Sponsored by the Italian Trade Agency.
Image courtesy of Bonino.
With ongoing labor shortages, persistent economic uncertainty, and fickle trends that can change on a dime, North American industries are challenged to constantly adapt to new market needs. To address these ongoing pain points, Italian machine builders are pushing their equipment to new levels of flexible design and adaptability. Per an End-User Perceptions survey — conducted by WTWH on behalf of the Italian Trade Agency’s Machines Italia project to assess how North American companies perceive and utilize Italian machinery — North American companies are selecting Italian machinery that can speak directly to these challenges. This includes machines that are integration-ready (over 25%) so they can be easily repurposed and redeployed in an operation, as well as simplified interfaces to accommodate a lack of skilled labor (over 26%).
Adaptable machinery that is able to evolve with a customer’s needs speaks directly to a number of common end-user challenges, and Italian machine builders have become leaders in designing versatile and flexible equipment. To demonstrate the versatility and nimbleness of Italian machinery, Machines Italia highlights several Italian machine builders on the leading edge of flexible and adaptable machine design. These leaders in adaptive excellence are leveraging machine designs to help end users address a number of common industry challenges, from textiles to heavy construction machinery.
End users of Italian machinery have taken note of the versatility and flexibility of Italian equipment, and they gravitate toward Italian-made quality over other machinery. As one North
American OEM explains, using Italian-made machinery in textile was a clear advantage over other equipment available in the market: “I personally have liked the simplicity and design for use that I have seen in
Italian machinery. We appreciate that our Italian OEM partner has been flexible with their controls as we have inconvenient specifications that need to be met. We often keep machines in production for many years, so flexibility of manufacturers is important. I have attempted to buy similar machines from US manufacturers, and have been disappointed by the clunky design and large footprint for similar machines.”
By designing inherently flexible machinery anchored around modularity and process diversification, Italian machine builders are working to combine multiple machines into one holistic offering, simplifying end user operations and driving new efficiencies. To get a sense of the breadth and depth of Italian machine versatility, Machines Italia examined a few select Italian machine builders to uncover specific technologies and process innovations that showcase the brilliance of Italian machine design.
Versatility is in the Card(ing)s
One way Italian machine builders are improving the versatility of their machinery is by listening carefully to their customers’ needs and responding to them proactively. With over 100 years of experience in manufacturing carding machines, Bonino Srl (boninoitaly.com/en) a member of ACIMIT the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (acimit.it) has embraced flexible, adaptable, and customized designs to carve out a distinguished reputation for supplying versatile solutions.
A guiding philosophy of Bonino design is unifying multiple processes into one machine, eliminating additional equipment where feasible. For instance, processing bleached cotton, viscose, and natural fibers — such as hemp — for nonwoven products used in hygiene, cosmetics, and medical applications typically involves between three and six separate carding machines. Through intensive design and feedback, Bonino has improved this process by utilizing more efficient machinery, resulting in two or three Bonino carding machines being able to handle the workload that would typically take up to six machines. By designing a more versatile and adaptable machine, Bonino has delivered significant capital and utility savings to customers.
Robust machine adaptability is also at the forefront of Bonino’s customer relationships. Bonino works closely with customers to build carding machines suited for their needs, placing particular emphasis on understanding future operational goals and potential future applications. By building carding machinery in a step-by-step process with customer input at each step, Bonino delivers machinery designed to grow with an organization. Whether a customer wants to pivot to new materials, incorporate new high-tech features, or even add entirely new products to their portfolio, Bonino can deliver truly flexible machinery able to seamlessly adapt to new production needs.
Regarding functionality, Bonino machinery is designed to be innately flexible. Bonino strives to create modular pieces of equipment that can be easily moved around and redeployed, as well as easily augmented with aftermarket modifications to greatly expand machine capabilities. By building flexible and adaptable features into the foundation of their machine design, Bonino delivers unparalleled versatility and functionality that can grow organically with an organization.
Collaborate to Succeed: U.S. Cotton Partners with Bonino
U.S. Cotton, LLC located in Belmont, NC. is a leading manufacturer of cosmetic and beauty aid products. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology US Cotton produces cotton-based products in the U.S. U.S. Cotton’s mission is to manufacture and market high-quality cotton products that support and satisfy customers’ and consumers’ needs.
Productively promoting innovative products that adhere to four basic business principles: quality, value, performance and service. For this issue of Machines Italia, we had the pleasure of speaking with Marcel Elsner, Senior Engineer Manager at U.S. Cotton, who shared his experience working with Italian OEM Bonino Srl.
U.S. Cotton is currently using multiple Bonino Airlay machines to form cotton web used in cosmetic & health and beauty products such as cotton balls, swabs, pads, and more. “We started with one small Airlay machine from Bonino about 12 years ago and just purchased the sister machine,” Elsner says. “Additionally, one of our previous plants in Switzerland also purchased a Bonino machine because of how well it worked at the North Carolina plant. They are very reliable machines.”
Ultimately, U.S. Cotton wanted not just a machine supplier, but a partner. “One of the reasons we chose to go with Bonino is because they are very collaborative,” he says. “They provided us with a niche, completely custom product. They had the willingness to go beyond what other OEM’s said could be done. Most similar machines are big, heavy, and slow. We needed a machine that was faster, lighter, and more compact. Bonino stepped up to build a prototype to support our needs.”
Bonino collaborates with their customers to achieve the right solutions at the right time. For U.S. Cotton, this meant designing a machine that didn’t exist on the market. Bonino stepped up to the challenge knowing that producing a prototype, completely custom solutions comes with its own unique challenges.
“With prototypes being highly customized, it is understood that it is a collaborative partnership,” Elsner says. “There will be tweaks and changes that need to be made as you go.”
Elsner has seen the powerful aftermarket support that Italian machines now hold, too. “Bonino has incredible support on the back end,” he says. “The partnership and Bonino’s commitment to collaboration was especially apparent. Bonino has a limited service presence in the U.S. but they have provided lots of electrical and engineering support by utilizing internet and remote connectivity.”
One key area that U.S. Cotton has loved about working with Bonino is their support of modifications. Some OEMs get very upset when they make a modification. “Bonino is the exact opposite,” Elsner says. “They not only want us to make modifications that work, but they want to know what those modifications are so they can be incorporated into future designs. Some of our modifications were included on the machine in our Switzerland plant.”
Bonino is not only committed to collaborating with U.S. Cotton to design the right machine, but proudly stands behind their machine and continues to support U.S. Cotton with their aftermarket needs. Elsner values the partnership, highlighting the structure of many Italian OEMs.
“Working with Bonino is working with family,” he says. “You have direct access to the owners and several generations that are still part of the company – there is a lot of knowledge with people who are interested and passionate about what they do. Additionally, this structure allows for less red tape. It really lets them be flexible and nimble to our needs. When working with German OEMs there is much more red tape and processes that must be followed. In our experience, working with Italians brings much, much more flexibility.”
Versatility Woven In
One key industry where Italian machine builders are excelling in versatile machine design is textiles. Biancalani Srl (biancalani. com) a member of ACIMIT the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (acimit.it) has been designing and manufacturing equipment for fabric preparation and finishing for over 65 years. Recently, Biancalani has turned renewed attention to the automotive industry, where textile needs and vehicle designs are experiencing a period of innovation and change. To address this new era in automotive manufacturing, Biancalani is enhancing its already-versatile line of automotive textile machinery to adapt to new production needs.
Image courtesy of Biancalani.
For instance, Biancalani produces machinery tailored to specific fabric needs, meaning they have a solution for any fabric type and configuration used by the automotive industry. “The automotive fabric treatment industry will continue to evolve,” says Rossano Biancalani, CEO at Biancalani. “With the integration of smart technologies in fabrics, the development of bio-based materials, increasingly customized vehicle interiors, and optimization of production processes, there is a need for flexible and adaptable solutions in the automotive industry. We’re here to solve the challenges the automotive industry will face.” On top of this, Baincalani is actively incorporating new features and technology desired by the automotive industry into their processes. The Baincalani AIRO 24 process is an excellent example. Beyond delivering stellar fabric stabilization and enhancing elasticity properties, the AIRO 24 process can accommodate the inclusion of smart sensor use within the fabric for cutting-edge automotive luxury features like real-time occupant comfort monitoring. Whether an automaker plans to incorporate advanced features like climate monitoring into textiles, Biancalani machinery provides the flexibility and adaptability to grow with modern automotive trends.
Baincalani is also improving the functionality of textiles for the automotive industry, creating a more versatile and adaptable product. Through their innovative AQUARIA washing process, Biancalani is able to eliminate chemical usage and reduce water consumption. While already impressive, Baincalani has refined the AQUARIA process even further, opening the door to the inclusion of anti-microbial and self-cleaning properties into the fabric itself. By taking an already innovative process and adapting it to incorporate flexible features and options, Biancalani produces versatile equipment that can adapt to future production goals.
Sounding Success
Another Italian machine builder excelling in versatile machine design for textile production is Ferraro SpA (ferraro.it/en), a member of ACIMIT (acimit.it) the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers. Ferraro has been producing machinery for the textile industry for over 70 years, focusing the past 20 years on developing adaptable, flexible machinery to accommodate all of their customers’ needs.
Exemplifying this commitment to innovation is the FerrSonic system, an ultrasound-based cleaning system that contributes to more flexible production setups. Beyond delivering enormous savings by reducing water usage, chemical usage, and cleaning times, the FerrSonic system upends the traditional cleaning process by allowing the machine to remain in place. With traditional jet drying, machines must be removed from the line and treated separately, creating costly downtime. To solve this issue, Ferraro created a more versatile and adaptable process, resulting in the FerrSonic clean-in-place solution. Using a traditional installation with FerrSonic, Ferraro machinery is able to be continually cleaned without removal from the line, all with less electricity needed. This innovative setup can drastically improve the production flexibility of manufacturing operations by keeping downtime to a minimum.
Image courtesy of Ferraro.
Ferraro also deploys high-tech solutions to enhance the flexibility and adaptability of the entire manufacturing space. Through their Senor line of integrated panels and touch screens, Ferraro brings cutting-edge connectivity, data gathering, and monitoring to their already versatile textile machinery and processes. By tapping into operational data, Ferraro machinery empowers manufacturers to continuously improve the capability of their production space.
Dyehouse in a Box
One Italian textile machine builder is approaching design versatility by endeavoring to combine multiple machine functionalities into one comprehensive piece of equipment. Lawer SpA (lawer.com/en) is a member of ACIMIT (acimit.it) the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers. As Lawer has shown, there is another approach to design versatility.
By combining multiple functionalities into one comprehensive piece of equipment, Lawer’s innovative machinery, such as the TD-DYELAB and related systems, exemplify the concept of flexibility and adaptability, contributing significantly to advancements in the textile industry. Its TD-DYELAB is an outstanding example of machinery that can replace multiple machines with one unified system. Described as a “dyehouse in a box,” this fully automated system combines the functions of weighing, dosing, dispensing, dyeing, and managing chemical solutions within a single machine. Anita Bandere, Commercial and Marketing Executive at Lawer’s, highlights the depth of automation in the Lawer machine-based dying process. “The automatic dosing systems organize production in an innovative way, automatically weighing and dosing powders, liquids, and chemicals as parts of the recipes of the textile dyeing and finishing process,” she says.
The TD-DYELAB can handle the preparation of the powder dye, dissolving, dosing, and distributing dye solutions and chemical products used in laboratories, thus eliminating the need for separate machines for each task. TD-DYELAB can also reproduce a real dyeing process, allowing the company to replicate the exact process in a laboratory sample.
TD-DYELAB supports the use of different types of materials (natural, synthetic, fabrics, yarn, loose fiber), enabling textile manufacturers to try different solutions without investing in new machinery. The system’s ability to automatically prepare diluted solutions from more concentrated ones provides users with the flexibility to adapt to changing production requirements swiftly.
Lawer’s commitment to innovation ensures that TD-DYELAB is not only adaptable today but ready to meet tomorrow’s operational needs, as it can be easily redeployed within an operation when priorities change. The system’s modular components, including bottle-holder tables and powder-holder tables, can be configured to suit different needs. “The accurate monitoring of the dyeing process, the precision of the preparations, the repeatability of the recipes, and the perfect traceability of the operations carried out, are fundamental elements of an efficient working process, constant monitoring, and cost reduction,” Bandere says. “The need for a healthy and hygienic working environment, where contaminations and product handling are minimized, are also essential elements for a modern process. This level of flexibility ensures that Lawer machinery can adapt to new tasks and processes with minimal disruption.”
Lawer leverages digital solutions and software to enhance the adaptability and versatility of its machinery. TD-DYELAB includes a computer with management software, enabling straightforward setup and production management. This integration-ready approach enhances the overall flexibility and adaptability of the equipment, allowing for hassle-free integration into existing operations. Additionally, the machine can be connected and integrated with other software, in compliance with 4.0 regulations.
With the ability to handle numerous processes and material types, combined with modular design and easy integration features, Lawer’s machinery fully embraces versatile and flexible design philosophy.
All-in-One Design
Monti Antonio SpA (montiantonio.com/en) is a member of ACIMIT (acimit.it) the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers. With an extensive range of machines that include solutions for laminating, thermoprinting, ironing, and finishing materials, Monti Antonio has a long history of innovation and technological advancement in the textile sector and beyond.
Image courtesy of Monti Antonio.
A key pillar of its approach to machine design is versatility. Monti Antonio machines are designed to be highly nimble, capable of handling a number of different applications across industries. The Model L calender is a prime example of versatility, offering a variety of applications such as film coating (plastification), film bonding, pvc and pu embossing, foil decoration, effects decoration, and sublimation printing. This series of calenders is ideal for organizations looking for a single solution with diverse applications. Many Monti Antonio customers start with one specific use in mind and soon discover that their machines enable customers to expand their market.
Monti Antonio has also deployed remote monitoring and remote access technology with their installations, further enhancing machine flexibility and decreasing the management burden at manufacturers. By using open protocols tailored to each customer’s specific needs, Monti Antonio machinery seamlessly interfaces with existing IT systems to efficiently communicate operational data. This nimbleness can be taken a step further by connecting the system to the internet, enabling Monti Antonio to remotely optimize processes.
Evolving With The Customer
One Italian machine builder is looking to leverage longevity and modularity as a way to increase the lifespan of its equipment and empower nimble redeployment to greatly enhance machine versatility. Tonello Srl (tonello.com/en) is a member of ACIMIT (acimit.it) the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, and has been designing machinery anchored around flexibility and adaptability for two decades. By approaching machine design through the lens of longevity, Tonello designs machines capable of evolving with their customers.
Image courtesy of Tonello.
For instance, all of Tonello’s machines are easily retrofitted, allowing customers to adapt to changing technology and production needs. A perfect example is the NoStone® system, which provides a plug-and-play solution to replace pumice stone seamlessly. It’s reusable, easy to implement, and eliminates the dust and sludge typically generated by traditional pumice, offering a cleaner, more sustainable alternative. “Adaptability and flexibility are at the core of our machines which is why we proudly say that our machines don’t age,” Alberto Lucchin, Marketing Manager at Tonello, says. “They evolve.”
Tonello machinery is highly versatile, capable of handling several applications on one machinery setup that would traditionally be accomplished through several pieces of equipment. An excellent example of this is its All-In-One System, which integrates washing, dyeing, and finishing into a single unit. This innovative design enables customers to replace multiple machines with a single, comprehensive Tonello solution.
Tonello also strives to design modular machinery that can be redeployed in an operation as priorities shift and organizations grow. The company is cognizant of the challenges their customers face. “We understand the complexities our customers face – pivoting or expanding capabilities, operator safety, new technologies,” Lucchin says. “We design our machines with the end user’s challenges in mind. This means our machines aren’t just built for today — they’re engineered to stay ahead of the curve and meet future operational needs seamlessly.”
Tonello machines support a variety of processes — washing, dyeing, and finishing — and can seamlessly transition between these tasks as needed. Their user-friendly interfaces and plug-and-play systems simplify reconfiguration, allowing operators to adapt quickly to new workflows without extensive downtime. This flexibility makes Tonello machinery an ideal solution for operations that require agility and responsiveness to changing demands.
From adaptable retrofits to baked-in versatility and modularity, Tonello machinery’s flexibility is a valuable asset to future-proofing customer operations.
Heating Up
Smart features, like pre-programmed cycles and automatic temperature detection, are also helping Italian machine builders create more versatile machinery. Triveneta Grandi Impianti Srl (trivgi.com) is a member of ACIMIT (acimit.it) the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers. For over 50 years, Triveneta has been designing, manufacturing, and selling versatile dryers for use in a multitude of industries and applications.
Image courtesy of Triveneta Grandi Impianti.
Triveneta’s design philosophy is rooted in customization and flexibility. By offering a wide range of dryers with a plethora of optional additions and features, Triveneta can provide customers with machines tailored to their current needs, with an eye toward future goals and capabilities. From different injector configurations for steam and cleaning products, to a variety of drum options, Triveneta dryers can be customized to each client’s precise needs and specifications. This level of customization enables customers to use Triveneta in an array of applications, with different options and features opening up new applications and new industries for customers.
Triveneta is also utilizing the latest technology to improve the versatility of their dryers. Features such as infrared sensors designed to change cycles automatically upon achieving programmed temperatures enable Triveneta dryers to autonomously adjust for variances in load composition and size. Further automation features, such as intuitive touch screen interfaces and remote monitoring, removes the burden from operators to manage load and cycle changes by streamlining programming and enabling remote troubleshooting. This suite of automated features and functions not only enhances the range of capabilities the machine can perform, but also frees up human resources to be redeployed elsewhere, greatly enhancing overall operational flexibility.
By combining flexible customization with adaptable technology, Triveneta delivers dryers capable of accommodating applications in a wide variety of industries, from industrial dyehouses to healthcare and hospital settings.
Flexing on Construction
Apart from textile machinery, Italian machine builders are bringing versatile and flexible design innovations to construction and earthmoving equipment. It’s not easy. And that’s why it’s so impressive.
For more than 75 years, Venieri SpA (vf-venieri.com/en) a member of UNACEA the Italian Association of Construction Equipment Machinery Manufacturers (unacea.org/en) has been a leader in the construction and earthmoving industries. With a focus on delivering high-performance wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, and a wide range of equipment weighing between 7,900 lbs and 22,000 lbs, Venieri remains synonymous with reliability, adaptability, and innovation. Versatile machinery is at the core of Venieri’s identity; the company believes that every challenge can benefit from a tailored and flexible solution.
Image courtesy of Venieri.
Venieri’s mantra of customized adaptability is reflected strongly in their backhoe loader design. These loaders exemplify this commitment to flexibility and versatility by merging the capabilities of two machines into one innovative solution. With seamless loading and excavation capabilities, Venieri’s backhoe loaders can streamline operations, saving time, effort, and investment.
More than just a versatile backhoe configuration, Venieri’s machines are best viewed as highly adaptable platforms, capable of carrying hundreds of different attachments and tools for a staggering variety of jobs. This modular design allows for easy retrofitting, ensuring that every product adapts to meet the customers’ specific needs. Need high-flow? It’s easily retrofittable on demand. From snow removal to material handling, road maintenance to landscaping, Venieri wheel loaders are ready for anything your business demands, today and in the future.
Whether it’s modifying machines to integrate specific attachments, optimizing designs for specialized tasks, or enhancing performance for greater efficiency, Venieri crafts equipment that empowers their customers with flexible and adaptable solutions. Venieri has even helped its partners adapt their machines for entirely new opportunities – increasing lifting capacity, improving fuel efficiency, or enabling multi-functional capabilities. Whatever a customer’s goals, Venieri strives to ensure their equipment can grow alongside an organization and works closely with their customers to deliver innovative machinery that can be efficiently adapted to new processes throughout the course of its life.
Flexibility Into the Future
As trends change and economic realities evolve, companies must be ready to pivot and adapt to new market baselines and address new customer desires. With Italian design and innovation, end users can be confident their machine purchases will remain integral pieces of their organization for years to come.
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