Emi Italy Splits Label, Manufacturing Units

MILAN‹EMI Music Italy split its label activities and CD manufacturing and distribution operations into two distinct entities, effective April 1.
The CD plant and distribution center at Caronno Pertusella on the outskirts of Milan will become EMI Operations Italy Spa, while all label activities remaining there, such as administration, will be moved to EMI Music Italy's central Milan offices. Vico Dello Iojo, formerly operations manager at the CD plant, becomes director general of the new entity and will report to EMI Music Worldwide offices in London.
Riccardo Clary remains president of EMI Music Italy and director general of Virgin Music Italy. Clary‹who was promoted to president one year ago after turning around the fortunes of Virgin Music Italy as director general‹says, "We are closing my first year in charge, which has seen many changes. Apart from success with international repertoire such as Cartoons, Blur, and Robbie Williams, we have doubled revenue on local repertoire and created some solid projects for our strategic marketing division. The separation of our label and other activities will allow us to give more emphasis and focus in all areas."
Dello Iojo, who has been with EMI Italy for 26 years, says his objectives are to expand the client base for the CD manufacturing plant and to further modernize the distribution activities.
"We have the capacity to produce 30 million CDs a year," says Dello Iojo. "In 1998, we produced 26 million units‹mainly for EMI and Virgin Music Italy and our European affiliates‹and I will be seeking to find new clients outside of the EMI group."