An open-minded professional who never gave in to the difficulties of doing business but who, thanks to those obstacles, found the strength to break out of the professional cage in which he was imprisoned and take flight. Manuel Manzoni’s story is that of a far-sighted entrepreneur who, step by step, with stubbornness, perseverance and determination, has managed to create numerous successful companies active in the Oil & Gas, Additive manufacturing, Internationalisation and Real Estate Investments sectors. An example for young people, to whom he says: ‘never give up, find the courage to always go forward!
by Roberta Imbimbo
Dr Manzoni, tell us a bit about your professional history! How did the idea of founding VPS Italy come about?
My experience began in a small family business, run by my father and active in the industrial maintenance sector; an experience that certainly laid the foundations for my subsequent entrepreneurial initiatives, but which, unfortunately, initially forced me to face a career path that was not always easy. In fact, at one point, I found myself going through dark times of great economic difficulties and without any certainty for the future. Only the birth of my son – in October 2016 – gave me the strength to completely turn my life upside down. I had to reinvent myself by building on the know-how I had acquired until then. Previous work experience, gained within a prestigious valve manufacturing company, had allowed me to understand the dynamics of the oil and gas market, and consequently to study its shortcomings and limitations, mainly related to the world of after sales. And so, with the aim of creating excellence in the sector, I founded my first company. An idea that later turned out to be a winner. Today VPS Italy is in fact a company highly specialised in technical assistance, maintenance and valve overhaul to maintain the efficiency of Oil&Gas and Power generation plants. Thanks to a strategic vision and an innovative business approach based on customer centricity, in a short time VPS Italy has experienced vertiginous growth both in terms of turnover (it has gone from an initial turnover of €16,000 to one of €8 million in 2024) and geographic expansion, with a worldwide presence. Some synergies have proved to be strategic, such as the one with Maxnovo, with which it has signed a joint venture for the production and marketing of gearboxes for valve and sluice gate applications. Previously, VPS Italy and Maxnovo were two small players competing on a national scale with a large British giant. By joining forces and expertise, they were able to assert their leadership in the domestic market by significantly reducing the turnover of the British multinational.
After several years, new professional opportunities arose that led you to found other companies. What can you tell us about 3Digi Solutions?
It is a young and dynamic company highly specialised in polymer and metal 3D printing for the oil and gas industry, with innovative solutions for energy management. Born out of the need to find a way to realise spare parts in a very short time, today it is a future-oriented reality that boasts a valid and competent team that, thanks to its highly specialised know-how, is able to offer high quality and extremely customised solutions, tailored to individual needs.
What was the mission of GCC Advisors?
It was born from the need to expand VPS’s business in some strategic markets, such as the Arab Emirates and North Africa. After a negative experience with non-certified Temporary Exporters, the internationalisation process being well regulated and very articulated, I realised the importance of investing in a professional service of high-profile internationalisation experts. And so, thanks to the invaluable collaboration of Alberto Bertini, a UNI-11823 certified Senior Export Manager, and Marco Scardeoni, an international tax expert specialising in Persian Gulf countries, today GCC Advisors has become a qualified and reliable partner for those companies that want to successfully open up to foreign markets. Finally, again thanks to Marco Scardeoni’s invaluable collaboration, I created LUX Investments, a company active in the luxury real estate sector and able to offer highly qualified advice to those wishing to invest in the real estate market of the Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to maximise their investments (in fact, these are two strategic markets due to their many highly profitable opportunities).
Many goals have been achieved to date. Future goals?
To continue to grow by broadening our horizons but always having at heart the future of the companies and professionals who trust in our experience.
