Methodicality and passion: these are Roberto’s secrets to work at his best every day

Roberto Longhi, ProntoPack Sales Manager for the cardboard and label paper business units, is the leading expert on these products and their technical characteristics. Today he tells us what it means to know and work in this sector since 2015.

Tell us about your role: what does it consist of?

The main part of my job involves managing historical corporate clients, along with creating new contacts, which is the activity I’ve been carrying out for some time now.

I started working in ProntoPack following the label papers, a unit that a few years ago had a much larger size than today, and later I moved on to the management of cardboard. In this sector I’ve been developing new customers – large, medium and small – trying to understand the various needs and possibilities that the market offered.

Recently we are working together with the Supply Chain Manager to find new suppliers, that at this time are fundamental due to the difficult situation of finding raw materials that the market is facing.

What are the daily difficulties and what are the satisfactions?

The main difficulty is linked precisely to the complexity of finding the material: if it is true that the role of the cutting center has always been to meet the needs of the customer in the short term, today it becomes primary to find new products and create a stock immediately available to customers.

The satisfactions are linked to the great personal growth, as well as professional, that I am experiencing working in ProntoPack. In my 36-years long career I have always worked in the paper industry, although I never deal with packaging, until my arrival in ProntoPack. Today I’ve also known these products, I’ve understood what kind of market I would have to face and have been able to know their dynamics.

How is your work team composed?

During my 360° experience in ProntoPack I dealt with all the three ProntoPack business areas, i.e. Board, Packaging and Office. This allowed me to collaborate with many colleagues and I constantly tried to create good relationships with everyone, because I consider it essential, that the climate in the company is as collaborative as possible.

It can therefore be said that my work team is composed of the entire sales team, but not only.

What are your goals for this year and what is the challenge to be faced?

The main objective is to find new sources of supply: recent market episodes have changed the rules of the game and now the most important activity for me is not only selling, which remains a fundamental element, but searching for suppliers as well.

This will allow us to develop a sales activity different from what it has been so far and this is the challenge that the company is facing.

You’ve been working here since 2015: what makes you passionate about this job?

The continuous research and knowledge of products, markets and new dynamics is the thing that fascinates me most about this work.  Another source of great satisfaction is transferring my experience to the younger people who have arrived at the company and who have a life of work ahead of them, as well as being appreciated for my knowledge.

Tell us something about yourself: what are your activities in your free time?

I don’t have much free time, but having older children I live as a couple by hanging out, especially on weekends, with friends who have the same needs as me.

I also practice sports. I like to play tennis: it’s my favorite sport and I’ve always practiced it with serious constancy since I was young. Occasionally I go out for a bit of jogging.

Last question: one thing learned at work that you give us as a pill of wisdom!

The lesson I learned at work and that also derives from my character is to set up a very precise and methodical work organization.

Organization and methodicality are fundamental elements that I would recommend to those who face the world of work in difficult moments like this.