Companies are made of stories and people. And it is precisely by giving voice to these stories that the RSI radio program Top Suisse focuses, in each episode, on a Swiss excellence.
In the episode aired on 7th June, the spotlight was on Oerlikon Riri: talking with the journalist Davide Gagliardi, some staff members shared their experiences and told the story of the brand, taking listeners on a journey to discover its iconic zippers.
Nantas Montonati, Head of Sales and Marketing of Oerlikon’s Luxury segment, retraced the milestones of Riri’s 90 years, from its foundation to the recent acquisition, sharing a few amusing anecdotes and highlighting the strengths that have made the brand a symbol of Swiss-made quality in the luxury sector.
Thanks to the testimonies of Monica Puia and Patrizia Canino – Production Coordinators of the Teeth Application and Surface Treatment departments – the main stages of the production process of a zip were outlined: the application of the teeth and subsequent processing on the tape, the surface treatment phases, the assembly, either automatic or manual, of the sliders and quality control. Their stories reveal how everyday objects, apparently basic, can actually be very complex.
The tour of RSI continued with the Technical Department where Massimo Fumagalli, R&D Manager of the zip division, explained what innovation and research means in respect of items such as zips, where even the smallest components are customized down to the smallest detail according to customer requirements. And on the subject of innovation, Massimo revealed that Riri zips, in addition to the luxury sector, also lend themselves to unexpected applications, including hydraulic engineering!
To conclude, Elisa Riva – Key Account Manager France – talked about the daily challenges that arise from working with luxury customers and the importance of listening and exchanging views to make even the most complex requests concrete. Elisa then delved into the sustainable commitment of the brand, which translates into concrete results in terms of measuring its impact and the use of recycled raw materials, including polyester on zip tapes.
Click here to listen to the episode: TopSuisse – RSI
Oerlikon Riri
Riri Zippers