In recent years, BBM has embarked on a structured growth path, supported by continuous investments in organization, skills, and internal resources. An evolution that also reflects changes in the market, which is increasingly oriented toward quality, reliability, and a long-term vision.
We asked Giuseppe Boffelli, CEO of BBM Service, to share his perspective on an increasingly central topic: the criteria used to select partners in tender processes.
During tender processes, what should a client evaluate even before inviting a company?
Without generalizing, there are elements that should always be taken into account.
I would expect an evaluation based on:
- the company’s track record and financial solidity;
- proven references;
- the ability to operate with internal resources;
- a real organizational structure;
- certifications and social responsibility.
Much like a bank when granting a mortgage: it doesn’t look only at the offer, but at its long-term sustainability.
Today, in some cases, we see very lean organizations taking part in complex tenders, often relying almost entirely on external resources. This may work in the short term, but it clearly limits quality, continuity, and safety.
How important is having a solid internal structure today?
It is extremely important.
There are clients, such as large industrial groups, that require very clear minimum criteria—for example, a minimum number of direct employees. This approach has a precise logic: ensuring stability, expertise, and direct accountability. We have made a clear choice in this direction.
Today, 94% of our workforce is employed on a permanent basis and 92% of the total works full-time: a steadily growing figure that reflects our commitment to strengthening internal capabilities and reducing dependence on external parties.
It is a more demanding model, but also a more solid one.
How does this approach fit into BBM’s growth?
Our growth has never been purely numerical, but structural.
Since 2005, the year the company was founded, we have recorded steady revenue growth, increasing in parallel with our investments.
Over the years, we have developed a consistent path, investing concretely across several key areas:
- people, with a structure that now includes 69 employees including two partners, 67% of whom are under 40;
- training, structured around key areas such as corporate culture and inclusion, safety and personal protection, technical and regulatory skills, as well as operational management;
- equipment, through continuous investments aimed at making work increasingly safe;
- systems and digitalization, to improve efficiency and process control;
- internal organization, to ensure operational autonomy and continuity.
On the systems side, we have upgraded our internal management system AKIS 2 and introduced MES (Manufacturing Execution System), tools that improve coordination between the technical office and operational teams, making processes more efficient while reducing errors and processing times.
Today we operate in 109 countries and manage thousands of man-days each year, with a structure designed to be autonomous, solid, and reliable.
For us, growth means this: having the right expertise in-house.
Where is the market heading?
Technical complexity is constantly increasing. Production lines are becoming more advanced, materials are evolving (think of recycled materials and weight reduction), and the required skills are becoming more and more specialized. This leads to a simple consequence: either you invest in training and structure, or you risk transferring this complexity to the client.
How much should certifications, safety, and sustainability weigh in tenders?
They should weigh much more.
Today, price is still often the primary criterion, but in reality it is a consequence of how you operate. Companies that invest in safety, training, certifications, and sustainability inevitably have a different structure.
BBM has undertaken a concrete path in this direction, with certifications updated through 2026 such as gender equality (third renewal), MOCA declaration, and EcoVadis Silver. We will soon also obtain ISO 9001 certification.
From an environmental perspective, the results are measurable:
- 30 tons of standard coal saved;
- 35 tons of CO₂ emissions avoided;
- 25% of the company’s total electricity demand supplied by a photovoltaic system.
If these factors are not considered in tenders, the risk is rewarding less structured and less sustainable models in the long term.
A message for those awarding contracts today
If there are no alternatives, choices are clearly limited. But when alternatives do exist, we believe certain values should be given greater consideration: solidity, responsibility, internal expertise, and the ability to ensure continuity.
These are the same values that all companies claim to look for in their partners. The difference lies in truly considering them—even during the awarding phase.
