Interview with Fabrizio Foi
Fabrizio Foi has been working at CDU for over 20 years. Among other things, he was responsible for the development of the CDU catalogue and, since the beginning of the year, has been the operational manager of the tool distribution centre. We spoke to Fabrizio Foi in an interview about his work, the importance of the CDU catalogue, social media presence in the industry and more.
FORMAT Italy:
Hi Fabrizio,
we are here in Caponago, at the headquarters of the CDU, the partner for the exclusive distribution of the FORMAT brand in Italy. Today we have the opportunity to get to know you and the CDU better, thank you for your availability for accepting our proposal for an interview. Shall we start with your presentation?
Fabrizio Foi:
Hi Francesca,
Thank you for the opportunity. I’m Fabrizio Foi. I have been working in the CDU since 2001. I work at CDU as a Purchasing and Logistics Manager. Afterwards, I was responsible for the development of the CDU catalogue and from January 2024 I am the operational manager of the tool distribution center.
FORMAT Italy:
You have been working for the CDU for more than 20 years. What do you like most about your job?
Fabrizio Foi:
Surely what I like the most is to take a project, develop it, analyze it, make it grow and complete it. In addition, every day I deal with new challenges, new problems all similar but not the same, which therefore give me the opportunity to increase my culture.
FORMAT Italy:
CDU is a well-established reality in Italy in the industrial distribution sector. How does the CDU support its members? In which service are they most interested?
Fabrizio Foi:
Well, I think, I also believe, that, before being a commercial company, the CDU is for our members a 360-degree service company. Our associates certainly appreciate the production of our CDU catalog, now in its 10th edition, the production of private label products, Tkn, TknMag-line, TknCHEM, Xforma and EVERGREED. Recently we also started an ambitious project that concerns the new logistics structure that we would like to implement in the short-medium term.
FORMAT Italy:
We see catalogs on the table, the CDU has its own catalog with a very wide product range. What is the most successful product category, and which one are you personally most interested in?
Fabrizio Foi:
As I said before, this is the tenth edition of the CDU catalogue, an important edition. Our catalogue is our working tool. Inside there are 36.000 references and the most important category for me is, the cutting tools. The first private label line we launched. It is certainly the product range with the widest number of Skus than others and it is the one that personally gives me much more satisfaction as it is very transversal and allow us to reach any associate´s needs.
FORMAT Italy:
CDU is the exclusive distributor of the FORMAT brand in Italy. What role does exclusivity play for you in the sale and what advantages does it offer you compared to other players in industrial distribution?
Fabrizio Foi:
We have had the FORMAT brand exclusively since the early 2000s. It is a very important brand for us, as it offers high product quality, wide availability from the eLC warehouse in Wuppertal and certainly also offers everyone very competitive prices compared to the main competitors.
FORMAT Italy:
The FORMAT brand is present with its own website, a dedicated LinkedIN page and a You-Tube channel. What do you think about it and what do your associates think about it?
Fabrizio Foi:
I believe that today it is really very important to be on social media, especially in the main channels, because these information tools give the possibility to publish news, information, videos, or any other message that in a very short period of time can be used. Our associates have also equipped themselves to be present with their companies in the main social media.
FORMAT Italy:
Every year, the CDU organizes a convention to which its members are invited. What can they expect from this year’s edition and what visibility will have the FORMAT brand?
Fabrizio Foi:
Let’s start by saying that we organize a convention only to show the new catalog´s edition, which take place every 2 years. This year there will not be a new edition of the CDU catalogue, but in any case, the CDU has been organizing an event for all members where we would like to present the new information related to our brands, especially the FORMAT brand.
FORMAT Italy:
Well Fabrizio, our interview has finished. Thank you again for your time. We look forward to cooperating with you, with the CDU and develop the FORMAT brand together.
Fabrizio Foi:
Thanks to you Francesca and above all thanks to the FORMAT brand.
