CASE HISTORY: CLEVERTECH
Shanghai ,23-12-2015

Founded in 1987 in Italy, Clevertech is an established company with proven experience in designing, manufacturing and commercializing automation equipment and systems for the largest producers of consumer goods. In particular, Clevertech offers palletizing and de-palletizing solutions for both packaging and can making needs.

Fig.1 CleverTech Automation

Around a decade ago, in order to improve its business opportunities, Clevertech opted to work exclusively with multinational companies. At the same time, the American multinational consumer goods company P&G, now valued at more than 100 million dollars, was acquiring the Nelsen plant near Parma and was looking for local suppliers for automation systems. A strong partnership was then formed and P&G certified Clevertech products for its palletizing and de-palletizing solutions.

Clevertech saw this opportunity as a stepping stone to develop its growing market outside Italy and, since P&G cooperates only with global suppliers, the choice was naturally China due both to excellent manufacturing conditions and a booming consumer market. 

In 2013 Clevertech first contacted Poseidon China to support the approach on the Chinese market and in January 2014 both companies signed the agreement to create Clevertech China and Asia Pacific, with Massimo Tavernari as its General Manager for 3 years, also in control of minority shares of the company.

Poseidon China then proceeded to efficiently set up two Clevertech entities in China: a sales and marketing entity in Shanghai and a manufacturing one in Changshu, in the neighboring Jiangsu province. While Shanghai was the obvious choice due to its international business scene and its unique position in the Asian market, Changshu was the smart choice to establish a production site as it has the great advantages of lower labor and operational costs while still being close enough to Shanghai to commute daily.

Fig.2 CleverTech Shanghai Offices

By the end of 2015, Clevertech China counts 15 employees in Shanghai and 35 employees in Changshu, servicing all the Asian market, in particular in Korea, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and India.

In 2016 the company will be operating with a budget of 10 million Euros and will continue to strengthen even more its unique position of Italian excellency in the automation sector in Asia.

Maria Pastorelli

Project Manager