#093: Francesco Botto Poala takes us behind the scenes of Reda 1865

Wool Academy with Elisabeth van Delden

Introduction

Francesco Botto Poala is the Chief Operating Officer at the well known vertically integrated weaving company Reda 1865. In this episode, Francesco talks about how the company strives for continued success through quality and innovation. Francesco explains that innovation means to be always willing to change and adapt in order to survive. Traceability, animal welfare and environmental standards are of highest concern to Reda. Francesco explains how the company tracks and traces its own progress in these areas while setting the benchmark for other companies as well. Francesco goes even so far to discuss why consumers are also asking for this kind of level of transparency and responsibility.

Listeners will also gain insights on the challenges of founding the sportsbrand Rewoolution and the brand's social media activities.

About Francesco Botto Poala

Born in Biella in 1964, after completing school education in Italy, Francesco Botto Poala starts building his 360° experience, both at home and abroad. Francesco works in London for a fabrics wholesale and for a short period also for a mill in Scotland, then for a garment manufacturer in Italy and after this experience, he joins Reda the family company in textile since 1865. Francesco was appointed for 4 years as a Sales Manager for Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and around 1989 he got his first experience with wool working for 3 months for the Australian Wool Corporation, and after buying wool for several years in 1993 the company bought the first of the 3 farms in New Zealand. This gave Francesco the opportunity to get experience also in the farming side and in classing wool. Since 1990 he started to get a lot of knowledge of the business in all its different facets, and in particular, he was more and more involved in the mill's production process and the related technical aspects. Francesco was responsible for raw material supply and right after he was in charge of the farms in New Zealand. But, it is in the year 2000, that he became the mill's COO. Francesco is also a board member of different companies and President of the spinning mill CB Spa and a combing mill Pettinatura lane Romagnano Sesia Spa.