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Raimondi cranes, such as these in Qatar, are common at Middle Eastern job sites, with the KBW-owned brand enjoyng global traction in the tower crane sector.
to our other enterprises.” The acquisition did not come without its challenges, however, and Alkhoshaibi continues: “First off, there is always a warming-up period when new business relationships are formed in any scenario – be it a partnership, a JV, a one-off test job. Now, when you’re commencing an acquisition, during that first assessment and action period, it needs to be handled delicately. Respect for the brand “I think it was important to convey how much we respected the brand and understood its deep roots. Raimondi’s team knew that we weren’t coming in there with an attitude that suggested we were ignorant of the ownership and fealty that they all felt towards its welfare as an Italian brand. In Legnano’s once-strong manufacturing history, Raimondi acts as almost a beacon of hope. It was an area known for world-class production, everything from cotton to the manufacture of sophisticated equipment.” The feelings of ownership and fealty that Alkhoshaibi speaks of come from being part of a brand that has withstood the test of time for more than century and has become like family to its employees and to the community in its home city. Every person employed by Raimondi Cranes is dedicated to the brand on a personal level, he adds. “You almost never see this level of loyalty and staff engagement in today’s corporate world. They all feel as though they have a personal stake in the company’s success and it’s a truly valuable aspect,” Alkhoshaibi explains. “One of the things Raimondi’s executive team is tasked with is retaining our longterm staff members. These are people who have worked at the manufacturer for more than 10 or 20 years, and who literally know every detail of every crane. That type of knowledge-equipped human capital who have an inherent familiarity with our products cannot be recruited or trained in a year or two, or even three. One of the main Raimondi directives is to retain these brand experts and utilise this unparalleled advantage that it gives the company, technically speaking.” Acquiring Raimondi and pushing the company to the next level meant that changes had to be made, however, but the essential point was how those changes were brought about. “Prince Khaled made several visits personally, getting to know the executives and the people who had been with the company the longest, and I spent a considerable amount of time there in those early days. This, too, makes a difference during an acquisition.”