Cos.Me.L, a company with open doors

THE COMPANY OF MARVELS

Innovation and generational turnover. These are important and difficult topics for the future of many Italian small and medium-sized companies. A short distance from Malpensa Airport, there is a company that has managed to combine both in the best way possible. The company is Cos.Me.L, in Lonate Pozzolo, which operates in the mechanical sector, and is able to reproduce the smallest of details, as well as large pieces, up to sixteen metres. The company is specialised in mechanical manufacturing and processing, with applications in the most varied of sectors: textile, plastic, silk-screen printing, etc. This is all thanks to a new, all-Italian piece of machinery, made by Colgar, that makes Cos.Me.L one of the most innovative small companies in Lombardy. It is so innovative that it has become a kind of “tourist attraction” for foreign delegations interested in seeing, close up, the last acquisition of its owner, Rino La Cognata (the investment was of €2 million). This businessman has staked a lot on technology, and has managed to convey his passion to his children, Carmelo and Stefania, who, together with him, keep the company going.

The owner likes the idea of having an “open-door policy”. “I can’t see anything wrong with it; anyone that is interested in visiting my company and seeing my machinery in operation, can do so. I’m not afraid of disclosing particular secrets and I’m not afraid of being copied. Competing in a global market doesn’t mean closing your doors to others, but having a go. The important thing is that the rules are the same for everyone.”

Keeping up with the times is a rule at Cos.Me.L, not only for the machinery, but also for the training of the staff, who, among other things, are very young.

“Yes, my business provides many opportunities to those who want to grow, learn, and have a career. Here, training is in the field, and the people that come into the company develop an important series of technical skills. For this reason, I choose collaborators that are able to look to the future; this is a characteristic I like in people.”

Do you also have this characteristic?

“During my life, I’ve always looked to the future. This has enabled me to carry out my projects and to overcome the difficult times. I was born in Sicily, and I came to the North when I was a child, without any certainties I could count on. My brother and I were taken on by a company in the area, and that’s where my professional development took place. After that, I took a leap and set up my own business.”

And today, your company is one of the most important in Lonate. What was, and what is your role?

“The company is my family. I take care of relations with the outside and coordinate what happens inside. But the real soul of the company are the workers; this company is theirs.”

In your opinion, what are the strengths of Italian companies?

“I think the entrepreneurial ability and the quality of a product. In the manufacturing process in my company, I use only Italian machinery. I think this is a good way of guaranteeing the “Made in Italy” label; it’s synonymous with reliability and seriousness. Our products can be imitated – China also copies the mistakes – but we’re unexcelled in niche products. In short, it’s difficult to imitate our added value.”

It is said that small companies should innovate more and should open up to the outside, to become more competitive. What do you think?

“That’s true. This is what led me to invest €2 million in new machinery. A lot has been said about small companies, also unjustly. Sometimes, we forget that it is these companies that represent the core of the Italian economy, and they’re an important asset for the country. Many small businesses have invested and faced difficult times, like the present one; the cost of raw materials keeps going up, and completion is becoming increasingly tough. And yet, we stay in the market, and try to be competitive.”

You’ve managed, but how?

“We count  on our strengths; we’re in a strategic position, easy to reach and near to Malpensa Airport. We work with Iran, India, France and Germany. And that’s because we offer a precision service that can adapt also to particular requirements, we respect delivery times, we have good prices and an after-sales service. These values enabled us to have the order book full until 2019.”

The company of marvels.

Details of the company:

COS.ME.L of LA COGNATA TRASPARANO & C. SNC

Viale Giovanni XXIII, 106

21015 – Lonate Pozzolo

Tel. +39 0331 660248

info@nuova-cosmel.com

www-nuova-cosmel.com