L.C.I. Sàrl - Flowey
L.C.I. Sàrl – Flowey is the result of entrepreneur Filippo Florio’s passion for the mechanical maintenance of motor vehicles. Today, in the hands of the second generation of the Florio family, the brand continues to grow. Meeting with two of the founder’s children, Franco and Stefano Florio.
In 30 years, Flowey has made a name for itself in the car care sector and, since 2019, in the hygiene sector. The story begins in 1990, with a company trading in maintenance products. “Our father has a background in mechanics, so he developed a passion for cars and, in particular, maintenance. He started the company with his first employee, a chemist by training,” explains Franco Florio, Head of Operations. Together, they developed a small production facility for maintenance products, first in Schifflange and then in Walferdange, in 1994. That same year, the Flowey brand was created. “Today, we produce for other companies with private labels, but Flowey is marketed in 52 countries worldwide. The latest country in which we have established a commercial link is Mexico”, elaborates the Head of Operations.
Growth and range development
The company quickly grew. After the warehouse in Schifflange, when the main activity was buying and selling, the company moved to Walferdange, where the first production runs were carried out. “We rented the premises. In 2007, we began construction of the current building here in Bissen, where we moved in 2009”, explains Franco. Over the years, the product range has also expanded. In addition to products for the automotive sector, Flowey also offers a hygiene range, primarily geared towards industry. “Since 2016, we’ve started developing a hygiene range. The idea is to diversify. We have to realize that the automotive field is dependent on weather conditions and seasons,” explains the Head of Operations. These new products have been on the market since September 2019. “We had the expertise in automotive cleaning products. Our engineers’ knowledge enabled us to diversify with this hygiene range,” adds Stefano, Head of Finance & HR. Currently, 72 people contribute to the company’s success.
Taking environmental issues into account
Environmental issues are fully integrated within the company. This is reflected in the presence of two employees in the Quality-Safety-Environment department, who keep a close eye on the various regulations. The products developed by the company also comply with European standards. “In 2007, we decided to change all our surfactants. At the time, the raw material was petroleum-based. We then decided to use renewable resources,” explains Franco. Stefano explains: “At least 50% of our production is carried out using rainwater, collected in recovery basins on the roof. It is recycled and filtered internally before being used”.
Continuing to grow
After more than 30 years, the expertise developed in-house is no longer in question. The Florio family intends to continue developing the company. “We will continue to be present in the automotive sector and expand our market presence. Diversification is also part of our plans. We’re going to invest further in the hygiene range, as we’ve been doing since 2016. In terms of structures, we’re looking into the possibility of building a storage warehouse nearby to expand our production facilities,” concludes Franco Florio.
