When Full Made in Italy becomes a choice of positioning, not provenance
In the European industrial narrative, the Made in Italy Is often treated as an attribute. An origin. A label.
In the project developed with a client from Saudi Arabia, Made in Italy took on a completely different meaning:
not an origin to be declared, but a strategy to be built.
The customer now produces a premium line with us entirely made in Italy: fragrance, components, filling and packaging. But this achievement was not the starting point of the project. It was its natural landing place.
The value of Made in Italy as a positioning lever
For this client, Made in Italy does not represent a narrative advantage. It represents royal prestige.
In a highly competitive market such as the Middle East, a premium line produced entirely in Italy is synonymous with:
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high positioning
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authority
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immediate credibility
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higher marginality
The client was very clear on one point: the perceived value of the product had to be consistent with the price, and the price had to sustain a solid margin over time.
In this balance, productive origin is not a detail. It is a structural variable.
The initial model: components from China, local production
Initially, the project followed a popular model: components purchased in China, fragrance produced in Italy, filling and packaging handled locally.
A seemingly efficient model, often justified by:
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lower unit costs
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wide availability of components
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flexibility on volumes
But, over time, very real limitations have emerged.
Where the pattern breaks down
The problem was not just quality-already not aligned with full premium positioning. The problem was the control.
With Asian components, the customer was regularly faced with:
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differences between quantities ordered and quantities actually delivered
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missing or damaged components
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unpredictable supply times
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difficulties in managing shipments
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chain delays on production
Any lack of components generated:
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stopper
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rework
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operational stress
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loss of marginality
In a premium project, these frictions are not sustainable.
The Transition to Full Service Made in Italy
The decision to switch to a full service entirely made in Italy Has not been ideological. It has been rational.
We redesigned the whole system:
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fragrance developed and produced in Italy
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Primary and secondary components supplied by Italian partners
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filling and packaging managed in a single flow
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Direct control over quality, quantity and timing
This step transformed the project in many ways.
Higher quality, but above all, higher reliability
One of the most common misconceptions is that Made in Italy serves only to “raise quality.” Actually, in the case of this project, the real value was something else: the reliability of the system.
With Italian suppliers:
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quantities delivered are in line with orders
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times are faster and more predictable
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communications are directed
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quality control is immediate
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problems are solved before they become critical
The result was not just a better product. It was a process more stable.
And stability, in a premium brand, is a value multiplier.
Marginality and Made in Italy: a direct relationship
Contrary to a widespread cliché, the transition to Full Made in Italy did not reduce the marginality.
He increased it.
Because:
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fewer errors mean fewer hidden costs
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less delay means less capital immobilization
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less rework means more real efficiency
The visible unit cost may be higher. But the total cost of the system is lower. And it is on the total cost that sustainable marginality is built.
What the Saudi Arabia project teaches
This project demonstrates an often ignored truth: Made in Italy is not a romantic choice. It is a strategic choice.
When integrated into a full-service model:
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strengthens the positioning
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increases brand credibility
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improves operational control
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protects marginality
It is not a label to be affixed. It is a system to be governed.
Conclusion
The project developed with the Saudi client is not interesting because it is “all Made in Italy.”.
It is interesting because Made in Italy was used correctly.
As positioning leverage.
As a control tool.
As a guarantee of value over time.
When origin, quality and process are aligned, premium stops being a promise and becomes a measurable reality.
Editorial Note - Insight Journal
This article is not about provenance. It talks about smart industrial choices.
Because, in contemporary luxury, the real value is not where a product comes from, but how solid the system that supports it is.
