Comfortable shoes? They are born in Valle Verde

The history and rise of a successful business in the words of its founder: interview with Armando Arcangeli, President of the shoe factory Valleverde S.p.A. Valleverde, one of Italy's best-known shoe factories, is headquartered in Coria-no, a small town near Rimini. More than three decades of history have passed in this unique and relaxing environment, the history of a company that has taken giant steps forward from all points of view. Collections, which at the start contained only 150 articles per season, now count more than 1,500. items. The first austere lines with very severe colors best suited to mature ladies have now been joined by shoes for all ages, tastes, occasions and trends. Today Valleverde sells more than 2 million pairs of shoes each year, thanks to 2,300 retail outlets throughout the world including 200 one-brand shops in Italy and 30 abroad. A 15% of the production is exported to many countries, primarily to Germany, Austria and Switzerland but also to U.S.A. and China. There were 90 employees in 1980, 150 in 1990 and 304 in 2002. Plus Valleverde has a scope that counts 2,000 people. Turnover has also grown constantly: just over 10 billion Lire in 1980, 70 in 1990 and about 220 in 2001. The future calls for being quoted on the stock exchange … all under the competent and enthusiastic direction of its President Armando Arcangeli.

Armando Arcangeli

Arcangeli belongs to that elite of personalities with an enthusiasm affecting everyone, even a journalist intent on putting down in black and white the passion and determination that created companies like Valleverde. Mr. Arcangeli, let's start our chat speaking about the company philosophy that has made Valleverde a successful company. "I think it is important to clarify right away that the main focus of our company philosophy has always been to make comfortable shoes. We have always striven to concentrate on this fundamental aspect of shoemaking. I'd like to explain this with an example. Let's make a comparison between a shoe and a garment. Would you wear a jacket that is too small and too tight? No, you wouldn't be able to get into it. However if you were able to enter into a tight and narrow shoe, thanks to the anatomical adaptability of the human foot, you would be able to wear a size smaller than your real size. But how much harm would this do to your foot? Enormous. Every meter you walk with the wrong shoes has negative permanent effects on the health of your feet. We at Valleverde focus our attention on making comfortable, well-made shoes fitting perfectly each foot wearing them." Is your philosophy applicable only to the technical aspects of shoemaking or does it also embrace other aspects?
"We work with all aspects of shoemaking and shoes. In fact we are the only Italian shoemaker that has 5-day training classes for its agents. During this class participants learn about shoemaking technology, about the characteristics of new materials now available, about the anatomy of the foot, about key concepts in shopwindow design, some marketing techniques and other related subjects." Did your philosophy give birth to products such as shoes with "air conditioned" patent? "Certainly. Our "air conditioned" patent is based on a very simple principle. Each shoe has microvalves that are activated by every step. These microvalves open to discharge air through the sole which in its turn is compensated by the entry of fresh air from the upper part of the shoe. This creates a real air turnover inside the shoe." How do you think the ideal shoe should be made? "The concept is quite simple. To make the ideal shoe you need an upper made of leather and a sole made of hide. These two natural raw materials enable to make shoes where the foot is combined with materials that favour a correct transpiration. However there are some problems. Shoes made in this way are not very practical. This is why we have now rubber soles (very comfortable and simpler to manufacture) and transpiring technical linings (such as Goretex). In this way we have a decidedly more comfortable and practical product even if a problem remains. Which problem? Rubber soles isolate the person wearing the shoe and generate accumulation of electrostatic charges. This is why we have designed anti-static shoes." What is behind your big commercial success with antistatic footwear? "To examine the problem of antistaticity applied to footwear, I asked the CNR (National Research Centre) to study the accumulation of electrostatic charges. Their results, although rather complex, were interesting and helped me to produce the shoes that now belong to our present antistatic line. We have now extended this line to include children's shoes as well." We see that much of Valleverde success is tied to introducing new patents and technologies. What is your relationship with innovation? "An excellent one. My character, in fact, is such that if I believe in an idea I support it with all my strength. My work experience has been a great help to me in this." Tell us how the Armando Arcangeli entrepreneur was born, then. "My attention to total quality and innovations comes from the "German School" I attended working with companies with Teutonic mentality. Thirty years ago I was a working-student, active in hotels on the Riviera Romagnola. One day I answered to an ad on a local newspaper and became the manager of a small shoemaker located on the green hills of Riccione. These were the key stages of a business career that has culminated with Valleverde.

Valleverde shop

" You have had some very famous advertising campaigns. Tell us about their success and about your relationship with the media. "The media helped to inform the public about the innovations I have introduced in my products. This generates the long series of successful campaigns that have accompanied Valle-verde all along its history. But advertising also helped me to modify the way people perceived the Valleverde product. From the classic and comfortable image that was promoted by an exceptional testimonial like Aba Cercato, to a less-engaged image with Claudio Lippi, up to our latest campaign aimed at an even larger public and based on the presence of Kevin Costner. And we mustn't forget the sports image of our products, carried by Ferrari drivers and by sponsoring the Ferrari Challenge - Trofeo Pirelli, where we are present with our Valleverde Formula line of footwear." Can you tell us a few anecdotes regarding the many testimonials that collaborated with Valleverde? "Perhaps the most curious anecdote regards Kevin Costner, who after acting our advertising short came over and asked me if he had acted well. What - I asked myself - after winning 9 Oscars he asks me if he has acted well!!!" A question about Ferrari: who is better, Barrichello or Irvine? "They are both excellent drivers, I wouldn't know which one to choose. Certainly if I look back I realize I risked having a world F1 champion as testimonial: it would have been a fantastic coup. I can say about Irvine that he had anything necessary to please: capacity, amiability, willingness, in a few words the classic outsider who, becoming the world champion, he would have demonstrated how tales sometimes come true. His success would have had enormous influence with the public at large."

Claudio Baglieri