Stefano Tacchinardi has held various management roles at Volvo CE, together with delivering stability in difficult markets as MD in Italy for 10 years, then, final 12 months, he started a brand new chapter as head of gross sales for the compact enterprise unit. We discover out extra about his imaginative and prescient for the way forward for this very important section
Stefano Tacchinardi has spent three many years with Volvo CE. Now, as head of gross sales and channel to marketplace for the Compact Enterprise Unit, he’s main the OEM’s world push in compact equipment, certainly one of development’s fastest-growing segments. With ConExpo on the horizon and a string of latest compact launches behind him, Stefano Tacchinardi is clearly energized by his new function – although his journey right here has been something however direct.
When Volvo CE Italy was established in 2005, Tacchinardi turned compact tools director, spending three years within the function earlier than transferring to basic function tools and sellers director till 2012. After a interval outdoors Volvo in an agricultural equipment enterprise, Tacchinardi returned in 2015 as managing director of Volvo CE Italy – a place he would maintain for over a decade. Italy suffered greater than different Western economies following the monetary disaster of 2008, experiencing a second recession triggered by a sovereign debt disaster from 2011-2013. “After I stepped into that function, the market was popping out of a really difficult interval following the disaster and we had been ranging from a tough place,” he says. “Over time, by way of a transparent give attention to individuals, clients and disciplined execution, we progressively strengthened the enterprise.”
The transformation of Volvo CE Italy beneath his management stands as certainly one of Tacchinardi’s proudest achievements. “Right now, Volvo CE Italy has a powerful and revered presence within the Italian market and represents a priceless asset for Volvo CE,” he says. “Being a part of that transformation, and seeing the organisation develop in confidence, functionality and efficiency, is one thing I’m very pleased with.
“On a private stage, what made this expertise significantly particular was the belief and help I acquired within the totally different roles I’ve held throughout the firm. That belief gave me the liberty to take duty, make selections, and carry out at my greatest. The respect for those that Volvo stands for isn’t just a slogan – it’s one thing I’ve skilled constantly all through my profession.”
Compact focus
Within the second half of 2025, Tacchinardi moved into his present function as head of gross sales and channel to marketplace for the compact enterprise unit – a newly created place. “What motivated this step was a real want to tackle a brand new problem, mixed with the robust dedication I see inside Volvo CE to additional develop and develop the compact enterprise globally,” he says.
The creation of a devoted compact enterprise unit displays the section’s extraordinary progress. “Compact machines now characterize round half of the worldwide development tools market, and in Europe it’s nearer to two-thirds,” says Tacchinardi. “It’s additionally one of many fastest-moving segments – clients anticipate fast supply, flexibility and robust native help.”
Past market measurement, Tacchinardi sees the section’s strategic significance for Volvo CE’s future know-how path. “Compact is the place we see one of many largest alternatives for electrification, particularly in city environments with tighter guidelines on emissions and noise,” he says. “Volvo CE has a powerful head begin right here, however we have to preserve transferring quick to remain forward.”
The strategic focus is already yielding outcomes. Volvo CE has launched six compact fashions inside a single 12 months – a tempo that Tacchinardi views as a transparent market sign. “Compact is a precedence progress space for Volvo CE and we’re placing actual funding behind it,” he says. “Launching six up to date or new compact fashions in a single 12 months reveals two issues: first, we’re listening carefully to clients and transferring rapidly to carry enhancements that matter day-to-day. And second, we’re severe about main the shift to the way forward for compact machines – together with electrical options.”
Know-how roadmap
Trying forward, Tacchinardi outlines clear know-how priorities rooted in Volvo CE’s core values. “Our know-how priorities are firmly rooted within the Volvo DNA – high quality, security, and environmental care – and these values will proceed to information each product and resolution we develop,” he says.
The method is intentionally inclusive of a number of powertrains. “A key precedence is the continued growth of our product vary throughout each inner combustion engine and electromobility options,” says Tacchinardi. “We see robust and various market necessities globally, and our method is to supply clients the suitable know-how for his or her utility and market – whether or not that’s extremely environment friendly diesel options or zero-emission electrical machines.”
Digitalization represents one other main focus space. “We’re progressively embedding progressive digital options into our compact machines by way of a brand new CoPilot platform, which will probably be launched throughout the vary,” says Tacchinardi. “This platform will allow smarter machine interplay, improved operator help and seamless integration of productiveness, security and effectivity options – all designed to make our machines simpler to make use of and extra productive on the jobsite.”
“Compact is the place we see one of many largest alternatives for electrification, particularly in city environments with tighter guidelines on emissions”
The brand new-generation ECR90, EC65 and EW65 excavators showcase these priorities in motion. “Operators will really feel enhancements in all three areas, but when I needed to choose what stands out most day-to-day, it’s productiveness and ease of getting the job finished sooner,” says Tacchinardi. “These new-generation machines carry extra engine energy and better hydraulic efficiency, which interprets straight into sooner cycle occasions, stronger digging and lifting efficiency and extra versatility with attachments.”
The electrical pathway
For purchasers nonetheless hesitant about compact electrical machines, Tacchinardi affords pragmatic recommendation. “Begin small however suppose massive. One of the simplest ways to start is to determine just a few initiatives you already know are properly suited to electrical – for instance city work, indoor or low-noise websites, utility jobs or initiatives with stricter emissions necessities – after which scale from there as confidence grows.”
“An important instance is the most recent ECR25 Electrical – this new technology delivers double the battery runtime and might cowl a full working day in lots of actual purposes. And whenever you think about how a lot time diesel machines spend idling, electrical typically matches the working day even higher than clients anticipate.”
The efficiency advantages are equally compelling. “By way of efficiency, there’s no compromise – you get instantaneous torque, decrease noise and vibration, and naturally zero emissions on the level of use,” says Tacchinardi. “The noise distinction is large. With the ECR25 Electrical, it could take round 20 electrical machines to generate the identical noise as one equal diesel machine.”
Tacchinardi’s three many years with Volvo CE, mixed along with his monitor document of market transformation in Italy, place him properly to efficiently lead the worldwide growth of a section that now represents the development sector’s biggest progress alternative. “The secret’s to attempt it, show it on the suitable job, after which develop from there,” he says – recommendation that would equally apply to his personal daring new chapter with Volvo CE.
This text first appeared within the February/March situation of iVT
