is a single objective: to offer a single, consistent point of access to all available solutions. We want to be a simple, clear and straightforward point of contact for the beverage world». Simplification, however, is only what is visible on the surface. Behind it lies on a profound process of integration: aligned processes, shared expertise, coordinated facilities. It is this structure that enables us to respond more quickly, with greater consistency and with an overview that was not previously possible. The “one-stop shop”, therefore, is not just a different way of selling. It is a different way of designing and delivering solutions, putting the customer in a position to access the full complexity of the group, without having to manage it.
