President of Absolute shipyard brings 55 years of experience and a passionate, customer-focused approach to the company, contributing to its continuous success and growth as an Italian excellence in the yachting industry
Mr. Angelo Gobbi is the good spirit of Absolute shipyard, who holds prestigious title as the President of the company. His experience and expertise in yachting industry is deeply rooted in the DNA of the brand. He has been in yachting business for 55 years (precisely from 1967) and saw the industry’s many ups and downs. Today, Absolute Yachts is the company that can easily be defined as Italian excellence, and he gladly shared his insights why this has happened.
WHAT DO YOU FIND TO BE THE KEY FACTORS FOR THE SUCCESS OF ABSOLUTE?
Absolute’s history is a constantly evolving success story because it speaks of a passionate, experienced team that shares planning and foresight, creativity, experience and customer focus every day.
I believe that the key factors of Absolute’s success are precisely being a close-knit team, oriented to internal and external discussion. We are a lean structure, thanks to strategic roles held by administrators, which foster the growth of employees and encourage openness and listening in all aspects.
Team spirit and constant dialogue lead to a common thread that defines the company’s history, products and production processes: the ability to innovate. Each time we achieve a goal, we set a new one, and we make it even more ambitious.
HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE GROWTH OF THE COMPANY?
Absolute is an autonomous entity, an Italian excellence in continuous development, whose growth, even in the moments of crisis in 2008, has been consistent, I would say exponential: I feel I can say that this is the result of a lot of effort put in by the whole company, which has always kept as its main goal the realization of a quality product and customer satisfaction.
The workforce is also continuously growing, and now about 300 people work in the company. At the same time, we are currently in the process of expanding the shipyard, which we expect to be completed by the end of the year. Absolute is an international reality, and this has been possible thanks to strategic business choices expressly aimed at the desire to expand our presence in new regions.
This has allowed us to grow and to be present from New Zealand to California, passing through all the main nautical markets, with a thought for markets in which we still have room to intensify our presence.
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE FOR YOU IN THE COMPANY?
I have always been a boating enthusiast, ever since I was a child. I founded the first shipyard in 1967, starting to make the first boats in series with fiberglass material. I literally started from scratch, at a time in history when competition was very high. I also founded another shipyard in 1970 in the province of Piacenza.
In 2002 I decided to retire from the business. However, in 2006 Marcello Bè and Sergio Maggi, my former co-workers who had founded the Absolute shipyard in 2002, offered me to join the team. I was gratified and gladly accepted. I am immensely proud to be at the helm and to be President of a company like Absolute, where I was able to relive the enthusiasm that existed in the early days of boating.
This role allows me to be in daily contact with the production departments, be involved in new projects, and give my input on new models while trying to foresee the future needs of boat owners. I am also always in contact with the various departments, fostering a constant discussion aimed at refining company strategies and having a global vision of future projects.
YOU SHARE THE SUCCESS WITH YOUR DAUGHTER PATRIZIA, CAN YOU SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOUR RELATION?
Patrizia started working with me at a very young age in the family shipyard, becoming very passionate about the boating industry and studying every stage of the production process, from study to design, from construction to the sale of the boat, from the initial idea to launching in the water.
In 2005, she chose Absolute because of the enthusiasm of the partners, the workforce involved, and the high level of quality and style of the boats. Her knowledge of the market, together with know-how in various areas enhanced the internationalization of the shipyard in addition to the implementation of the IT and human resources structure.
Today, Patrizia and I, we discuss company projects on a daily basis; we both have years of experience behind us in the industry, each from our own point of view, and this enriches the debate. The personal relationship is an added value, because we are in tune with respect to strategies and direction, and we trust each other blindly.
WHAT ELEMENTS DO YOU FIND KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL SHIPYARD?
I believe that Absolute stands out from its competitors because the entire design of the boat is done in-house, from the very first decision to build a new model, thanks to the in-house R&D Centre. The choice not to work with external designers is one of the most demanding, but it also turns out to be the most successful, because it allows us to make fast decisions and take quick action.
Our in-house designers and engineers form a close-knit, cohesive, enthusiastic team; everyone brings their own contribution, whether big or small. In addition, our shipyard is based on communication between departments, with a continuous and constant exchange of ideas, opinions and information. When we design a new boat, every department contributes with their own experience and knowledge to improve or facilitate production, while respecting the initial design concept, which has to satisfy the market needs, offering good value for money and ensuring quality control of the highest level.
Finally, our business approach has always been futuristic, innovative and enterprising. These traits are strongly connected to each other, creating a virtuous circle. Absolute’s vision has always been focused on product innovation and manufacturing technologies, as well as on constant communication, both internal, between departments and external, as we consider market trends and the needs of our end customers. This has strengthened our resourcefulness and our innovative vision and has allowed us to respond to market requirements with boats that meet our customers’ expectations and set new trends.
Our positive business performance and excellent reception of the innovations we have brought to the market, along with the company’s growth, its strong spirit of independence and its willingness to produce innovation testify that our course is guided by a good star!
Text Darko Šupuk
Photos Absolute
