"This reflects who I am"

What does it feel like to build something from the ground up? Simone Arlati did it. Since 2021, he has been the manager of the sales department at ECC in Novara, Italy. What started with almost nothing has grown into a successful and rapidly expanding division. Simone shares how he manages high pressure while raising a young family. “Time management, the flexibility of ECC, and the fact that I’m seen as a person here.” These are three major success factors.

Before joining ECC, Simone worked for other acknowledged logistics firms. It was a significant shift! “At Ewals, I was given the challenge to build everything from scratch. It was demanding in every sense. I learned a lot during that startup phase. What mattered most was that I always felt supported by the regional manager. He was always there for me—as a sparring partner and mentor.”

The bar remains high, and Simone still has a substantial workload. At the same time, he became a proud father in 2024. How does he balance work and family life? “Good time management is essential. Major credit goes to ECC. I’m given a lot of freedom. Achieving my KPIs is my responsibility. If I want to work from home, I can. If I want to adjust my hours—work in the evening and take a few hours off during the day—that’s also possible. Communication is key. I find it important to stay well-connected with my team. And it works—better than I expected.”

Simone mentions a factor that’s very important to him: you’re not just a number at ECC. “You can handle a lot when you feel valued and seen by your employer. I feel that very strongly! When our son was born, I received a baby bathrobe from Bram Ewals (the CEO). It wasn’t even about the gift itself, but the fact that he knew I had become a father and thought of me. That meant a lot.”

When asked what he enjoys about sales, Simone immediately says, "the relationship with people." “That’s what makes the difference for me. We focus on building long-term relationships. And to do that, you really need to understand the customer.” Another thing Simone values is sharing his knowledge and experience. “I see myself doing more of that in the future at ECC—training newcomers. In my free time, I was a youth football coach. There, I worked with football talent. At ECC, I love working with eager sales talent.”

Diversity is another topic close to Simone’s heart. “ECC is international, with so many nationalities and cultures represented. Within the Italy division, I’d love to work even more with people from different backgrounds. The variety in people—I find it beautiful.”