In this Photo: Umberto Maria Cini – Dulevo Sales & Marketing VP
From precision engineering to global municipalities, this Italian industrial leader continues to showcase authentic Made in Italy excellence worldwide.
By Matteo Valléro – Editorialist & Columnist, Italy
There is a widespread misunderstanding when people discuss “Made in Italy” on the international stage. Many assume that a company’s ownership defines its identity. In reality, while capital can move freely across borders, technical expertise, engineering culture, and manufacturing excellence remain firmly rooted in the place where they were developed. This is the true meaning of modern Italian excellence: an industrial heritage capable of attracting international investment while preserving and expanding uniquely Italian know-how on a global scale.
One of the strongest examples of this model is Dulevo, a company based in Emilia and recognized worldwide for manufacturing advanced sweeping machines for urban and industrial cleaning. The importance of this brand inspired the Challenge podcast to dedicate two complete episodes to its story. In a previous interview, Managing Director Maurizio Giansiracusa explained the company’s operational philosophy and leadership approach. This edition instead focuses on international growth through the perspective of Sales & Marketing Vice President Umberto Maria Cini.
A defining chapter in Dulevo’s recent history was its acquisition by the respected French industrial group Fayat. Rather than weakening the company’s identity, the partnership has strengthened its global capabilities, proving that authentic Italian manufacturing can use international investment as a catalyst for further growth.
Mr. Cini, Dulevo has long represented Italian mechanical engineering and is now part of the Fayat Group. For an international audience that values Italian excellence, what does “Made in Italy” represent today in your industry? How do you preserve this engineering heritage while maximizing its strengths within a multinational organization?
“Dulevo has always been synonymous with Italian identity, and it has remained so even after its acquisition by the Fayat group. The group is founded on three core values, the first of which is autonomy. They have fully respected this principle, allowing Dulevo to maintain its corporate culture completely intact. Personally, I believe that the greatest expression of Italian identity lies in our ability to innovate, to remain agile in competitive environments that are sometimes highly rigid, and to deliver class-leading quality and performance.
Furthermore, Italian companies possess a unique, defining trait: passion. They reflect the character of the people inside them, driven by the strength and enthusiasm to be recognized as global leaders. These characteristics have always defined Dulevo and continue to do so today. The international group that acquired us has done nothing but reinforce this, granting us full autonomy in line with their values.
The group’s other two values are audacity and commitment. We bring the audacity of being Italian to the market with commitment: we present distinct products that establish themselves through innovation and their capacity to represent a positive ‘delta’ over the competition. This is an element we maintain regardless of management changes, precisely because it is deeply embedded in our corporate culture .“
Selling a sweeping machine for a major city or industrial complex is fundamentally different from selling a consumer product. It is a sophisticated B2B process where customers are investing not only in equipment but also in a dependable, long term solution that lowers maintenance costs throughout its operating life. In this environment, Sales & Marketing extends well beyond commercial negotiation. It requires the ability to translate engineering excellence into meaningful value for customers around the world.
Within the heavy equipment and urban maintenance sector, sales cycles are often lengthy and involve municipalities or major contractors. How do you build a marketing and sales strategy that communicates the superior value of Italian engineering while moving beyond simple price competition?
“This is a question that could fill an entire treatise because it involves a complex journey. It certainly begins with brand positioning. We Italians are exceptionally skilled at positioning ourselves in the premium segment: our brand equity is perceived as—and actually is—very high. This is the baseline first step for everything we do worldwide.
From there, we navigate complex realities because, as the saying goes, ‘different countries, different realities’. Broadly speaking, the common denominator is the ability to understand the specific needs of the target market and identify the optimal application to address the customer’s requirement. Evidentially, this is not a purely commercial response, but a solution achieved through sophisticated engineering and highly complex technical relationships that sequentially involve technical departments, purchasing departments, and ultimately municipal authorities.
It is a process that can take years. Given that we are a global brand, the hardest part is helping those who manage public tenders—which are frequently dictated by price—understand that highly refined technical solutions naturally command a higher price point than the competition.“
Reliability alone is no longer enough. Cities around the world are accelerating their environmental transition, placing increasing importance on zero emissions, fine particle reduction, and smart mobility. The urban cleaning sector is responding with advanced electric technologies, transforming environmental responsibility into a significant commercial opportunity. This is where Italian innovation continues to demonstrate its greatest strength.
In this Photo: Dulevo Factory in Fontanellato – Parma (Italy)
Cities worldwide are demanding stricter environmental standards, including electrification, lower noise emissions, and improved control of fine particles. From your perspective, how do you identify these evolving needs, and how has sustainable innovation become one of your strongest commercial advantages?
“The ‘zero emissions’ goal for electric vehicles is not a one-size-fits-all answer to the needs of different municipalities. The crucial pressure points are actually the reduction of fine particles and noise pollution, alongside, of course, the adoption of electric powertrains.
Dulevo represents absolute excellence here, as we offer technological solutions featuring proprietary filters—developed entirely in-house by Dulevo—that eliminate 99.5% of all fine particles, ensuring an elite tier of eco-friendliness. Indeed, numerous global studies confirm that a massive portion of air pollution stems directly from fine particles accumulated on the asphalt.
Added to this is minimized noise pollution, achieved through technological systems that deliver high performance without generating elevated noise levels. Another fundamental parameter in this transition is the Life Cycle Assessment, which evaluates the product’s entire life cycle: it is through this assessment that we concretely measure the true environmental footprint of the vehicle over its entire operational lifespan .“
The lesson emerging from Dulevo’s commercial strategy and industrial identity is straightforward. Italian manufacturing does not need protective barriers to preserve its value. Instead, opening itself to international industrial partnerships allows its technical expertise and human talent to reach even greater heights. Ultimately, success is determined not by the nationality of a company’s shareholders but by the ingenuity of its engineers, the craftsmanship of its workforce, and the vision of those who bring Italian innovation to customers around the world.
