People of DOMO: At Arco, ‘We are flexible, constantly improving and focused on sustainability’

DOMO Chemicals has ten production sites around the world and through our #PeopleofDOMO stories we try to give an insight into life and work at the plants in the different regions. Our site managers, together with their teams, work hard every day to make a positive contribution to our customers, employees and society, while upholding local values.

Leonardo Comperatore has been at the Arco, Italy plant for 20 years - long before it became a DOMO site. Originally from the south of Italy, he came to the Trento region to study and, after graduating in materials engineering, got his first job at the Arco plant when it was owned by another company. When DOMO Chemicals acquired the plant in 2013, Leonardo continued as R&D Manager until he was appointed to his current role as Site Manager in 2020.

How would you describe the culture at DOMO? What makes it different from other companies?

The change at Arco has been tremendous over the years, evolving with each step of our transformation. We've become much more professional, with structured processes like a larger company, while enjoying more interaction and collaboration between functions and locations. Arco is known for people with a common vision. We are flexible, constantly improving and focused on sustainability.

We have a lot of site visits here and people say we are always smiling and have a positive atmosphere. We are like a family at Arco and the mood is upbeat, with real human contact, which keeps you motivated.

What are the key trends in your industry and what are some of the solutions your site provides?

The main trends we see are sustainability and innovation. At DOMO Arco, we have demonstrated our ability to improve and adapt quickly to changes in the market. We have invested in increased productivity and better health and safety conditions on the shop floor. And we must continue to invest in new technology to stay ahead of the market, even if it means taking risks. That is the key to innovation, to keep investing and moving forward.

We are now looking to improve our mechanical recycling technology and expand the range of recycled materials we use in the production of DOMO's sustainable polyamide, TECHNYL® 4EARTH®. We are also developing other post-industrial sources of recyclable materials and moving towards post-consumer recycling.

Watch now: Leonardo presents the Arco site as part of the "Citta ad impatto positivo" (Cities with a positive impact) video series produced by PMG.

What does sustainability mean to your business? And to you personally?

I started my career in industrial recycling processes, so sustainability has always been very important to me. For DOMO Arco, it is not something we do because it is fashionable; it is our business, with the TECHNYL® 4EARTH® line representing one third of our total production of mainly technical materials based on PA6 and PA66.

We are also working to improve the sustainability of our operations and have been sourcing 100% renewable energy for 15 years. Our latest commitment is to make our packaging 100% recyclable. We are very excited about this achievement and will be making an announcement soon.

What sets DOMO apart in terms of safety culture and leadership?

Safety has been one of the most important areas of improvement for us over the last three years. Everyone recognizes that we have a common mission and responsibility with Care to Be Safe. Training in safe practices and continuous improvement are key to our daily work.

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

There are so many aspects that I find interesting. I deal with human resources, legal and business issues, so there is always something interesting going on. It keeps me in touch with so many different parts of the company, and that really motivates me.

What else keeps you going every day? How do you balance work and life?

Spending time with my family and friends is important to me. I also love sports. When I was younger, I ran track at a professional level. I enjoy doing a sport that really pushes me because I find it energizing, such as running, mountain biking, swimming, tennis and beach volleyball.

What do you like most about the area where your plant is located?

I love the area around Arco and Lake Garda because it reminds me of where I grew up on the coast. It's a beautiful area, very popular with tourists. You can go for a half-hour walk at lunchtime and be totally refreshed in this picturesque area.