Access hardware success is built around customer commitment, agility and product innovation. Alex Picarelli, Commercial Director at Southco Manufacturing Ltd., reveals all.
What is your role at Southco?
I am Alex Picarelli, Commercial Director at Southco Manufacturing Ltd., Southco’s European headquarters in Worcester. Having previously led the company’s South American operations from Brazil, I relocated to the UK in 2024. My role involves overseeing sales, marketing and engineering activities across Europe.
What does Southco do?
Southco is a global leader in the design and manufacture of access hardware, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of locks, latches, fasteners, hinges and display mounts. We supply innovative access solutions to leading brands across automotive, rail, heavy-duty vehicles, industrial machinery, healthcare, telecommunications and data centres.
With more than 3,500 employees worldwide, Southco operates across the Americas, Europe, India and Asia-Pacific. Our UK manufacturing facility in Worcester has been operating for more than 30 years and produces over 40 million parts annually.
Who are your customers and how do you work with them?
Our products serve a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, marine, HVAC, healthcare and telecommunications. We work closely with customers’ engineering and design teams to understand their requirements and deliver the most effective solution, whether from our portfolio of more than 100,000 standard products or through customised designs. Our goal is to simplify the design process and solve challenges for our customers.
What market changes have you seen in recent years?
Digitalisation, electrification and sustainability are driving significant change across industries and creating new opportunities for access hardware.
In automotive applications, the shift towards digital cockpits and electric vehicles is transforming traditional access systems. Southco has responded with electronic actuation solutions and products designed for new EV applications, including front storage compartments and charging-port locking systems.
We are also seeing innovation in data centres, where liquid-cooling technologies require highly specialised access hardware. Southco has developed solutions that help ensure secure, reliable and leak-free connections in these demanding environments.
How has your product portfolio evolved?
One of the most significant changes has been our expansion from mechanical products into electromechanical and connected access solutions. Over the past two decades, we have combined proven mechanical hardware with electronic controls to create locking systems, access controllers and remote management solutions.
These technologies support RFID credentials, PIN codes and Bluetooth® access. Most recently, we launched Keypanion®, a smartphone app that enables users to securely access and manage equipment remotely. Applications range from bike storage and retail environments to healthcare settings requiring controlled access to sensitive equipment.
This reflects growing demand for secure, connected and remotely managed access solutions. To support this evolution, we are launching a new Connected Access product category, with further innovations planned.
What challenges has the company faced?
Like many manufacturers, Southco has faced supply chain disruptions, rising freight and tariff costs, and geopolitical uncertainty. However, our diverse customer base and broad product portfolio have helped us remain resilient.
We have also continued to invest for growth, expanding operations in India, acquiring the Darshana brand, and opening a new manufacturing facility in Foshan, China.
What is your message to the market?
Southco has emerged from recent challenges stronger than ever. Our commitment to customers continues to drive investment, innovation and growth. By staying agile and identifying new opportunities in both traditional and connected access solutions, we are well positioned for a bright future.
