Marco Golla works as a business developer at Johnson-Fluiten. Working for the company for more than 18 years, he has developed his expertise and improved his skills even more to offer the best options for improving energy saving, efficiency, and productivity in industrial processes.

Johnson-Fluiten specializes in precision rotary unions used with rotating components to convey water, air, oil, and coolant. Its primary product lines include the Type G, Type R, and Type Z rotary unions. The company markets its products directly to customers in Italy and uses Kadant Johnson's global sales network as well as independent agents in markets outside of Italy.

Q. Hi Marco. Thank you for making the time for this interview. How long have you been with Johnson-Fluiten? Share your journey inside the company.

A. To be honest I feel like a part of this company because I started my journey in Johnson-Fluiten when the company was established.

My journey began a long time ago at Fluiten, where I started in the technical office when the drawings were still made on the drafting machine. I continued in the sales office as an internal sales manager of mechanical seals and then I was assigned a geographical area as an area sales manager. It allowed me to get a lot of technical and commercial experience. Afterwards, I had the opportunity to follow exclusively the rotary union line in the Italian market and this is what I have done the last few years at Fluiten.

In 2003, Johnson-Fluiten was born, a joint venture between Fluiten S.r.l. and Kadant Johnson Europe B.V. As a result, Fluiten’s and my knowhow was brought into the new company. Since the creation of the joint venture, I have continued to improve professionally; managing different industrial markets, interacting with customers every day, acquiring many new customers, working on new challenges and new projects, and always trying to reach the company's goals.

Recently, I have been able to bring my experience around the world with colleagues or directly with international customers focusing on the development of new markets and new opportunities.

Q. What is the best part of your job?

A. It’s difficult to choose. There are so many aspects that I like about my job. I consider contact with customers, traveling, looking for new opportunities, and learning different cultures are the fundamental elements of my job that I look forward to. The relationships I try to create with customers, I would say, is ultimately the best part. Customers, even today after all these years, let me learn something new from their experience.

Q. Where do you see the biggest opportunities for Johnson-Fluiten in the years to come?

A. An interesting and continuously growing market is the Asian market which I believe Johnson-Fluiten has opportunity in. The great part of our company and our teams is the ability to listen, understand, and find solutions to meet the needs of a constantly evolving market. Our greatest opportunities are our customers that allow us to work with them every day.

Q. What makes you proud professionally? And personally?

A. Professionally I am very proud to be part of this great company, which supports me and allows me to grow every day, as I am proud of every new customer who starts collaborating with us. Personally, I am proud of my family, seeing our children grow up every day is a priceless joy.

Q. If you could give one piece advice to the ones that are starting a career in Business Development, what would it be?

A. Never lose sight of your own goals, never give up on first failures, be curious, and have the humility to learn every day. You will always find someone more prepared and competent than you, use this as an opportunity to learn something. Never stop learning, learn to see what others do not see and take any chance as an opportunity.

This was originally posted on Johnson-Fluiten’s blog.