Zaimella's History | Milestones in our History

Milestones in our History

Zaimella’s history started in 1995 when we identified that in Ecuador the disposable baby diaper category had only an 11% penetration. The product was considered a luxury. Good quality products were inaccessible by regular people and the low-price options had very poor quality. Then we discovered an Italian technology for manufacturing high quality baby diapers. This technology would allow us to take diapers to every corner of the country and make them affordable without sacrificing quality.

Our lack of experience and the desire to create a business around this purpose allowed us to dream big. We did not rest until we managed to establish a factory in Quito with cutting-edge technology that could produce 80 million units a year in a country where only 50 million were sold at the time.

The difficulties were enormous and overcoming each new challenge established the milestones that shaped what we are today: A company that improves what it does little by little every day, that is energized by new opportunities and that learns from its adversities to face new challenges always stronger and better prepared.

In May 1996 production begins

With a team of 14 people production started and the brand Piccolin was launched.
Even though the Italian manufacturers trained our people we had to find technical support from experienced professionals in Venezuela where the diaper industry was more advanced. We were new in the manufacturing business and we made a lot of mistakes. The learning process was intense but is was very effective.

Our first obstacle was transformed into a strength

When we were ready to start selling, we hit an obstacle. We learned that we couldn’t do it because we didn’t have a regulatory sanitary permit. We thought it was a matter of weeks to get it, however, it took us almost a year. However, in neighboring countries this requirement didn’t exist, so we decided to pursue sales opportunities outside of Ecuador. We made an agreement with a large distributor in Colombia and then we started selling our Piccolin brand in that country.

During this time Zaimella developed an export capability that we still maintain today and has become a pillar to boost our international growth. With manufacturing facilities in Ecuador, USA and Perú, today Zaimella sells their products in more than 15 countries.

The first acquisition

In July of 2001 we purchased an old diaper manufacturing company along with its brands Prudential, Maternity and Pompis. This allowed us to enter into the incontinency business with the Prudential brand and the post-natal market with Maternity. Both brands later became leaders in their categories. We redesigned the look and feel of Pompis, the first baby diaper brand in Ecuador, to increase its value. Pompis also became leader in its segment.

Pototin franchises: A new distribution channel

50% of the diaper market in Ecuador is composed of thousands of mom & pop stores focused on personal and home care products. They are all small, informal and independently owned stores.
Since our beginning we opened a small retail store in the factory to sell our line of products and to experience some interaction with customers. In 2003 this experience together with a market of disorganized and dispersed mom-and-pop stores, led us to create a chain of retail stores managed as franchises. Small entrepreneurs without business experience were integrated into the Zaimella business. Today this distribution channel reaches more than 100 retail stores and it contribute an important share of our sales. They also provide us with unparalleled national coverage and helped us to control and stabilize an important portion of the market.

A second acquisition and a new business line

In June 2004, we ventured into the segment of baby products with the acquisition of the company Nutrexpa, manufacturer of the products “Childys Para mi Bebe”. With the help of German cosmetologists, we were able to improve all chemical formulas and expand the product portfolio. We later incorporated a wet wipes production line and created a new assortment of products using our Panolini, Pompis and Childys brands.

The launch of a new marketing campaign

In order to optimize our marketing capability, in 2005 we developed a methodology to handle our marketing strategy. We tested it by taking our Piccolin brand out of the market and launching the new Panolini brand with a daring and memorable campaign featuring baby mafia members protecting their moms. Vito Cacone, Tony Meone, Cenzo Pedini and then Francesca Pucci, became popular characters in the Ecuadorian advertising market. 14 years later they’re still keeping the Panolini brand emotionally connected with its customers.

El Capo de los Pañales - Panolini - Zaimella

Going to the stock market maintaining a AAA risk rating

In 2007 Zaimella issued and offered debt bonds into the stock market. In 2008 the credit risk was upgraded to AAA. The financial information has been public since then and every six months the AAA rating has been confirmed by international risk rating companies. Until 2018 we issued more than $40 million in private debt bonds that have been placed in the stock market and used to finance our growth.

New Headquarters: world class manufacturing facility and distribution center

Since the beginning, our rapid growth forced us to work in three different locations in Quito resulting in high production costs and inefficiencies. In 2007 we identified an appropriate place to integrate the entire business in one location. We built a modern industrial facility, new office building and a world class distribution center a few miles outside Quito. The physical transfer to the new facilities was completed in 2010. However, the change was not only physical but also cultural. We started working in “obeyas”, a system that promotes teamwork and encourages better communication among employees. As a result, manufacturing efficiency was improved, the distribution center was better prepared to meet our national and international demands and the level of service improved substantially.

First production line to manufacture protective underwear in Latin America

In 2012, we became pioneers in Latin America by installing a new production line to manufacture protective underwear. Thus, was born Prudential Invisible, an absorbent protective underwear that provides the same protection as a regular brief, but with greater comfort and discretion.

The first international acquisition

We took a big step in 2013 by purchasing the Florida based company Impex of Doral, now Zaimella USA. With this acquisition, we strengthened our export capacity with new resources and technology to better serve the Central American and Caribbean market, as well as some niche markets in the USA.

DNA: A methodology to capture and improve the company’s know-how

Given our rapid growth, we plan to develop a methodology that allows us to operate with strategic clarity, a well-defined culture and a standardized management system. These three pillars allow us to focus on the important things: improving our know-how, managing our evolution and maintaining our sustainability.

This adventure began in 2008 and it was only in 2015 when we developed a web-based portal to document our evolving strategy, culture and management system.

The Cluster

In 2015 in order to take on all the projects needed to redesign our management system and to prepare for our growth, we created the Cluster. This was a new unit specializing in project management within the company. Its mission is to provide service and support to all functional areas in charge of the day to day operation. This Cluster is composed of a team of experts who manage different types of high-level projects required by the business.

International expansion

Since 2016 commercial operations were opened in countries where we had an important presence covered with our regular exports. A new manufacturing facility was opened in Peru and business relations with distributors were consolidated in six other countries. The international business unit is organized to replicate our business model and grow in some international markets.

Technology improvements and increase in production capacity

During the period from 2016 to 2021, an important 5-year investment plan began for technological improvement and manufacturing capacity expansion. New production lines have been installed for several business lines and new industrial warehouses are being built. These will facilitate greater efficiency in the manufacturing area. Product quality and performance have been improved, and the company is continuing to grow in competitiveness and in market share.