Smeup starts phase two: revenues to 130 million in 2030

The latest acquisition dates back to last 28 April, when Smeup - a Brescia-based company specialising in accompanying companies on digitisation paths - took over 100% of Informatica Centro, a small company based in Jesi (Ancona) and very active in the distribution market with, in particular, consolidated experience and specific products for sectors such as spare parts, plumbing and electrical equipment.

The last of more than 30 made since 2014, when it marked the first turning point in its history, which began in the late 1980s in a garage in Franciacorta. 'I was born in the same year as Steve Jobs,' jokes the founder and president of Smeup, Silvano Lancini, who before taking on the role of entrepreneur was a maths teacher and systems engineer at IBM. At the time, in this sector, we started out in this way, in a pioneering manner. Today everything is more difficult for young people who want to enter the sector'.

The turning point, as we were saying, came for Smeup (which used to be called Smea) in 2013, after the creation of a shared platform with another company in the sector, Query. The growth is swirling: 30 acquisitions allow the company to go from 10 to 100 million in turnover in ten years (98 million in 2024 and 100 in 2025). Today, the Erbusco-based company - which has 21 offices in Northern and Central Italia, over 700 professionals and more than 2,600 customers in 29 countries - is preparing a new turnaround, detailed in its new industrial plan to 2030.

"We have dedicated the last two years to reorganising and putting the group in order, after all the operations we have carried out," explains Lancini, proud of the results achieved and, above all, of the governance model adopted: "We have 60 shareholders and this makes us like a public company, even though the ownership remains with my family. The generational transition has also been prepared in good time: Lancini's sons are already working in the company, with managerial roles, but flanked by other executives who, in the future, could also take over the top roles currently covered by Lancini himself (president and CEO). "The important thing is that my sons will be guarantors of the continuity of values and entrepreneurial financial support. Then it will be decided, based on skills and aspirations, who will cover which positions'.

The new business plan marks a change of pace: "We no longer need exponential growth," explains Lancini, "In the past we doubled revenues twice in a few years. Now we want to grow more gradually: the goal is to reach 130 million in 20230, concentrating on just a few acquisitions, four, to further consolidate on the intellectual property front and the verticalisation of markets'.