Coremas Polaris: A successful case of adjustment to market threats

Coremas Polaris, a company controlled by Sogese, was founded in 1984. Back then the core business was the provision of M&R on dry and reefer containers arriving and leaving the Port of Livorno. Coremas Polaris was enjoying benefits and opportunities of the expanding process of cargo containerization, in fact the shipping container was introduced in 1956 and it still represent the most significant event in the shipping industry. Despite our strong commitment to our customers and needs, recent years have proved to be tough for containers service providers and many market factors were threatening our survival on the market as a container service company. Container owners were looking to a strong consolidation, mergers were creating giants with huge power and appetite for integration, focus was rapidly moved to policies based on cost optimization. As a small company, we understood we had no chance to survive in such a scenario and we needed a way out. There it comes the challenge. Like a chef trying to successfully balance its precious ingredients, we had to rethink our organization as to address our skills and know how to new markets, in other words we had to adjust to the upcoming change in order not to become hopeless victims. The adjustment is a long process made of expensive tests with unpredictable results – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t – and by experience, I believe the probability of success is positively affected by the right combination between determination, foolishness and endurance of those people who have really embraced your cause, so the company culture is vital for the good outcome of this process. Today, Coremas Polaris is still a container service company but its core business has deeply changed and moved to the provision of solutions based on the design and production of customized containers and cabins for several business purposes: test labs, telecommunications, mining devices, water treatment equipment, heating equipment and special compressors for the Oil & Gas industry.