ILVE has started 2024 with a new fully owned subsidiary in Australia and New Zealand. The owner of ILVE S.p.A. Alberto Illoti was in Australia recently to meet customers and explain the reasons for the new business direction, as well as the opportunities it brings.
“The decision to create a local subsidiary is part of our global strategy that sees us take control in ILVE’s major markets,” Illoti said.
“It is part of a natural evolution for a company that is becoming international. This started in the United States last year when we created a fully owned subsidiary to provide support to our customers, as well as taking care of after sales and marketing. The US head office for the subsidiary is based in Manhattan within the Flatiron District and warehousing is based nearby in New Jersey near Newark airport.
“We have decided to come direct to market with ILVE Australia and this subsidiary will also be responsible for the New Zealand market. The Australian market is the largest market for ILVE based on population anywhere in the world, and we look forward to maintaining and growing the business in this country.”
Illotti explained that although the initial announcement to create a subsidiary was made late last year, the new ILVE management wanted to remain quiet deliberately to respect the conclusion of the distribution agreements on December 31, 2023.
“It wasn’t right to talk to the market about selling ILVE or interfere with the previous distributor. We are now out in the market and reinventing the business and preparing it for the future.”
Illoti has also appointed industry veteran, Chris Tracey, as director of the new business.
“Chris Tracey is well-known to the industry and has worked in the local appliance market for a long time. He has played an important part in building the ILVE brand, and working side by side with the founder of the former distributor and has worked with ILVE for over 25 years.”
Tracey said that he is very happy to have re-joined the ILVE brand. “For me, it is like coming back home.”
Tracey has confirmed there will be a dedicated retail sales team and commercial sales team covering the whole of Australia.
“We will have representatives employed in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, as well as Western Australia and New Zealand. South Australia and Tasmania will initially be serviced from the Victorian office,” he said.
“We will have a new local website connected to the ILVE International website with a configurator that will be an improved version of My ILVE. This will help consumers, commercial customers and salespeople to create and design custom-made products.
“We will work with a network of national partners and regional specialists and importantly we will continue using the agency system. We have retail and commercial arrangements in place with Harvey Norman, Winning Appliances, Designer Appliances, Betta Electrical, Winning Appliances and E&S, as well as many other business partners who provide wonderful support and want to continue working with the brand,” Tracey said.
“Creating a subsidiary will also provide us with an advantage when it comes to service and spare parts because local technicians will have direct access to our information centre and technical support from our headquarters in Italy. We will have a two-tier strategy for service and spare parts – ILVE Australia will have a national service manager supported by his team, as well as a network of premium service agents in each state. We feel customers will receive a higher quality of service and a better level of competency and knowledge.
“We will have a new head office and showroom based in Sydney. This will feature a showroom, working kitchen as well as offices for staff. We will be warehousing in all states to provide continuity and confidence for our retail and commercial partners.
“In terms of products, there will be a complete range of freestanding and built-in products, as well as complementary products to deliver a complete kitchen offering including dishwashers, rangehoods as well as refrigeration.
“We are going to have a broader range of products than we have had previously in Australia or New Zealand for retail and commercial customers. We want to provide customers with the opportunity for a complete kitchen offer from one supplier as this is what they request, and this will represent the future of the business moving forward.”
Pictured: Alberto Illoti (ILVE Italy), Chris Tracey (ILVE Australia) & Antonio Ruffatto (ILVE Italy).