Stefano D’Angelo intervened at the microphones of New York in the podcast Portraits to tell the path of Del Corona & Scardigli USA, an American branch of a historic logistic group based in Livorno. A path that interweaves family stories, entrepreneurial vision and a growth built step by step in the most competitive market in the world.
«Del Corona & Scardigli USA is the American branch of the group Del Corona & Scardigli, owned by two families, the Del Corona and the Scardigli, of which I am part of as D’Angelo family. The opening in the United States dates back to 2006, while I moved here in 2011”.
Since then, growth has been constant and impressive. D’Angelo told how the company became a point of reference for many Italian companies looking at the United States. “In these fifteen years we have grown exponentially. We have supported many Italian companies, both already present on the American market and new realities that first appeared. We have helped them not only to transport their products, but also to make them known, to work on marketing, on insertion in the market”.
Today Del Corona & Scardigli USA has over 120 employees, eight offices and four warehouses, starting from the four initial employees.
The link with Italy remains central, especially in a complex historical phase. “From the B2B transport perspective from Italy to the United States we are one of the main market players. We work with well-known brands and less known brands, but for us each customer is equally important. I keep in particular to Italian customers, because I am Italian too and know how difficult it is to succeed in a competitive market like the American one, especially in a period of economic uncertainties and new duties».
At the base of this story there is a classic Italian family SME, where the role of the founders remains decisive: “I started working in Livorno, before moving to the United States, and my father and his associate Luigi Del Corona were and are still my mentors”. Despite age, both continue to be present in the company every day: «My father will be 80 years old in April, Luigi is on the 70s threshold, and they still work daily for many hours. I still learn from them today. I and Ettore, Luigi’s son, hope to be able to give in the future the same thrust that they have given in these years”. A boost that made global expansion possible, with the group present in America, Europe, Asia and soon in Africa.
The values that keep families and companies together are clear. “I would certainly say honesty, integrity and humanity. For us the human relationship is central. The customer is not only a customer: many of our customers, over time, have become friends».
An approach that also resists in a highly technological sector such as logistics: “Technology is indispensable, but cannot replace the human relationship. This applies to customers, suppliers and employees”. D’Angelo insists on the importance of internal involvement: “It is essential that employees feel the company as something of them, that the result of the company is also their result”.
The so-called American dream, for Stefano D’Angelo, takes on a very concrete dimension: “For me the American dream was to grow professionally and grow the company. When I arrived here, our presence was minimal: microscopic turnover, very small structure. My goal was to expand the customer base, increase the turnover, the number of employees and the services offered”. Today the situation has radically changed. «The dream is never really achieved, because the targets grow every year, but compared to 2011 the results have gone beyond expectations. Today Del Corona & Scardigli has a solid footprint throughout North America”.
When Italian and American market meet, a distinctive feature emerges, typically Italian: “The Italians are probably the best problem solvers in the world and in our sector the problems are everyday. We have an extra march.” At the base a flexibility that initially surprises American interlocutors, but that over time becomes a value: “We always seek a solution, even bypassing the problem creatively, but always within the rules. In the long term this approach is greatly appreciated because we often solve problems that seemed insurmountable and become a factor of loyalty”.
Covid’s pandemic represented a watershed. “The first months were very hard: firm factories, blocked transport”. Then, however, a radical change: “There was an impressive boom, with sea freights and aircraft exploded even by 70 percent. People, not being able to spend on trips, restaurants or entertainment, started buying material goods and all this contributed to the increase in costs and, subsequently, to the inflation that still weighs much, especially in New York”.
Also on the front of duties, D’Angelo invites to caution. “The agreement between the European Union and the United States has been one of the best possible, moreover, thanks to the creativity of exporters and importers, this additional cost has so far been largely absorbed without being overturned on the final consumers, although I fear that in the coming months the costs will end up reflecting on the final prices”.
Looking at the future, the goal for 2026 is stability: “I would like to have a small growth compared to 2025, both in terms of volumes and turnover. We’ve had too many surprises. At this moment I think it is important to be careful, but also ready to adapt, as we have always done.” A philosophy that perfectly summarizes the path of Del Corona & Scardigli USA and the vision of its CEO Stefano D’Angelo.
The article Stefano D’Angelo: «In the United States DCS grows thanks to the Italian problem solving» comes from IlNewyorkese.
