As part of my visit to Omersub and the tour of their history and facilities I interviewed General Manager Lorenzo Borri. You can also read about the history and facilities in the first part of this article series.
Interview with General Manager Lorenzo Borri
DeeperBlue.com: Hello Mr Borri, when and how did you start working for Omersub?
Lorenzo Borri: I started my career in Omersub as Sales Director for Italy and France in 1999, thanks to the friendship and reciprocal respect with the Ciceri brothers, in particular with Marco. With him I share the love and passion for spearfishing and hunting, sports that I practice since my youngest age.
DB: Which are the strengths of Omersub products in comparison with competition?
LB: I believe the strongest strength of Omersub is the incredible passion that is present in each person working in the Company. This passion leads us in investing a lot in R&D of new equipment that is able to increase the performance of spearfishermen and freedivers. Today, after becoming part of Aqualung Group, economical resources have increased, making things easier.
DB: Omersub production is almost completely external to the company. Where do you produce most of your products and how can you guarantee high quality?
LB: Most of Omersub production is done outside the Company and only a part (even though important) outside of Italy. As for many large companies of our sector, production is based in the Far East (especially neoprene products), but we have a good number of manufacturers and suppliers in Italy and in other European countries. Since I have taken the role as General Manager, to guarantee high quality standards we have created a dedicated team that constantly visits all suppliers and requests them specific production processes. In addition, all products coming from external suppliers are checked and tested by Omersub before they are stored for our customers. I am quite sure that quality of our products will continue improving even more in the future.
DB: Today Omersub has a very complete and rich product line, and is also on the market with other brands, such as Sporasub and Umberto Pellizzari. How are the three brands positioned on the market? Could you give me a phrase that describes each brand?
LB: Today we are on the market with four catalogues, three of which dedicated to spearfishing and one, Pellizzari line, focused on freediving. O.Me.R. represents the number one brand worldwide for spearfishing. O.Me.R. Accessories is the only catalogue worldwide 100% dedicated to accessories for spearfishing. Sporasub is the catalogue with top of the line products dedicated to the very demanding spearfishermen. O.Me.R.-Pellizzari-Momo Design is the first catalogue in the world fully dedicated to freediving and where Italian style of Momo Design, Technology and know-how of Omersub and knowledge of the sea of Umberto Pellizzari are integrated in each single product.
DB: Which are the objectives of Omersub for the present and the future?
LB: The aim is always the same: confirm worldwide leadership in the sector through the design and launch on the market of always new and performing products.
DB: Which is the philosophy that leads Omersub?
LB: It is a matter of strong passion. That is why some decisions are often made following the heart more than the mind. This approach is showing to be successful.
DB: Why did you decide to buy Sporasub, which was previously in the hands of Mares? Was Omersub not enough to win on the market?
LB: We have bought the historical brand Sporasub to offer our customers a greater number of products, very differentiated one from the other, also with different brands. Today our sales network (Omersub does not sell in any way directly to private customers) can offer a very wide and complete line of brands and products to our resellers who will have all this working with only one company.
DB: Which are the plans to relaunch Sporasub?
LB: For a start I must underline that the strengthening of Sporasub is already at regime (it is already 5 years that annual results are in constant and continuous growth). Plans are very simple: continue the increase of product offer with always better and advanced solutions. This is brought forward together with a serious commercial strategy and offering our customers a good service. Through such approach results, I am sure, will be positive also in the future.
DB: A comment on Umberto Pellizzari and Marco Bardi and how they interact and collaborate with Omersub.
LB: Umberto Pellizzari and Marco Bardi are two incredible characters and are our brand ambassadors around the World. They interact very well as they are our testimonials in two different sectors. Marco Bardi for spearfishing and Umberto Pellizzari for freediving. Both have important roles, not only in the promotion of our products, but also in the development and testing of new products.
DB: Which are the biggest markets for Omersub and which ones have the greatest growth potential?
LB: Omersub is today present in 52 countries in the four continents. In the world where there is Spearfishing there are O.Me.R. and Sporasub. Europe continues to be the most important market, but there are many countries where our wonderful sport is growing, starting from North America, and many countries in Asia, New Zealand and Australia.
DB: Which are the sales results for Omersub in 2013 and how is 2014 going considering the European economical crisis?
LB: Fortunately we do not suffer much the economical crisis and 2014 will close with a new record turnover of almost 10 million Euros.