Roger Wick, COO | Labels & Flexible Packaging Permapack
Chiara Prati, CEO & CSO Prati
Claudia Fabbri, Sales director Prati

It was the first time I was interviewing someone “remotely”, and I was a bit worried because in person I can grasp details that help me go beyond just the words. But Roger Wick literally amazed me!
In fact, so much of his person reached me from the things left unsaid at first, and even from the order in which he set his priorities when I asked him what he would do from August, when he will be able to devote more space to his private life. Then there are the gestures and the images, which often contain more than a thousand words.

That’s why I rely on an image to talk to you about the precious collaboration between Permapack and Prati: sunflowers, plants that tend to always turn their buds towards the sun.
The sunflower captures the idea of the collaboration that has united the two companies. It’s not just the “sunny” attitude that passes from the leaders to the team, so from Roger Wick towards life and the passion for his work (which is also common to both Chiara Prati and Claudia Fabbri) but also the quality of the collaboration that has united the two realities precisely in the moments when the sun was not there. Because in the workplace, as in life in general, it’s not always all roses and flowers! And, unfortunately or fortunately, it is precisely in moments of difficulty that we manage to surpass ourselves.

And this is what also happened to Prati and Permapack.
The “sun” was brought by every person on the team, contributing to strengthen a relationship that Roger Wick loves to describe as “our partnership is like the perfect interaction between gears & drives in a machine: it allows regular operation and maximum efficiency. The focus has never been exclusively on the purchase and sale of machinery, but a close collaboration at all levels. Prati has well understood the needs of Permapack and has worked closely with us to develop custom-made solutions in line with our needs. The trust between the two companies has created not only a solid foundation and the prerequisites for a long-term relationship, but also the possibility to openly discuss challenges and opportunities”.

Security and support, words that Roger Wick often uses when thinking of Prati…

“Prati has not only supported Permapack as a reliable supplier, but also as a partner able to advise and support us if necessary to promote innovation, efficiency and growth. We have received a lot of advice and support both from Prati personnel and from agent Stepan, who has provided a lot of technical information to our production manager. Each update on the machine models was examined from time to time to see if it was suitable or not for our reality. Compared to the first installations, other units have been added, as they became necessary, but it was never a matter of presenting the novelties by sending newsletters or the like, but a real focus on the customer, to offer tailor-made solutions. It is not just a good business relationship, but a friendship that was born and strengthened over the years. This does not happen so often, but it was the glue that held a working relationship together even in the most difficult moments”.

Chiara Prati remembers what happened in 2020…

Worries to make your hair turn white… “At that time, trust was reciprocated, overcoming enormous difficulties due to technical problems with the PLC, which Permapack was unable to repair. It was obviously not a problem of Prati, but of the supplier, a situation very widespread in the sector at that time, but we lived this aspect with a lot of responsibility and taking charge of helping our customer to overcome the obstacle”.

And Roger Wick confirms: “It was a kind of widespread ‘fire burning’ in the market. But Prati focused on this issue to find solutions in the best possible way. The communication in this case was tight, with continuous updates. Sometimes when you have problems, you focus only on them, putting communication in the background. Instead, it is essential to communicate with others, especially in difficult times, even if this means letting them know that the part is not yet available or that there is a delay of a week or that nothing has changed because the solution has not yet been found, but you are working on it”.

“Roger and I – recalls Chiara Prati – were in touch several times a day to share the progress of the work. Our collaboration was not so tight at the beginning, but what we overcame together made the difficulty turn into an even more intense partnership. It was a valuable lesson for each of us because we managed to transform obstacles into opportunities for mutual growth. And this also made us stronger in difficult times”.

Who is Permapack AG, Rorschach (Switzerland)

Permapack is a family business (where the entry of the new generations has already taken place) with 65 years of experience in printing labels, packaging and tubes and has always placed importance on a long-term view rather than short-term success.
“If you have a long-term view – explains Wick – it is necessary to have adequate tools to achieve these objectives: on the one hand, quality materials to produce labels, envelopes and tubes and on the other hand the necessary equipment for production. That’s why we’ve always looked for partners with whom to share the same vision and who could support us on this journey.

Another fundamental element that has characterized our path is the conviction of Thomas Hansmann – Chairman of the Board of Directors and owner of Permapack – that 1 machine = 0 machines. That’s why, for each product line, he has always wanted to purchase at least two models, so that in case of technical problems, we can opt for another line on another shift and thus always be able to support our customers. It is an expensive choice, but we want to be able to count on a “spare” productivity. And we haven’t focused on cheaper machines, either for printing or for finishing, but on reliable brands like Gallus, HP and Prati. Because for us, it’s not just about the cost of the machine itself, but also the service!

Smiling, Roger Wick underlines this concept with an example: “you can even have a Ferrari at home but if in case of need no one can repair it, then it’s better to have a basic car”.
And this principle also applies to Permapack. We are not the cheapest printers, but customers know that it’s not just a matter of price but of quality and the “service package” that we are able to offer”.

Thomas Hansmann and his daughter Simone Graf.

How the collaboration began

Claudia Fabbri: “it all started with a ‘package’ sale by our agent Stepan in 2016 (Vega Plus 530 ordered in January and Saturn 430 confirmed in October of the same year) and the collaboration has strengthened over the years with a considerable expansion of the machine fleet also with the entry of Roger Wick, who believed in the potential of Prati’s machineries and placed great trust in our team.
I also want to express immense gratitude to him for always saying YES to Prati! How can we forget, in this regard, when our French agent Patrick Faure asked us if we could show Prati machines in action at some of our customers’ premises. The thought immediately went to Permapack, which hosted the two French customers by opening the doors of its plant. This was a further sign of friendship, trust and collaboration for us”.

Why Prati machines in particular?

Very realistically, Wick comments: “The machine configuration is not very different from other models that mount an unwinder, a cutter and a rewinder. But the way of building the machine at Prati is ‘robust’, they are easy to use for our operators, as the interfaces are very intuitive and this, for us, translates into a reduction in training time”.

Who is Roger Wick

Roger loves to work with people and achieve goals together. Outside of work, he has a family and has been married for 25 years.
“Some might think 25 years of war and peace, but for me it has been a good time together. I am very attentive to my health and that of those close to me, whether they are colleagues or family. Mutual help is also important to me: sometimes I may need it, and other times I can help others. I try to be happy and maintain an optimistic and positive attitude. Throughout my professional life, when I started a new day, I never thought ‘Oh… I have to go to work,’ but ‘here’s a new ‘good’ day to go to work’. It was my positive mindset. I believe this stems from the great passion for what I do. Like sunflowers… they take in the sun, grow and bloom. Not every day is like that, of course, and you can’t always do what you like, but when you complete an action, you can cross it off your ‘to do list’. And if you can put joy, creativity and have a team-oriented approach, you can even have fun!”

What will Roger take with him from Permapack?

“Permapack will always be in my mind, because it is a great company. Whenever someone new came in, I would spontaneously tell the candidates that they had made the right choice, as it is one of the best place to work for: it is a family business that takes care of its employees, that leaves people free to express themselves and work in the way they prefer (within reasonable limits). It is a truly “human-based” approach, it is not just oriented towards making money and keeping it only for the owners, but they distribute it fairly. So, when you understand this, the involvement is 100%.
I could only recommend going to work at Permapack, and also at Prati of course!”

And how can you not believe him?
This is, moreover, one of the things that Roger does not “shout” but it comes across anyway. I discover that in 2024 Permapack entered the top 10 (category from 250 to 999 employees) among the best employers in Switzerland and had already won in 2021! The “Swiss Employer Award” (which only considers employee evaluations) is synonymous with the highest quality in the workplace, commitment, satisfaction, attractiveness of the company, low turnover rates and willingness to recommend it to others.

What will be the lasting memory of Prati?

“Great company and a team of great women. Woman power at Prati’, which is not so common in this sector.
Chiara Prati, visibly moved: “I am immensely grateful for this collaboration, it has been truly enriching and it is not a given to find people who have such a beautiful soul. It has been a nice journey and we will miss Roger! In fact, I invite him to consider that here in Faenza he will always have not only friends, but a family”.

Our best wishes for the future from Prati…

The path that Roger will undertake from August 2024 reflects very much the essence that he has brought every day into his work life.
In addition to getting up a little later in the morning and enjoying the beautiful Swiss mountain landscape, he will donate his time as a volunteer driver for the Red Cross. Who knows, perhaps his car – in accompanying people to the hospital for check-ups – will turn into a cabin that welcomes fascinating storytelling!
And then, question after question, Roger tells us that he will carry on an activity that is anything but ‘secondary’ but that speaks a lot about him and that in his story he had left for last: he will coach the students of the Gymnasium who, at the end of their school path, will have to simulate 5 years of work in one week.
And who better than him – who has put so much love into his work and has spent himself with and for his team – can transmit passion to the new generations?
Congratulations Roger! Your work continues, in other guises, with other human beings, with other rhythms of life, but certainly with the innate enthusiasm and warmth that those who put love into everything they do carry with them and within them!
I would like to conclude with the thought of Lucrezia Tassinari’s philosophical card, Prati’s Customer Experience Driver: “If you are good, you will tell everyone, if you are great, others will tell you.
Roger, let me say it: you are great!”

Concetta Daniela Binario, Communication Manager Prati