Appointed as the new general manager of Patelec Group, Mr.Pau Mestres is looking forward to further acquisitions with the goal to strengthen the company’s position in a very challenging market, but also to implementing effective innovative technologies and thus boosting its performance.
Pau Mestres landed in Patelec last winter as the new general manager of the entire Group. Mestres was born in Barcelona 54 years ago, where he studied industrial engineering. Following the civil service he performed in Ghana, in a Saint John of God mission hospital, and after some work experience in native Catalonia, he accepted an offer from Pirelli Cables (now Prysmian) to become plant manager in a cable factory in the province of Lodi. So his Italian experience began way back in 2000. From Pirelli Cables Mestres moved on to Monza-based ICAR, Nexans Italia, TE Connectivity and Cembre (Brescia). «I have embraced the Patelec project», he said, «created by the owners Roberto Ziletti and Alessandro Olivieri who have managed the company for years. After a few years without a general director of the group, the time has come to be able to grow further. But, above all, to consolidate the company’s different work locations of Cerrina (Alessandria), Legnica (Poland) and Ningbo (China) and, also, considering the recent acquisition of 70% of Rieti-headquartered Phoenix Electronic Systems Srl. Having exceeded a 100 million euro turnover for a few years now, the company aims to further increase it in the future. Today we are almost 900 people distributed across these four production sites. We are looking forward to new acquisitions to speed up an organic growth and at the same time strengthen the structure with a global team, capable of integrating the different organizations of the group under the same philosophy».
And the story continues
Patelec Group can build upon a consolidated technical experience in electrical power cords and cable production: in 2024, the firm celebrated its 70th anniversary. «We boast a strong presence», Mestres stated, «with a long history in the market, which has created a sound relationship with our customers and a deep knowledge of their needs. We are constantly adapting to create new customised products, challenged as we are by a strong competition from Turkey as well as from other eastern and far-eastern locations. Patelec focuses on the automatization of its production lines, while preserving its flexibility and versatility. In this way, the company manages to serve both large corporate customers and niche markets, thanks to its expertise in offering tailor-made solutions. We are constantly investing in new technologies and machineries to increase the standard products range, enrich the factory with new skills and develop innovative products to expand our portfolio».
For example, Patelec produces multicore cable assemblies to manufacture complete over-moulded customized connection systems, including part injections, both designed by Patelec and co-designed with the customers who, as true partners, are also provided with exclusive R&D developments. Nowadays, as Mestres perfectly knows, businesses must deal with highly critical and controversial scenario, in which geopolitical issues represent a major question mark. «The appliance market», he pointed out, «is a very challenging market, and the same can be said about the automotive sector. The post pandemic situation and ongoing conflicts in different wars keep opportunities open to reinforce local to local supplies. Patelec Group is a global company with headquarters in Italy, three production plants in Europe and two in China. Our Polish branch is located in the heart of Europe, a strategic position that provides ideal access to major European markets. Our sales network extends to over 40 countries all over the world and can guarantee a complete coverage of all areas: we can be as close as possible to our clients, displaying no logistic issue and putting quality, as a source of added value, on top of our everyday efforts and concerns».
An uninterrupted development
Power cords represent Patelec’s core-business and come in a full range in terms of final applications and world-wide homologations to support customers export, serving different plants located around the world. «Power cords», Pau Mestres observed, «are always needed for appliances. Furthermore, with our recent acquisition of Phoenix Electronic Systems, we are adding different solutions of cabling and harnesses which increment our electrical connections range, covering any electrical connection in the appliance segment. We are constantly working on expanding and improving our range of products, offering our customer base high standard solutions based on research focused to anticipate market and industry needs. As already stated, our production is very flexible; we can deal with unstable geopolitical and economic factors or force majeure events. As we did in the past, we can even take advantage of difficult situations, building upon our own points of strength».
Patelec is an Italian company and Italy is still its main market of reference. Furthermore, the partnership signed with Phoenix Electronic System, that became part of the Group, enlarge even more the presence in the market. «Our product range», Mestres concluded, «includes now, on top of power cords, different cable and wire applications, harnesses as well as LV switchgear with tailor-made solutions. Patelec is looking for further synergies in the market: not only in Italy but all across Europe and well beyond. Nevertheless, having a full verticalization production, from copper rod transformation to cable and power cords production, we are also a cable manufacturer, offering support to other partners with private label services».
