Name: Davide Pane
Job title: Production Operator
Location: Castelletto Ticino
Country: Italy
Who is Davide Pane?
I was a little over twenty when I joined the company in 1991, and I was immediately put to work in the production sector. Over the years, I carried out different tasks, including monitoring labeling and canning, but always in the production sector. There isn’t one specific duty that keeps me more occupied than any other, but I feel that all these different jobs help keep me busy, prevent me from getting distracted, even though from a physical aspect, it can be tiring at times, especially for your back.
I recall my arrival – at that time with Akzo - with great fondness, because I was considered ‘the junior’ and everyone was happy to pass on all their know-how, so I could do my job properly. In a way, the workplace seemed familiar to me from the outset, because, as a resident of the area, I already knew some of my colleagues, whom I would meet up with at the bar for a glass of wine or a chat. I have been living on my own for many years now, but I live near my parents. I am the youngest of three children and I am also an uncle! I see myself as a very active person, who loves company. That’s why in my free time, every chance I get, I try to do things, like play soccer with friends, go running, or help out at some of the village organizations or the Dormelletto’s Sailing Club, where I like to help organize events, especially games for young kids.
What does color mean to you at work?
The first color I associate with my work environment is white, probably because all the interiors were done in white. Over the years, many colors have acquired different name, and nowadays they have some really weird ones, almost unrecognizable. It used to be a lot simpler, because I could associate them with the names of cartoon characters: they had their own personality and were a lot more fun, for example, Tex and Super. The names today are a lot more difficult to remember, because you can’t link them to anything.
…and outside of work?
Given my friendly nature and my vivid imagination, my apartment is rather colorful... more than anything, it’s luminous and bright. I don’t like dull, grey or dark tones, like brown. I live at the lake side and I decorated my home with furniture from IKEA, and use Sikkens colors obviously! White for the bedroom and the living room, yellow and blue alternately for the other rooms, so the whole house is rather harmonious and cozy, like a holiday home. If you can feel as if you’re on holiday in your own home, I think that’s a wonderful feeling! And, it adds some color to your life… even outside of the workplace. This enables you to take a more serene approach to your work and even manage to enjoy your time spent in the office.
Personally, I consider myself rather fortunate. I grew professionally with Sikkens. I became part of the company at the tender age of 21, a ‘fledgling’, but I felt right at home from the start.
I think taking part in the activities of your local community is very useful, even if commitments and family obligations don’t always leave you with much time. But I’m convinced that life is more than just work. Making time for yourself and for your interests, and cultivating friendships, those things are important.
What is your all-time favorite color and why?
Bright yellow reminds me of when I was 21, when I used to go dancing and enjoy myself. We had a different kind of energy back then, and even the colors we wore were a lot ‘funkier’. Fuchsia reminds me of a summer holiday with friends (and a girl) in Ibiza, another happy occasion, a time of fun and light-heartedness. And then pink, even if it is a strange choice for a man. At 27, I went to live on my own. I found an apartment to rent that was all pink inside and I purposely left it like that. Even today, I still call it the ‘pink den’, even if it was just a ‘temporary stopgap’. After four months I decided to buy a house. I associate pink with a happy time in my life, and I have no regrets whatsoever. It was fun.
If you could choose one color that most closely matches your personality, what would it be and why?
I would say that one color alone is not enough to identify me. Instead, a series of colors, like a rainbow, bright colors, vivid colors, definitely not dark colors! In a way colors reflect your character, and as I was saying, I think I’m a straightforward, spirited, active person. So the colors I wear, or that I prefer, definitely reflect that side of me.