When Francesco Cea decided to start his own business, one thing was crucial. He wanted to represent products he could personally vouch for.
He chose LANDMECO, which now gains a distributor with in-depth knowledge of the Italian market.
“I was looking for a brand with high-quality products. In the Italian market, there are many suppliers competing and able to offer standard products, but I wanted to represent something different, and that’s why LANDMECO was the right choice for me,” he explains.
The need for a local partner
LANDMECO had already noticed interest from Italy, and in 2025 equipment for a chicken house was sold through another Danish company’s partner in Italy.
This sparked a number of enquiries, but without a local distributor it was difficult to follow up on the opportunities.
“We needed a local partner who could be close to the customers. When Francesco contacted us, it gave us the opportunity to follow up on the enquiries we were receiving,” explains Susanne Friis, Regional Sales Director at LANDMECO, responsible for Italy, amongst other markets.
She sees Francesco Cea as a strong candidate for the role.
“He previously worked at Big Dutchman, so he knows the poultry market very well. We therefore hope that, together, we can develop the market in Italy,” she says.
Technical background
Francesco Cea is a qualified mechanical engineer and began his career in the technical sector. After university, he worked on automation solutions, where he designed machinery, oversaw production and liaised with customers.
In 2019, he joined Big Dutchman in Italy, where he started as a technician in the poultry department and moved to the sales department after about a year. There, he worked on solutions for poultry and egg producers, amongst others.
When Big Dutchman decided in 2024 to relocate its Italian headquarters to Germany, Francesco Cea chose to start his own business.
The more Francesco Cea got to know LANDMECO’s product range, the more convinced he became that the company could offer Italian farmers a genuine alternative to the many standard products on the market.
“LANDMECO has a strong brand, and at the same time, its products are of a quality that others do not offer, which allows me to offer customers something different,” he says.
Service is crucial
According to Francesco Cea, Italian farmers are not just looking for equipment. They also place great importance on follow-up, support and service after installation.
“It is important to customers that they receive support, even after the equipment has been installed. They expect follow-up and assistance should any issues arise. This is an area where I believe LANDMECO is ahead of many of its competitors,” he says.
He sees particular opportunities within the egg production market, even though it is both highly competitive and characterised by large, complex projects.
“In the poultry market, the LANDMECO Feeding Pan is a really interesting product for the Italian market, due to high quality and easy cleaning and easy use. Moreover, LANDMECO also covers the breeding area, so it is possible to satisfy all kinds of customer requests.”
Even though it takes time to launch a new brand, Francesco is convinced that with the right strategy more farmers will choose LANDMECO’s solutions.
Aiming for recognition within three years
The aim is to establish a stronger position for LANDMECO in Italy.
“There is good potential. My aim is that, within three years, Italian customers will be far more familiar with LANDMECO and will associate the company with high-quality solutions as well as good service and support,” says Francesco Cea.
Text: Journalist Mikael Sand, JVR Consult. Phone.: +45 30561992. Email: ms@jvrconsult.dk.
