Interview with Constance Mosca, Production Planning Manager for Spinning at Marchi & Fildi Group

Constance Mosca is in charge of one of the crucial functions in the company: planning the production flow in the spinning department, finding a meeting point between the needs of the commercial side of the business and the production possibilities.

Hello Constance. Can you explain your job to us? Which professional skills does it require?

In very general terms, my job is to find a meeting point between the requirements of the back office and the effective production possibilities, which are not always in line with each other. Production tends towards needs of larger quantities, whilst customer requests are focused on smaller quantities and, most importantly, shorter delivery times. Planning the spinning carried out at Biella requires a lot of team work: it wouldn’t be possible to manage the programming without the collaboration of the staff who are responsible for the production.
One essential quality is a high level of flexibility in the members of the programming team: the variables which influence production on a daily basis are numerous and for this reason, it often happens that our programming cannot be respected over longer periods. There are numerous production steps in a company like ours and they require a high level of flexibility on all sides to be able to adapt to sudden changes.
The most important fundamental characteristics to be successful in this job are precision, flexibility, resolve and knowledge of the processes from start to finish (both in commercial and production terms), which lead to good results and great satisfaction.

Did you have other roles in Marchi & Fildi before taking on this one?

When I joined the company, in March 2020, I was working in the dyeing programming and management of external subcontractors (twisting, winding, external dyeing).
It was a very interesting experience because before that, I had worked on the opposite side, namely the customers of the dyeing department who were asking for delivery times. In this way, I understood the reality of the other side of planning.
In addition, I was immediately joined by Marco Ginanneschi, head of dyeing for the Group, who explained me the functioning and production processes of a dyeing department, and passed on to me his passion for his job.

You have a role which requires organisational talents and knowledge relating to aspects of both sides: production and commercial. Can you tell us about your career in the world of spinning?

It’s true that my role represents a link between commercial and production; it is fundamental that you understand the needs of the back office in order to optimise production capacities and adapt to the demands of the market.
After graduating in Economics and Industrial Marketing, I firstly worked for a company which produces baby clothing (tailoring and knitwear), a small company which gave me the opportunity to get to know the sector in its entirety, and understand the back office, purchasing, and right through to production.
After that I moved to the commercial office of a mill producing fancies where I worked in the knitwear sector, then in production planning for knitwear yarns, mainly management of the dyeing and winding, and finally in knitting in the management of unwinding and balling.

You have also been involved in the training of young people. The lack of trained staff for the new generation needed is a problem for all textile spinning mills. In your opinion, why would working in production and learning expendable technical skills be an interesting opportunity for a young person? What would you advise a new graduate who was interested in working in the technical-production departments of a textile company?

Currently, ITS TAM represents a good point of departure and reference for many companies looking for new staff. The technical training this institute gives is certainly a fundamental key to approaching the world of textiles.
All types of internships are fundamental to understanding the labour market. But regardless of that, you have to feel passion for your job and specifically in this sector there are opportunities for very different roles, both in the back offices as well as working in the production departments.
My advice would be to gain as much experience as possible in all types of jobs to enrich your own knowledge and skills.

What are the most frequent customer requirements? What are the strategies you put in place?

Programming should start initially with the end customer, which is impossible at this moment in history. The Covid crisis has worsened the situation, meaning the postponement to the very last minute of orders and requirement of increasingly short delivery times right along the supply chain, thus leading to the system not performing well. This type of situation is not sustainable for ever. In this phase, we are concentrating as much as possible on production, doing our utmost to guarantee good service and flexibility vis-à-vis the customer. One considerable help in technological terms comes from our plant, which basically boasts of shorter processing times than other spinning technologies.

What are the challenges you foresee having to face in the coming years?

A good description of the challenges we face is the need to be always in step with the market demands and to make the necessary important changes. Renewal of machinery, constant investments, new projects: these represent the focus which the Group continues to put in place in terms of innovation and the reduction of our environmental impact. It is fundamental to have a long-term vision, and if possible to anticipate the future and always be ready for any changes that may occur.