Albania Economia
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Albania Economia interviewed Cristiano D’Auria, founder of D’Auria Packaging, who, with over 50 years of experience in luxury packaging, brought his family tradition to Albania, where he established DPrint Europe in 2017, with facilities in Tirana and Durres. Combining Italian know-how with a strong commitment to innovation, DPrint Europe has emerged as one of the country’s most advanced companies, earning recognition in the “Imprese Vincenti 2024” program, promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo, and winning the “Premio Impresa Ambiente” for being one of the first companies in Europe to adopt the PAS 24000 social responsibility management system. Since 2024, DPrint Europe has been part of the Mosaiq Group, a conglomerate that has strengthened its position in the luxury packaging sector with a focus on sustainability, quality, and an integrated production chain. In the second part of the interview, we spoke with Sebastian Suhl, CEO of Mosaiq Group, who shared his journey in the world of luxury and fashion and his strategic vision for the Group’s future.
Interview with Cristiano D’Auria
The D’Auria family has over fifty years of experience in the printing and packaging industry. How did this entrepreneurial tradition begin, and what were the key steps that led to the creation of DPrint Europe in Albania in 2017?
Our family’s entrepreneurial journey began in 1966, when my father, Sergio, transitioned from being an accomplished jazz double bassist to a music composer. After performing in major European clubs, he decided to return to Ascoli Piceno at the age of 30 and took over an old printing house from 1849. This marked the start of a business project that over the years distinguished itself for its creative flair and refined visual language. In 2000, I took over the company, which evolved significantly by adopting new technologies, new expertise, and new industrial facilities. I aimed to bring a more international vision to a mature company and expand into commercial sectors beyond publishing, particularly into packaging. This journey culminated in our bold overseas investment in 2017, through which we succeeded in creating new industrial efficiencies and bringing graphic sector production, once dominated by Asian giants, back to Europe. The creation of a flexible industry model that combines technology, processes, and craftsmanship has proven to be a winning formula, allowing us to export Made-in-Italy excellence worldwide.
DPrint Europe is increasingly focused on innovation and sustainability, with the adoption of advanced technologies, vegetable-based inks, and efficient waste management. How do you balance the heritage of Italian craftsmanship with the new demands of the luxury market?
The luxury market has been one of the first to focus on strategic issues of sustainability, not only environmental but also social sustainability for businesses. Being pioneers in these areas allowed us to meet the growing demand for high-quality production, with a high degree of customization, great industrial competitiveness, and, most importantly, an added value in terms of social responsibility. Being ambassadors of Made-in-Italy for us has never been just about certification of origin; it’s about running a healthy business and exporting our values. In each of our production hubs, we share methodologies, processes, technologies, IT systems, experiences, logistics, an internal training school, certifications, economic and professional valorization policies, and incentive-driven management systems for growth. We believed in this model, and today, we have extended it to a controlled supply chain of around 500 employees, both direct and indirect, across our Italian and overseas facilities.
Since 2024, DPrint Europe has become part of Mosaiq Group, an aggregation platform aiming to redefine the luxury packaging sector. What has this merger meant for your Group, and what opportunities do you see for growth and innovation?
I strongly believe in the value of individuals and in the aggregation of skills to join challenging projects that expand the horizons of global competition. The creation of Mosaiq Group represents exactly this. It wasn’t easy to identify five complementary companies, all eager to embark on a common path, and starting this process took over a year of delicate work. Today, we are ready to share experiences, best practices, technologies, processes, certifications, purchases, management policies, commercial synergies, and innovation content to establish market leadership in luxury packaging, with a short supply chain model that is completely transparent and with full control over every phase of the industrial process.
DPrint Europe has received prestigious awards such as ‘Imprese Vincenti 2024’ and the ‘Premio Impresa Ambiente.’ In a market like Albania’s, which still faces challenges compared to more established European realities, how significant have these achievements been for you?
These awards, along with those received by other excellences within the group, are a significant confirmation that we are on the right path. They are vital to the company’s morale and represent an important reward for the team’s dedication to achieving major milestones. The Impresa Ambiente award was presented to us in 2024 by the Chamber of Commerce of Venice-Rovigo in collaboration with Unioncamere, for being one of the first companies in Europe to adopt the PAS 24000 standard, which helps businesses improve their social impact and provides a solid foundation for further sustainable development initiatives, enhancing relationships with employees, social partners, the local community, consumers, authorities, and other stakeholders. With this mindset, we face new challenges every day, and this approach led to the creation of DPrint Europe. We are proud that, thanks to these prestigious recognitions, DPrint Europe can be considered one of the industrial excellences in neighboring Albania.
Interview with Sebastian Suhl:
Sebastian, you have built an extraordinary career in the luxury sector, working with iconic brands such as Prada, Valentino, Trussardi, Givenchy, and Marc Jacobs. How did your journey in this world begin? Was it always your desire to work in fashion, or was it a discovery along the way? What were your first roles, and which experiences shaped you the most? Was there a particular company or moment that marked a turning point in your career?
Since I was a child, I’ve had a deep passion for the world of fashion, luxury, and retail. This interest turned into a concrete professional path when I had the opportunity to enter the industry with an entrepreneurial project: the launch of the couture brand Thimister in Paris, alongside Josephus Thimister, former creative director of Balenciaga. This experience was incredibly formative, as it allowed me to immerse myself fully in the dynamics of a fashion startup, facing the challenges of creativity and managing an emerging brand on a small scale. Later, my career progressed at Prada, where I spent ten years focusing on developing retail excellence, expanding the business internationally, and playing an important role in the company’s IPO. These diverse but complementary experiences were key milestones in my professional growth, enabling me to build a strategic vision of the fashion and luxury sectors.
How did the opportunity to become CEO of Mosaiq Group, a platform that brings together luxury packaging excellence, come about? What convinced you to accept this challenge, and how did you envision your contribution to the Group’s growth from the outset?
The opportunity to become CEO of Mosaiq Group came from meeting five historic entrepreneurs, leaders in the luxury packaging sector. What really convinced me to accept this challenge was seeing how the project was born from the ground up, driven by these entrepreneurs’ desire to unite their excellence to create something unique. Packaging is a vital component for the branding of luxury houses, and having an integrated supply chain is a key strategic advantage.
We’re curious to hear about your strategic and creative vision for leading the Group toward new milestones. How do you approach the challenge of managing such a diversified group in terms of experiences and visions?
Managing such a diversified platform is an exciting challenge, which I approach by valuing the specific expertise of each company in the group while working towards a common vision that blends craftsmanship, innovation, and sustainability. Our goal is to strengthen our position as a strategic partner for major luxury brands, offering them excellence, quality, and an unparalleled integrated service. Our vision for Mosaiq Group is clear: to create a one-stop-shop of producers, shortening the value chain to offer brands complete, innovative, and sustainable solutions. This approach sets us apart in the market and enables us to respond quickly to the evolving needs of the luxury sector.
