Last June, Forbes Senior Contributor Bill Springer came to the Model Maker Group facility in Italy for a close behind the scenes look at the company’s work, people, and craftsmanship.

During Springer’s visit, he talked to COO Giuseppe Capobianco about the origin of his vision, how a dream became a passion and then a reality.

Capobianco and his wife, CEO Elisabetta Fantasia, showed Springer the significant changes made in the last few years that have resulted in increased requests and higher demand for scale models.

At the core of Springer’s talk with Capobianco was his curiosity to understand the purpose behind a yacht scale model. The COO explained how a model serves as an incredible marketing tool for shipyards and designers, and a precious object for yacht owners to commemorate the memories made on their yacht.

He later met with the MMG team and toured the production site, appreciating all the phases of model making. Springer saw firsthand the intricate work that goes into creating such a highly detailed product, touched and felt the materials used, and was impressed with the authenticity of the finishes achieved with the company’s machines and technology.

Captivated by the level of realism and attention to detail, Springer later wrote in his article, “Is it a model or a mini superyacht?”