Machines Italia Magazine Spring 2010

from the Italian Trade Commission President

Clean Manufacturing

Stimulates Green Economy

E Umberto Vattani, President of the Italian Trade Commission, has been for many years in the Italian Diplomatic Service: twice Secretary General of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, he has served as Ambassador in several countries. He is also President of the Venice International University (VIU) and of the Italy-Japan Foundation.

conomic growth demands energy in great quantity, while keeping damage to the environment to a minimum. This engenders opportunities for a change of approach and for greater attention to available resources and to how they are used. It is a need, which has come to be fully acknowledged not only by those responsible for establishing environmental policy but also by economists and entrepreneurs.

Hence the emphasis laid on so-called clean technologies, which ensure low pollutant emissions, allow reducing environmental impact and, at the same time, pave the way for the launch of new products, while boosting the economy through ongoing research.

Thanks to their ingenuity and flexibility, Italian companies have asserted themselves as authoritative players in a field which has come to be known as the green economy.

The Italian Trade Commission – ITC offers a reference point for these companies.

The importance of manufacturing in our country’s tradition is a known fact, but not everyone is aware of the prominent role held by Italian machinery manufacturers and leading-edge know-how in the realm of new technologies.

Visitors to fairs in which the ITC participates can see for themselves the many innovations, which Italian industry has to offer, along with its groundbreaking achievements in terms of cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, reduction of noise pollution and use of alternative energy sources.

Innovative

Solutions for GREEN

MANUFACTURING

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The latest issue of Machines Italia examines how global manufacturers can benefit from sustainable manufacturing practices, as promoted and supported by Italian machinery makers.

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Table of Contents 4

Sustainable Manufacturing

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Sustainable Practices Gain Respect

Italy Field Report #1

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Pasta Machines Go Green 10

Renewable Energy Renewable Energies Provide Answers

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Green Machines Going Green with Machinery and Equipment

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Italy Field Report #2 Designing Efficiency into the Machine

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Machinery Trends Survey Reveals Growing Interest in Green Manufacturing

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Recyclable Technologies Recycling Supports Environmental Commitment

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Machines Italia News

News Briefs from a Selection of Our 10,000 Partner Companies

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Awards Promote Education Italian Technology Award Programs Host North American Students

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Sponsoring Innovation Machines Italia at major North American events

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Trade Shows Italian Exhibitions Listed by Sector

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Italian Machinery Innovation at Work in Global Markets

Italian Trade Commission-Chicago

Address: 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 3030 Chicago, Illinois 60611

Toll-Free: 1.888.ITALTRADE / 482.5872 (U.S. and Canadian Callers) 26

Telephone: 312.670.4360 (outside the U.S. and Canada)

Fax: 312.264.6209

E-mail: info@italtradeusa.com

Web Site: www.machinesitalia.org

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The Italian Trade Commission’s North American offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Toronto and Mexico City are principally responsible for the machinery and technology sectors covered in this publication.

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sustainable manufacturing

Sustainable Practices Gain Respect Sustainability is supported by Italy’s quality manufacturing equipment

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ustainability today means different things to different people. First, sustainability requires a pro-active approach.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) is committed to help businesses achieve sustainability. After analyzing feedback from a Sustainability and Competitiveness Summit last fall, it found that stakeholders face uncertainty regarding competing sustainability-related product and process information, data, metrics and standards (domestic and international). A Sustainable Manufacturing Initiative team, cre-

ated to look at metrics for sustainable manufacturing, is developing a “toolkit” to be ready in 2010 to help companies assess and measure the benefits of implementing sustainable practices.

In some companies, sustainability is a philosophy. Others seek durability and quality in their equipment investments to achieve sustainability. In still others, sustainable manufacturing supports company efforts to revitalize a product line or integrate a corporate acquisition.

The common thread is developing a sustainable practice that results in bottom-line savings. One of North America’s oldest and largest industrial pasta manufacturers is looking to achieve these savings with a sustainable expansion at its flagship pasta factory in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Philadelphia Macaroni Company (PMC, www.philamacaroni.com), acknowledges that an important component of that effort is the addition of a new pasta production line.

PMC recently expanded its Grand Forks facility to enhance sustainable practices, creating 12 new jobs. Executive vice president Bill Urban managed the multifaceted construction project and commented on efforts to incorporate sustainable systems at the site. Noting that the recent economic climate created a demand for pasta as a “center of the plate” dinner option and a need to increase production, he says, “It’s project design which will make us better corporate citizens in Grand Forks, allowing us to reduce energy and resource consumption while improving efficiencies.”

Sustainability is pro-active A sustainable or “green” building results from a design which focuses on increasing efficiencies of resource use along with an organized effort to design and build facilities with processes and materials that promote environmental sustainability. Cost savings come through productivity, lower-cost building operations, and resource utilization including:

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sustainable manufacturing

Water conservation: a waterless vacuum pump is part of the new pasta line and will conserve more than 2 million gallons of water annually.

Resource efficiency: locally available building materials, components, and systems were used to save transportation costs.

Greenhouse gas reduction: an additional rail siding permits greater use of railroad transport of raw ingredients and finished product. (The American Association of Railroads states that railroads are at least three times more efficient than trucks.)

Energy conservation: energy-efficient T5 lead-free fluorescent lighting provides long life.

Other improvements include 70 percent more plant capacity, 50 percent more warehouse space, pasta production lines with updated programmable logic controllers (PLCs), two new raw ingredient silos, and an integrated Warehouse Management System (WMS).

The family-owned business, headquartered in Philadelphia, has factories in Pennsylvania, North Dakota, and Washington and more than 200 employees. It makes dry, frozen and specialty pasta for industrial, institutional, and contract retail customers across an international customer base.

Philadelphia Macaroni mills durum and hard red spring wheat for internal use and for sale on the open market through its Minot Milling Company division in North Dakota. Pasta and milling facilities, Kosher- and Organic-Certified, operate 24/7 to meet demand.

According to family patriarch Luke Marano, Sr., “My grandfather came from Italy in 1874 and had a grocery business. Today we have the fifth generation here. We’ve been rather successful, especially since the demise of the lowcalorie diet; pasta came back.

“When I started working, we came in and opened the valves and adjusted them and opened more valves. Now you put a program into a machine and it works by itself. If anything goes wrong, you call Italy via satellite and it’s fixed.”

A little over a year ago, PMC bought a new dry pasta production line from one of the largest pasta equipment manufacturers in the world, Italy’s Fava S.p.A. (www.fava.it). Marano says, “Our new Fava equipment handles 200,000 pounds a day. We have other Favas that are around ten years old. Laws are strict now and you

need high temperature equipment to pasteurize your product. Fava is dependable.”

Executive VP Urban adds, “I bought it. We took a tour a few years ago in Italy and visited pasta companies and equipment manufacturers and formed an assessment based on capabilities and desire. We have built a relationship with all of them over the years. We also looked at auxiliary equipment, buckets and shakers, to complement the line. It was a stretch to buy bigger (we bought more size than we had originally planned). Historically, this industry was always growing. We got a Fava press and dryer in one, one of the largest lines. It’s computer-driven and gives us more capacity.”

Dry pasta is the shelf-stable product bought at the supermarket in small packages. PMC makes it at three production facilities. The complex, yet conceptually simple, piece of machinery is capable of producing 8,800 pounds per hour of dry pasta in shapes called short cuts. These include shapes such as elbows, penne, rigatoni, and noodles, radically different from spaghetti, linguine, and angel hair, the long cuts, and pro-

New Fava equipment provides more capacity to PMC.

duced with totally different machinery.The production process is all performed within the line.

All phases are automatic, with the PLC monitoring the conditions of phases and making adjustments. Older pasta production lines, built by different manufacturers in different years, were already installed in the Grand Forks plant. But the new Fava line is much bigger (the second largest line in the plant produces 3,500 lbs/h) and represents the latest evolution in terms of pasta-drying technology.

Contrary to other production lines, it features a single drying unit for two main drying phases, with the pre-dryer and final dryer inside the same machine. This approach, first developed by Fava, significantly reduces the required footprint as two drying phases are positioned on top of each other.

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As of January 2010, the company has produced more than 75,000 kWh of clean energy since going online in 2008, and the system throughout the photovoltaic modules’ estimated life cycle will have contributed to the environment by saving 17,321.85 tons of carbon dioxide, 38,493.00 kg of nitrogen oxide and 43,262.18 barrels of crude oil.

Sustainability is durability

Meccanica Nova is committed to clean energy efforts.

Heat use is more efficient because less is dispersed into ambient air and the machine is proportionally smaller, requiring less steel and aluminum.

Sustainability is philosophy Meccanica Nova S.p.A. (www.meccanicanova. com), a manufacturer of CNC grinding systems for the automotive, aerospace and bearing industry, is going greener with a sustainable philosophy.

“We believe that our philosophy to reinvest profits back into our company has helped us maintain our benchmark status in the industry,” says Andrea Catone, director of sales and marketing.“Meccanica Nova has always been sensitive to the environment and the future of generations to come.”

The company’s high-production grinders are used in many industries to produce high-quality components to improve technologies and develop solutions. The machines produce components for fuel-efficient and low-emission engines, as well as for wind-energy turbines.

Meccanica Nova’s latest contribution to the planet is the installation of a self-sustaining clean energy system. The factory and headquarters in Bologna, Italy, were equipped with photovoltaic modules for producing clean energy, going online in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Installation was facilitated by the building’s construction. The roof is a multiple-shed type with a 14-degree angle of inclination to provide an optimized orientation of the panels to the sun, as well as its geographical orientation of 30 degrees S/W. “The facility’s entire roof has been exploited, the total surface of 50,980 sq ft is covered by 3,425 photovoltaic panels,” says Catone. ”The system is capable of developing 648 kWp of maximum peak output, estimated to produce 738,720kWh/yr of clean energy.”

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Made in Italy is not just a tagline; it’s a guarantee.

North American users of Italian-manufactured equipment agree that durability is one reason they would seek out additional machinery from that country. It is as good as new years down the road.

Silvanus Products, Inc. (www.silvanusproducts. com) provides eco-friendly binders, which the company describes as “not just a binder or a passbook, but the face of a company.” Manufacturing these and similar products since 1929, the company has experienced many innovations and has “built a culture around product quality.”

Claiming dedication to product quality and craftsmanship, Silvanus depends on one machine for creasing and scoring, the Ariemat, manufactured by CMC ITALIA Srl (www.cmc-italia. com) in Italy. The computerized machine features auto-feeding and stacking, scores boards and makes spines for binders.

The device has done a lot of scoring over the last decade and operates constantly. Silvanus general manager Doug Campbell says, “We would certainly consider using additional Italian-made machinery and you can quote me.”

Today Ariemat comes in several versions, including an auto-creaser, a modular machine with high-power precision and adjustable blades; the Aries manual version provides double-register guides on the rear table and front multiple guides as options. Touch-screen controls are standard on all 2006 and later Ariemat models. Creasing programs can be set in seconds, stored and recalled with custom-made software capable of memorizing 100 individual creasing positions.

Sustainability is quality equipment Crossville, Inc. (www.crossvilleinc.com), the largest domestic manufacturer of porcelain stone, operates the first U.S. tile plant designed to manufacture large-unit porcelain tiles. The Tennesseebased company is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and is committed to protecting the environment through quality manufacturing

sustainable manufacturing

processes and offering recycled and environmentally friendly products.

The company’s EcoCycle is the first porcelain tile with a certified recycled content of 40 percent.

Scientific Certification Systems, an independent third-party certifier of environmental claims, conducts regular audits of processes and assures that EcoCycle is in compliance. Crossville porcelains do not emit or absorb pollutants.

“It’s always been Italian machinery,” says plant manager Roger Buck. “From the time we began manufacturing in 1986, the technology and manufacturing machines that we use have always been Italian. We have no American equipment. We recently installed a new Sacmi Imola S.C. 7500 (www.sacmi.com), a good press, and we also use equipment from Pedrini S.p.A. (www.pedrini.it), which does a good polishing job, world-renowned SITI B&T GROUP S.p.A. (www.siti-bt.com) and BMR S.p.A. (www.bmr.it) machinery.

“We’re in position to rev up,” says Buck.“We are one of the leading porcelain tile manufacturers and have won awards for our processes.”

The company’s wastewater policies exceed government standards and have earned several citations for effective wastewater practices. Water used in tile manufacturing is returned clean to its natural habitat.

Crossville maximizes use of natural gas, a cleanburning and efficient fuel, which helps alleviate negative impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions, smog, acid rain and water pollution. Its dust collection procedures not only limit air pollution, inside and outside the plants, but also allow reuse of unfired raw scrap materials during manufacturing.

While such reuse does not constitute recycling, it does minimize landfill deposits while conserving raw materials.

The company’s Environmental Commitment Task Force comprises representatives from each operational unit to evaluate current practices for efficiency and environmental impact and to recommend future innovations to establish Crossville as the environmental leader in the tile industry.

in industries such as diesel engines, hydraulics, electromechanical devices, computers, health and agricultural equipment, the 190,000-sq-ft facility operates three shifts five to six days a week.

Operations leader Curt Pape praises the Bosello High Technology Srl (www.bosello.it) equipment installed last June.“It works very well,” he says. “We love the equipment and the technology is outstanding. It has auto defect recognition (ADR); we use it for X-ray machines.

“We did a lot of looking before we bought.

Bosello could meet delivery and was in our budget framework; this is our first unit. We were invited to visit them, but it’s hard to get away to Italy. However, we saw video demonstrations and we have a local U.S.-based support source.

“Our equipment is used with structural thinwalled aluminum high-pressure die cutting for shock components for BMW. These are called shock towers and they have to be free of porosity.

The software looks for certain defects, taking 11 different images per part to see all aspects and makes a decision based on that. Previously we had manual X-ray. This is sustainable and is environmentally friendly in a self-contained cabinet.”

The equipment has a modest footprint about 8 ft wide by 10 ft deep. Only one operator is necessary, and an automated pallet changer saves on labor. With ADR, data can be deciphered to eliminate problems.

Bosello High Technology Srl, founded in 1962, specializes in non-destructive testing and in industrial radioscopy.

Sustainability supports growth Jones & Vining (www.jonesandvining.com) was incorporated in 1930 to produce wooden shoe lasts. In 1967, it merged with the largest manufacturer of women’s shoe lasts in Canada; in the 1970’s the wooden last was replaced with plastic and J&V introduced the unit sole.

Sustainability is savings Albany Chicago Company (www.albanyc.com), founded in 1952 on Albany Street in Chicago, produces highly engineered aluminum die cast parts. The company, now located in Pleasant Prairie,Wisconsin, employs more than 300 people.

Known for machining to tight tolerances for its customers, original equipment manufacturers

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sustainable manufacturing

Wigwam Mills uses a large number of Italian machines.

After moving operations to Lewiston, Maine and the addition of factories in Conway, New Hampshire and Iberville, Quebec, growth was sustained through acquisitions and the introduction of polyurethane-based unit soles to the U.S. market.

“We really like the Italian equipment for its simplicity of design, operation and maintenance,” says technical director/production manager Rick House, who oversees material, product development and manufacturing.

“We presently use five Plastak Engineering Srl machines (www.plastak.it), and two component polyurethane casting machines with 40-station rotary turntables. Two of these were retrofitted with GUSBI Officina Meccanica S.p.A. (www.gusbi. com) mixing heads. We also have four single-color Lorenzin extruder injection molding machines and five 2-color Lorenzin extruder injection molding machines from Nuova Simplast di Lorenzin Vincenzo & C. SNC (www.simplast.com), plus two Main Group S.p.A. (www.maingroup.com) 2-color ram injection machines.

“The business sees its share of employee turnover, and training is relatively easy with the Italian equipment. We would buy similar equipment in the future for those reasons.”

Sustainability is immersion Wigwam Mills, in business since 1905, produces high-quality hosiery products and related accessories for the specialty sporting goods market.

Some of its larger customers include REI, Gander Mountain, Cabela’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Marks Work Warehouse in Canada.

“We have always been located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin,” says vice president of operations Jerry

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Vogel, “and all our socks are produced in the U.S. We moved to our current 200,000-sq-ft location in 1974, and employ 250 full-time people.

“Several of us make trips to Italy on an annual basis to visit manufacturers and look at the latest in machine technology. We continue to work very closely with Italian manufacturers, inviting them to our factory as well.”

Wigwam Mills has machinery from Sangiacomo S.p.A. (www.sangiacomo.com) and Matec S.p.A. (www.matec.it), Lonati S.p.A. (www.lonati.com), Nuova Marctex S.p.A. (www.nuova-marctex. com) Conti Complett S.p.A. (www.complett.it), Cortese S.p.A. (www.cortese.it), and Autotex Italia Srl (www.autotex.it) machinery, all designed and built by Italian manufacturers.The Sangiacomo, Lonati, Matec, and Nuova Marctex are all circular hosiery knitting machines used to knit socks.

The Conti Complett machines are looping (sewing) machines used to close the toe on socks.

The Cortese machines are boarding machines used to press and form the socks to remove the wrinkles.

There are several different types of Autotex equipment. One is used for boarding socks like the Cortese. A second is used to store and stack socks after they come off the boarding machine, before they are paired. A third is used for packaging. These packaging machines prepare packaging and attach socks, using various types of packaging and different types of fasteners. The last Autotex machine forms and applies stickers to boxes.

According to Vogel, “We have 29 Matec knitting machines purchased in 2000.The 20 Lonati machines were purchased in the mid-1990s.

The 64 Nuova Marctex knitting machines were purchased between 1994 and 2008. We have 200+ Sangiacomo knitting machines that range from 1997 to 2009 models. The Conti Complett looping machines were purchased in 1996-97. The Cortese boarding machines arrived in the mid-1990s. All of the Autotex machinery has been purchased since 2005 -- 6 boarding machines, 6 stackers, 5 sleeve packaging machines, 1 banding machine, 1 rider packaging machine and 1 box erector.

“Most of the machines provide unique or specialized technology; that’s why we purchased them. Productivity and efficiencies are also considerations. As a result, we continue to evaluate new Italian machinery for the latest in machine technology.”

italy field report: sustainable manufacturing

Pasta Machines Go Green

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hen Americans think about Italian cuisine, pasta is one of the first foods that comes to mind. According to a Datamonitor report, the pasta market in the United States increased at a compound annual growth rate of 6.7 percent between 2003 and 2008. A report on MSNBC.com stated that total U.S. consumption of pasta grew 0.4 percent in 2009, not including numbers from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where industry officials say the growth was higher.

All that pasta has to be manufactured. Not surprisingly, Italy boasts two of the top three pasta machine manufacturers. Fava S.p.A. (www.fava.it), is located in Cento, while Pavan Srl (www.pavan.com) is based in Galleria Veneta. In the spirit that drives Italian machinery manufacturers, these companies evaluate every part of the machine while collaborating with customers and even academia in pursuit of a better machine.

The basic process of making pasta is simple.

Making a machine to produce tons of it per hour, though, is more complicated. Dry ingredients are mixed together with water to form the dough.This is pressed through a die in the extruder to form the shape—for example, the long, round strands of spaghetti. The wet noodles are then dried, cut to length and packaged.

One design challenge involved adapting to differing raw materials. Traditional pasta is composed of semolina wheat. As the companies have searched new markets, not all have semolina. So, designers developed tolerances in mixing, extruding and drying pasta with both semolina and with cheaper wheat. Part of the marketing effort is evangelizing the benefits of pasta and explaining how easy it is to prepare in areas of the world where it has not been used—Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Iran and Pakistan, to name a few new markets.

The key is efficiency Managers at Fava know the efficiency of their customers’ plants is key to their competitive advantage. Efficiency in the use of energy sources not only is green engineering, but it also cuts operating costs for customers. Therefore, designers put

much effort in designing for efficiency.The crucial part of the process is the dryer—and dryers are huge energy users. Through evaluation of dryer technology, dough preparation and handling, Fava engineers have been able to halve drying time from six hours to three. This design also reduced the size of the machine--an advantage in finding new customers in out-of-the-way areas.

Managers at Pavan are also justifiably proud of their dryer design. They recognize that this component is not only crucial to producing a quality product, but also it is crucial to energy efficiency and reduced cost of operation. Its “thermo-active” system is dubbed “the most advanced drying.” It was developed in collaboration with university researchers to balance the shortest drying time while maintaining best quality. Construction features a “sandwich” of stainless steel outside with a high-pressure injected foam core.

Both manufacturers make ample use of automation technologies in order to preserve their efficiencies and product quality. Programmable logic controllers control the process. These are connected to a human-machine interface where recipes for different batches are stored. Operators merely need to select the proper recipe and start the process. Fava even enables an Internet connection to its control to expedite troubleshooting and other customer service.

Pasta machinery manufacturers must constantly work with customers and monitor consumer behavior to assure that new raw materials can be processed and food trends can be anticipated. Dry pasta is perhaps a mature market in many parts of the world. Geographical expansion will help manufacturers grow. Future growth lies in “wet” pasta—for example, filled tortellini and other fresh pastas. These trends will keep machine designers busy.

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Keeping spaghetti “tasty” while making it “greener” is an every day example of Italian innovation.

Italy as a country is one of the largest exporters of machines to the United States.

In July 2009, Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, Automation World magazine, joined a small group of editors who toured many builders of these machines from various industries.

Information from the visits was compiled into his series of Italy Field Reports.

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renewable energy

Renewable Energies Provide Answers The trend to harness renewables began in Europe and is sweeping the globe.

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enewable energies are those that can be easily replenished. The production of energy through the use of water, sun, and wind is being examined as the ultimate answer to environmental challenges that affect a number of different resources.

Ken Salazar, U.S. Secretary of the Interior, speaking before the Committee on Environment and Public Works and its Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy in the U.S. Senate in late January 2010, noted that wind turbines are springing up to capture the energy of the wind that blows so hard across the Great Plains.

He added, “We have huge solar potential in the deserts of the Southwest containing an estimated 2,300 gigawatts (GW) of energy capacity.

Geothermal energy opportunities are bubbling up across the country. We have great opportunities to increase hydropower production through improvements in efficiency, by adding power generation units to existing facilities, and through pumped storage.�

The force of wind

Wind turbines cast shadows at Smoky Hills Wind Farm in Kansas.

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Wind energy is experiencing exceptional growth, with an average annual rate of around 10 percent expected over the next 20 years.

From the years 2009 to 2013, Enel Green Power (EGP, a company of the Enel Group) (www. enelgreenpower.com) plans to focus its growth on the development of wind sources; its wind capacity is projected to more than double from 1.2 GW at the end of 2008 to 2.8 GW in 2013.A single 1 megawatt (MW) wind turbine generates enough electricity to power 240 to 400 households.

renewable energy

This new company of Italy’s Enel Group is devoted to the development of renewable energy sources in Italy and abroad. The company is the world’s sector leader, generating capacity with 17 billion kWh of electricity from the power of the sun, water, wind and the heat of the earth.

In Italy, wind has been the fastest growing source of energy during the last five years.

Starting with Italy’s first wind farm, which Enel (www.enel.com) built in Alta Nurra (Sardinia) in 1984, the company now operates 19 farms with total generation capacity of 362 MW. The company has a significant presence in the rest of Europe (more than 440 MW), Latin America (24 MW) and North America (406 MW).

Toni Volpe, head of the North American division of Enel Green Power and president and CEO of Enel North America, says, “While fossil fuels will continue to be part of the mix for the foreseeable future, I think it’s clear that Americans are supportive of renewable energy. It’s a job creator and will enhance national security by lessening this country’s dependence on foreign sources for its energy.”

There are challenges.Volpe adds, “With many states adopting regulations requiring local utilities to generate a certain portion of their electricity from renewable energy, there’s a tremendous opportunity for growth in the sector; wind can play a major role.”

The availability of transmission is a major issue.

There are potential wind and other renewable energy projects across the country that can’t be developed now because of lack of space in the transmission system or the lines themselves to deliver power to those who would purchase it.

Special attention has been paid to technological innovation, with studies into offshore plants and ways of reducing impacts on the landscape. Enel Green Power intends to select high-value projects in countries with the highest level of growth potential, aimed at substantially increasing its total wind power capacity.

Partnering with developers In the United States, in the fourth quarter of 2008, Enel North America completed construction at the major (250 MW) plant in Smoky Hills in Kansas.That year the company also completed the installation of 21 wind turbines of 3 MW each in Snyder, Texas on the tallest (above 100 meters) towers ever erected in the U.S.

TradeWind Energy (www.tradewindenergy. com), a nine-year old developer of wind farms in Kansas and surrounding Midwestern states, has a strategic partnership with Enel North America, whereby Enel has the priority right to acquire, own and operate wind projects developed by TradeWind.

The Kansas-based company was awarded the Governor’s Private Sector Renewable Energy Award after developing the state’s largest wind project, Smoky Hills Wind Farm, one of the

In Italy, wind has been the fastest growing source of energy during the last five years. highest producing wind energy sites in the central U.S. Generating nearly 250 MW of power, enough for 75,000 homes, it brings varied economic benefits to the area.

Innovative computerized data helps TradeWind select sites that achieve the most energy generation, while limiting impact on the environment.

Currently, the company is developing more than 8,000 MW of wind energy in a dozen states.

Smoky Hills, spread across 20,000 acres near Salina, Kansas, takes less than two percent of land out of use for its 155 wind turbines. According to TradeWind, despite the farm’s light footprint, long-term economic benefits will be in the tens of millions of dollars. Among these are royalty payments collected by 120 landowners and the creation of more than 250 construction jobs and 25 permanent jobs.

Smoky Hills offsets 750,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year and avoids consumption of 175 metric tons of oil equivalent annually. More than 22,000 people view the project daily as they travel along I-70.

According to TradeWind CEO Rob Freeman, most sites are farms and ranches where one to two percent of the ground is used. The installations cause only a short interruption on the land, going up, typically, in a few months. “We work hard to stay out of the way,” he says, adding that animals on the land (e.g., cattle) often will be seen standing in the shadow of turbines on hot days.

“If there is significant opposition to a project,” says Freeman, “we leave. However, this is a very benign industry and represents economic opportunities.The vast majority would say it’s a perfect form of investment.

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renewable energy

The Salt Wells geothermal plant opened last year in Nevada.

Geothermal energy represents an important and yet largely unexploited resource.

“Land is assessed in siting a project. We have four meteorologists on staff, including one of the first two PhDs in Wind Science and Engineering in the U.S., and a geographic information systems department that does the mapping. We have 30 sites leased now, some quite large, being done in phases. We will expand our footprint over time.

We may acquire sites and push into solar.There is a host of reasons for investing in renewables. We answer the question; we are the magic bullet.”

Enel’sVolpe also looks to the future:“We believe wind power has a great future in the United States.That’s why we just recently invested in one wind development company based in Minnesota (Geronimo Wind LLC) and purchased another in California. (Padoma Wind LLC).”

Geothermal taps the ground Geothermal energy represents an important and yet largely unexploited resource for an efficient generation mix in the light of sustainable development. Geothermal energy is heat from the earth; the use of steam and hot water from inside the earth can heat buildings or generate electricity.

Water is refilled by rainfall.

Worldwide installed capacity is approximately 9 GW with estimated growth that foresees, due to an average annual growth rate of more than 4 percent, an installed base of 25 GW in 2030.

Enel’s Toni Volpe has been responsible for the introduction of geothermal activities into the company’s U.S. portfolio, as well as the expansion of wind and hydropower projects.

Enel Green Power operates two binary geothermal power plants in Churchill County,

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Nevada. The Stillwater and Salt Wells geothermal plants have a total gross installed capacity of 65 MW, which will generate over 400 million kWh of electricity a year, enough to meet the needs of some 40,000 U.S. households and avoid the emission of more than 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide.

In this field, the use of the binary cycle makes thermal sources usable at lower temperatures.

The company is also working on experiments with dry rocks, which allows thermal sources without steam to be used.

The entry of Stillwater and Salt Wells into service quadrupled the amount of electricity generated from geothermal resources by EGP in the United States, and it makes a significant contribution to achieving the state of Nevada’s goal of generating 20 percent of its electricity from renewables by the year 2015.

The plants have been awarded more than $60 million in funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s 1603 Program, aimed at creating jobs and helping expand the development of clean, renewable domestic energy.

The facilities are medium-enthalpy plants, meaning that they operate at temperatures between 130-150 degrees C (266-302 degrees F), using binary-cycle technology that employs two fluids: hot water is extracted from the ground and brought into contact with a working fluid (in this case, isobutane) contained in a closed circuit. The working fluid, rapidly heated to very high temperature and pressure, drives turbines to generate electricity. The geothermal water is returned below ground and the secondary liquid remains in the closed circuit, ensuring no

renewable energy

“We’re currently exploring opportunities in solar, including the possibility of combining solar and geothermal.”

– Toni Volpe, Enel Green Power emission of greenhouse gases or other negative impact on local resources.

Stillwater and Salt Wells, on which construction began in 2007, employ more than 300 people and contribute to Churchill County in terms of energy generation from renewables, as well as in economic terms. According to the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, the two plants will have a positive impact of more than 4 million U.S. dollars on the area and will create 25 permanent jobs for the next 30 years.

With its century-old experience in Italy, Enel Green Power is a driver of geothermal power in the U.S., with a pipeline of advancedstage projects providing capacity of 150 MW in Nevada, as well as California and Utah.

Volpe observes: “The support of the Obama Administration and the Congress for renewable energy is having a positive influence on the sector. Developing renewable energy can have significant up-front costs. In geothermal, for, example, site exploration and drilling requires a significant investment for the developer, and support from government to assist with those costs is very helpful, especially in the current economic environment where lenders are understandably skeptical about financing these somewhat risky endeavors.

“We’re currently exploring opportunities in solar, including the possibility of combining solar and geothermal. Our parent company has been involved with solar for years and recently entered into an agreement with Sharp for the construction of panels.”

Enel Green Power intends to contribute to the development of the biomass energy industry in Italy and it is already operating a biomass plant in Canada at St. Felicien, with a capacity of 21 MW. In the U.S., the company also has 65 hydroelectric sites that employ 138 people in 13 states.

Mounted on the Mountain All eyes in the “green” world were on the wind generator that Leitwind (www.leitwind.com) has mounted on Grouse Mountain, Canada, site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Eye of the Wind is the imposing wind turbine inaugurated in February just before the games began.

The region’s first commercially viable wind turbine features minimal noise and no gears, a symbol of Grouse Mountain Resorts’ commitment to sustainability and alternative energy innovation.

Technology provider, Leitwind Technology, part of Italy’s Leitner Technologies Group (www.leitnergroup.com), has been a developer of high-performance technology in ropeways and snow groomers since 1888.

“It was an outstanding team effort starting from design, to manufacturing, through installation that made this dream come true,” said Leitwind CEO Anton Seeber, “a unique MW-class turbine on top of Grouse Mountain.”

According to Stuart McLaughlin, CEO and president, Grouse Mountain Resorts (www.grousemountain.com), “Our sustainability revolution began two decades ago and, since then, we have pursued alternative power sources to become more energy self-sufficient. The Eye of the Wind will inspire visitors who ascend Vancouver’s most celebrated peak each year to return home to begin a ‘Quiet Revolution’ of their own.”

Elements of The Eye were secured from 10 countries across four continents. The structural assembly was completed in the fall of 2009. Lifting more than 290 tons of components was a massive undertaking to erect the three tower sections, “The Eye of the Wind” stands on the peak hub, generator, nacelle, of Grouse Mountain in Vancouver viewPOD and three blades.

The turbine is the only one of its kind equipped with an elevator to access a panoramic viewPOD, for a close-up view of wind energy at work.

The privately funded structure changes the face of alternative energy in British Columbia.

It can produce 1.5 MW of energy, which is expected to offset up to 25 percent of Grouse Mountain’s operational electricity needs annually.

Leitner Technologies employs more than 2,000 people worldwide at plants in Italy, France, India and North America, as well as at 70 sales and service points. For a decade, continuous research and development and a high degree of technological competence have permitted the company to take advantage of synergies between ropeway and wind turbine technologies. This machine is an integration of a directdrive generator into a wind turbine. In 2003, Leitner installed its first wind turbine prototypes with the technology and began serial production of turbines in 2007.

Leitwind president Michael Seeber explains, “Leitwind brought a 1.5 MW LTW77 to Canada. It is 65 meters (213 feet) high and capable of producing two million kilowatt-hours per year. The facility is on a mountain peak and is equipped with a platform for up to 36 people, with a beautiful view of Vancouver and the mountains to the north. With this wind power installation, a trademark of the ‘green’ Olympic city, worldwide attention will be drawn to us.”

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green machines

Going Green with Machinery and Equipment Green machines drive profits in any production situation.

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s the green movement blankets the globe, manufacturers race to produce green equipment and products. Among companies across North America, a large percentage look to green machines manufactured in Italy to help them meet environmental goals.

Streamlining production

New equipment from Ritmo moves large pipes with ease.

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Growing demand for building projects that reflect green initiatives is impacting the ventilation industry. According to Bruce A. Bohr, principal manufacturing engineer at Greenheck Fan Corp. (www.greenheck.com), his company now posts sales of approximately $500 million annually, employs more than 2,850 people, and utilizes more than 1.5 million sq ft of manufacturing space.

Greenheck has come a long way since 1947 when it began business as a tiny sheet metal shop in Schofi eld, Wisconsin. Known worldwide as a leading manufacturer of air-movement l

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and control equipment, the company’s flagship ventilation products are typically found behind walls, in ductwork or on the roofs of hospitals, office buildings, hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, schools, industrial plants and other commercial buildings. Today, the company’s products are shipped around the globe.

Greenheck was one of the first manufacturers of air-moving and control equipment to join the U.S. Green Building Council.

Greenheck also references USGBC and ASHRAE guidelines and standards to identify specific products that mechanical engineers can use when designing ventilation systems for sustainable-design projects and for those adhering to LEED certification guidelines.

Bohr was responsible for specifying, purchasing and managing the installation of two Salvagnini Italia S.p.A. P-4 CNC panel formers ( w w w. s a l v a g n i n i g r o u p . com). He explains, “One was installed in 2004 and the other was installed in 2008. These machines form doors, cabinet panels and other sheet metal components of integrated HVAC systems for ventilating commercial and industrial buildings.

“Salvagnini P-4 panel benders replace press brakes that formerly formed the same sheet metal components. They require much less time to change from one part to another. This feature makes it possible to reduce inventory and decrease response time.”

Bohr notes that his company would consider the purchase of similar machinery in the future.

He adds, “There are other product lines at the company that could benefit from changing from conventional press brake forming to CNC panel

green machines

forming. The installation of the Salvagnini P-4 panel benders has been a key factor in streamlining the production of the Greenheck Fan Corporation Make-up Air and Kitchen Systems Make-up Air units.”

Reducing weight and size Gaseous emissions, referred to as greenhouse gases, are one of many environmental challenges that today’s manufacturers face. Experts caution that a significant reduction of the gases is a necessity, and the goal of cutting such emissions is familiar in industry.

Ritmo S.p.A. (www.ritmo.it), a global leader in plastic welding equipment manufacturing, looked at ways to reduce its gas emissions.

The Italian company prides itself on producing fast, accurate, versatile, modular and easy-to-use welding machines. The product range includes butt fusion, electrofusion and extrusion equipment, as well as a complete line of accessories and instruments for pipe cutting and weld preparation.

Ritmo has designed the new RAM 824 All Terrain, a totally independent fusion machine with an on-board generator for butt fusion of plastic pipes for the transport of fluids under pressure.

Since beginning development of the All Terrain, the company examined its environmental impact at a number of levels, not only in order to provide a functional product, but also with the objective of “going green.”

Two key aspects of the new product are weight reduction and implementation of a smaller engine.

An approximate 2,200-lb weight reduction permits use of a turbocharged diesel engine from 2,200 cc with four inline cylinders and direct injection. Four-wheel drive steering allows the vehicle to climb easily across rough terrain.

Because the engine is set for developing 22.7 kW at 1,500 rpm, running at a speed of rotation lower than its maximum power, it is possible to substantially reduce wear and periodic maintenance and to significantly drive down the value of noise.

Such features result in reduced fuel consumption and, consequently, a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to similar equipment, in a 12-hour time period, it is possible to cut emissions of 120 lbs of carbon dioxide, or more than eight tons per year. The company cites recent studies which claim that an “average tree” can filter about 44 lbs of carbon dioxide in a

year, so for those eight tons, more than 400 trees would have been required.

Another solution that helps achieve the company’s environmental goals is the electronic Easy Life fusion system, which manages the fusion cycle and helps an operator avoid errors and material waste. The electronic control unit optimizes power consumption by the engine during critical phases of fusion, restoring pressure in the hydraulic system when any kind of drops occur (only when necessary) due to an additional rotational system.

According to Tres Tuttle, Ritmo America LLC manager, one of his company’s good customers in the water and waste industry, Latham, New York-based Vellano Bros. Inc. (www.vellano. com), was renting the RAM to use in their installation of municipal piping; however, they were so impressed with its many efficiencies that they recently purchased the machine.

Cutting time Stanley Furniture Company (www.stanleyfurniture. com) dates back to 1924 when Thomas B. Stanley, a young dairy farmer, founded the company. His vision was to create furniture that boasted superior craftsmanship and style, as well as affordability.

He began by shipping the finest lumber from the Northeast to a small town in western Virginia, later to be named Stanleytown, where he employed highly skilled craftsmen.

Environmental technologies prevent, reduce and recover pollution, with new materials, new processes and methods at a low environmental impact.

Today, more than 1,300 associates carry out Thomas Stanley’s vision of quality, Americanmade furniture. Stanley has two manufacturing locations, one in Robbinsville, North Carolina, where the majority of its youth products are manufactured, and another in Stanleytown, Virginia, where the adult collections and baby cribs are made.

“We purchased two Paolino Bacci Srl (www. bacci.com) machines last fall,” reports Eric Jones, Stanley’s corporate industrial engineer, “and they were installed at the beginning of December.

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the machining requirements for the bed posts including the boring and slotting for the bed lock on our ‘Built to Grow’ cribs.”

Founded in 1918, Paolino Bacci Srl is one of the oldest and most respected woodworking machinery manufacturers in Italy and the world.

The JET is suitable for applications such as tenoning, finger jointing, drilling, mortasing, milling and 4/5 axis profiling. The particular axes motion allows the machining of five faces of a wooden piece with little movement but with high acceleration due to the strong rigidity of the machine. Support is placed at an ergonomic height on which machined pieces are lined up in order and without collisions. R.H. pieces are separated from L.H. pieces.

Stanley’s Jones adds, “We also have Bacci shapers and sanders for furniture heads and to make contours for caprioles. We bought a number of smaller machines, and even have purchased some used Italian machines from a Canadian company.The sander is Italian; it seems

Electronic solutions contribute to a drastic reduction of the noise level while machine efficiency reduces downtime and costs. to fi t really well. Italy has a nice niche for crib manufacturing equipment. We sent a group of three people over to Italy to visit Bacci and other companies and they were very impressed.

“By combining as many as six or seven different operations at one machine, we can efficiently produce the posts needed with less lead time, better and consistent quality and in about a fourth of the time required if operations were done individually. When business picks up, I would imagine we would be very interested in purchasing additional machines.”

Pursuing efficiencies Another company wanting to save time and increase efficiency is Sacmi Imola S.C. (www.sacmi.com).

Its goal is to complete the CCM range while taking the compression world to unprecedented levels with a machine that can produce 2,000 caps per minute with a cycle time of 2.4 seconds.This is the CCM 80 (Continuous Compression Molding), which joins the company’s CCM 48 and 64 models of beverage cap production systems.

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This machine off ers the advantages of compression technology, that is, maximum homogeneity of the bottle cap output guaranteed by the fact that the punches work independently of each other. This is not so with injection technology, which, while providing high output rates, struggles to ensure uniform output quality.

Injection technology (usually featuring 128cavity molds) makes it extremely difficult to maintain uniform temperatures and to ensure uniform distribution of plastic. Outgoing pieces are not all the same and, because bottling lines are increasingly faster, any downtime caused by cap quality problems can inflict economic damage on the producers that are much higher than the unit cost of the individual cap. Therefore, compression and thus dimensional consistency and qualitative excellence are imperative.

CCM 80 has received encouraging market feedback. Previewed at Chinaplas, it was immediately purchased by a Chinese customer, Tin Hsin, one of the major local bottle and pre-form producers. The machine became fully operational at the start of 2010.

When Sacmi displayed CCM 80 again at Drinktec in Munich, it attracted the attention of Hana Water, one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest bottling concerns.They too purchased it.The CCM 80 is perfect for companies with high output volumes, often the case in emerging markets.

The machine covers the high-volume production segment with very short cycle times while offering advantages in terms of energy resource optimization. It features new extrusion control systems, which adjust energy consumption according to speed, which, in turn, depends on cap type and geometry – with the result that the unit cost of the individual cap drops. This “variable consumption system” makes using the machine profitable in any production situation, thus allowing it to take its place among a new range of the company’s machines specially developed to enhance quality while simultaneously cutting energy costs and reducing environmental impact.

Embracing the “green heart” In recent years, the topic of sustainability has strongly entered the market, with an impact on all sectors. The development and diffusion of environmental technologies is a central element of European Union politics concerning environment and sustainable growth. Environmental

green machines

technologies prevent, reduce and recover pollution, with new materials, new processes and methods at a low environmental impact. In this effort, Losma S.p.A. (www.losma.com) represents a small but important reality in the control and elimination of environmental pollution.

Since 1974, Losma has produced and distributed air and coolant filtration systems for machine tools. Air filters clean the air from oil mist, vapors, micro-mists and smoke and recover oil during manufacturing processes.

Coolant filters clean coolants and other liquids used during machining from magnetic and a-magnetic particles that could lower machining tolerances. Many products for both air and coolant filtration are patented and all are conceived on a modular base, in order to meet customer needs with the addition of different filtration, pre-filtration or after-filtration modules.

At the European trade event EMO 2009 (www.emo-milano.it), the theme around which Losma focused its presence was the “green heart.” The campaign is related to the vision of the company, increasingly involved in the sustainability of industry itself and the belief that mechanical industry must “go green.” Losma’s “green heart” speaks about the challenging themes of innovation, environment, bio-compatibility and eco-sustainability.

The most important innovation Losma presented at EMO was a new way of looking at industrial filtration, through its new patented biofilter, GREEN, an innovative filtration kit.

Based on the use of natural materials, it provides a way of filtering air contaminated by oil mist produced during manufacturing; “green hearts” are put into Losma’s Gemini and Newton Series filtration systems.

Made of 100 percent natural fibers, the new biofilter was permitted to use the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) logo for the International Year of Natural Fibers 2009.

The product off ers very high filtration efficiency and long life and prolongs the life of other filters in the machine. GREEN does not need any packing system (plastic or otherwise) because the kit is transported ready for use.

Losma already has an order from a manufacturing electronic connector company supplying the military, aerospace industries and medical and commercial aviation in Texas. Several pro-

posals have been made with existing customers to retrofit older Losma air filtration equipment with the GREEN biofi lter. Some of the customers are located in North Carolina, manufacturing door controls; in Oregon, treating a solvent spray recovery system on a wood treatment facility; and in Oklahoma at a manufacturer serving the lifting and material handling industry.

Galdi filling machines feature lower energy consumption.

Galdi offers energysaving filling machines Galdi Srl (www.galdi.it) designs and manufactures filling machines for the food industry, particularly for milk, dairy products and fruit juice.

Throughout its 25-year history, Galdi has established itself as a leader in the European market of gable-top filling and cartoning machines for liquid foodstuff s. The company has been constantly engaged in ambitious R&D projects to renew its ongoing product portfolio. It maintains long-term partnerships with multinational suppliers of paper containers.

Galdi’s new frontier is the development of machines that feature lower consumption and higher performance through a combination of traditional mechanics and the potential of the latest IT and electronic technologies, using stateof-the-art materials.

The filling machines are developed with clear energy-saving rationales as a priority, from compressed air use being dramatically cut in the company’s latest models through servo-motorassisted control systems, down to considerably reduced acoustic pollution, compared to traditional production processes.

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Sacmi’s CCM 80 handles higher capping speeds.

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dimensions, elevated production standards, and minimum machine operation and maintenance costs.The result realized by customers is extremely versatile machines, an increased number of filled cartons per hour, easy and quick format changing and optimal timing of production processes.

Vetraco goes greener VE.TRA.CO Group Srl (www.vetraco.com) has designed and manufactured processing and packaging machines for the cosmetics industry, assembly lines, automation solutions with vision robotics and QC systems since 1975.

Iron S.p.A.’s Temnos laser cutting system also cuts costs.

In the past three years,Vetraco has focused on building greener machines, engineered to use fewer resources and to save energy to improve the working environment. The company’s goal was achieved through converting to electronics with the exclusive use of motors that featured low power consumption, as well as replacement of hydraulic solutions in order to completely eliminate use of oils to prevent environmental pollution and product contamination.

Electronic solutions also contribute to a drastic reduction of the noise level to produce a more operator-friendly environment. Machine efficiency and remote assistance via modem reduce downtime and operational costs. Other resource-savings practices involve a limited use of pneumatics.

SMI shrinking tunnel gives North American manufacturers pollutionfree solutions SMI S.p.A. (www.smigroup.it) has developed a new tunnel type; thermoshrinking film has become the most used packaging material to pack food, beverages and non-food products.Therefore, shrinkwrappers have become popular in bottling and packaging lines of large and small producers.

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This packaging process requires a thermoshrinking tunnel which, by means of heat generated by electric resistances, gets plastic film shrunk around bottles to make a solid, compact pack. Smiflexi shrinkwrappers (LSK and SK Series) can be equipped with a standard electrically powered shrinking tunnel or with a new methane-heated model.

The new tunnel type, through combustion of natural gas, instead of electric resistances, produces heat for the operation. Methane advantages are that it provides smogless and pollution-free combustion, is environmentally friendly, and, in countries where it is available at a low price, it dramatically cuts costs in energy procurement.

In the SMI machine testing department, technicians have carried out trials to calculate actual natural gas consumption during thermoshrinking; then, results of the testing have been compared with electricity consumption to perform the same operations.

Tests were performed according to a variety of parameters. Under the same working conditions, the consumption monitored was equal to 3 m3 of methane and 25 Kw/h of electricity.

Analysis proves that, at least in Italy, use of the natural gas-heated shrinking tunnel ensures a 70 percent saving in energy consumption costs. Time for reaching the working temperature is shorter by 75 percent in comparison with the electricitypowered tunnel.

Laser not only cuts coil, but North American manufacturers’ costs IRON S.p.A. (www.iron.it) Temnos is a laser cutting system to cut parts from strip or coil input.

Using hybrid-cutting technology, strip fed being the X-axis,Temnos offers material savings and flexibility in cutting blanks for automotive and other industry sectors. The strip specifications at maximum, based on mild steel, are 1,540 mm width, with thickness to 3 mm. Laser technology can be either carbon dioxide or fiber sources. IRON offers a system that delivers precision parts with repeatable accuracy and laser-cut edge quality, across a selection of materials and thicknesses, with no tooling issues.The versatile system permits kit making.

italy field report: green engineering

Designing Efficiency into the Machine

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taly has a thriving machine building industry with a variety of companies specializing in many different technologies and industries. While all were concerned with weathering the economic crisis of 2009 and also with competition from China, they were also busy figuring out ways to maintain competitiveness and support green engineering.

Marchesini Group S.p.A.’s (www.marchesini. com) 1,000-plus employees design and manufacture packaging machines--primarily for the pharmaceutical industry. Located in Pianoro, it is one of the largest packaging machinery builders in Italy. Responding to drivers for more flexibility, reduced energy consumption and integrated, smaller packaging lines, the company has incorporated much automation into its designs.

Robots have been added to parts of the line proving to be flexible and economical. The transition to servo motion control for moving pieces of the machine has resulted in an average of more than 15 brushless servo motors per line. Software for track and trace of products during manufacture along with added data acquisition technologies means that Marchesini’s customers can monitor product quality better than before and, in the event of a product recall, limit the exposure to just those lots that are suspect.

Packaging machines on the whole tend to be smaller and lighter. On the other hand, Sacmi Imola S.C. (www.sacmi.com) in Imola, a manufacturer of larger machines in the ceramics, beverage, packaging, processing and plastics industries, has invested in the High Efficiency Resource Optimizer (HERO) project as part of its efforts to help customers reduce consumption, improve efficiency and “go green.”

HERO is a research laboratory dedicated to developing innovative technologies for achieving resource savings at every stage of the production process. The special applications developed as part of the HERO project enable energy consumption of the main machines to be reduced by

more than 20 percent on average, with a view to more careful energy management.The economic benefits are therefore reflected in the company’s profits right from the first year of application, as part of a strategy of respect for the environment and constant raising of quality standards.

The spray dryer is the major energy consumer in ceramic tile production.

Sacmi has been researching for the past ten years using special numerical fluid dynamics calculation codes and in-the-field measurements into air delivery distribution and temperature profiles inside the hot air distributor and slip drying tower in order to find the problems and then the solutions. The hot air distributor with tangential-peripheral infeed developed by Sacmi improves heat exchange reducing fuel consumption.

Precision design and manufacture of a filling and packaging machine at Italian machinery builder Marchesini.

Keep heat in Keeping heat loss to outside air at a minimum is another energy efficiency goal.The hottest parts of the dryer are internally insulated with ceramic fiber resulting in lower air flow rates and higher infeed temperature than before. The dryers are externally insulated with thick layers of rock wool, while coupling flanges are insulated with ceramic fiber.

Energy saving systems are integrated with machine control ensuring constant quality.

Cogeneration systems and recovery of kiln fumes following depuration with lime and the dust separator slip heater have been designed to significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, a key contributor to the greenhouse effect. Kiln fume recovery also reduces fluorine compound emissions; the advantage of this system is that the fumes are always filtered before being expelled through the chimney, even when the spray drier is at standstill.

These are just two examples of how Italian machine builders take into consideration energy efficiency, environmental quality and customers’ needs as they design and build their equipment.

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Italy as a country is one of the largest exporters of machines to the United States.

In July 2009, Gary Mintchell, Editor in Chief, Automation World magazine, joined a small group of editors who toured many builders of these machines from various industries.

Information from the visits was compiled into his series of Italy Field Reports.

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machinery trends

Survey Reveals Growing Interest

in Green Manufacturing Manufacturers go green to lower energy costs and promote environmental responsibility

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T

he spreading influence of sustainable practices is evident in the results from a special Automation World survey on green manufacturing trends, conducted in February 2010.

More than 230 respondents, of whom 73 percent identified themselves as buyers of equipment, answered more than a dozen queries that involved multiple facets of sustainable manufacturing.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents say that “green” manufacturing is important to their organization, and this is demonstrated by close to 60 percent of surveyed companies with formal green initiatives already in place.

The majority of these programs (about 60 percent) are funded using current operational budgets, but almost 11 percent are accessing publicly provided funds, such as government incentives to their respective state and federal stimulus money.

About one-fourth of respondents also indicated that they have turned to renewable energy resources, including wind, solar and energy scavenging resources. Another one-fourth plan to implement programs that use renewable energy sources.

Not surprisingly, when ranking green technologies, respondents rated as Most Important energy-efficient equipment, as well as power management, but there is also broad-based interest in cogeneration, energy-scavenging technologies and recyclable resources.

When asked what the number-one reason is that a manufacturer should be concerned about green manufacturing, the option “to lower energy usage costs” led with more than 37 percent. The benefit of “being more competitive” ranked highest with 16 percent of respondents.

And being a better corporate citizen was the choice of 20 percent of those surveyed. Another 12 percent were concerned about reducing their company’s carbon footprint, while almost 9 percent would choose to reduce greenhouse gases.

(See chart for details.).

machinery trends

Regarding environmental metrics, a very positive response indicates that nearly 70 percent of organizations have an established environmental metrics system, are implementing one, have an environmental metrics program, or would like to implement one. (See chart for details.)

When asked if it is possible to make conventional business goals work along with green and environmental ones, more than three-quarters of respondents believe that it is.

Another affirmation of what came forth while interviewing the North American companies that use Italian machinery (mentioned in this issue), is that the majority of buyers (47 percent) expect their latest machinery purchase to have a lifespan of ten years or even more. About a quarter of the respondents expected equipment to last from 6 to 10 years, and 20 percent could foresee a 4-to-6 year lifespan. Only 9 percent had expectations of a 1-to-3-year life cycle. (See chart for details.)

Nearly 80 percent of the respondents say that “green” manufacturing is important to their organization.

The query “How important are the following qualifications for your current or potential machinery suppliers,” asked respondents to rate the importance of certain attributes on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most important. In first place, with an average rating of 3.14 was “Those who support local community organizations with donations, services, or products.” Next was “Those who provide adequate wages and benefits for their employees” with an average rating of 2.87, followed by “Those whose green machinery and technology are created with green manufacturing processes” at an average rating of 2.82.The least support, with an average of 2.81, was for “Those who have formal recycling policies, energy reduction plans and waste reduction plans in place themselves.”

The manufacturing sectors sampled in this study held few surprises. Metalworking (machine tools) led the sectors with 41 percent, followed

by Packaging (35 percent), Plastics and Rubber (20 percent), Food Technology (Processing) at 18 percent, Printing, Graphic and Converting (17 percent), and Foundry and Metallurgical Machinery (16 percent).

In your opinion, what is the number-one reason a manufacturer should be concerned about green manufacturing?

Answer Options Response Percent To lower energy usage costs 37% To comply with regulations 4% To be a better corporate citizen 20% To reduce greenhouse gases 8% To reduce the organization’s 12% carbon footprint To be more competitive 16% Other (please specify) 3%

Please indicate where your company is at in tracking environmental metrics within your operations.

Answer Options Response Percent We have no plans to implement 32% environmental metrics.

We would like to implement 21% environmental metrics, but not within the next two years.

We currently have an 13% environmental metrics program under review.

We are implementing an 13% environmental metrics program.

We have an established 21% environmental metrics system in place.

What is the expected life span of your latest machinery purchase?

Answer Options 1-3 years 4-6 years 6-10 years 10+ years

Response Percent 9% 20% 25% 46%

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recyclable technologies

Recycling Supports

Environmental Commitment Ingenious Italian manufacturing supports recycling technologies.

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ecycling is a global phenomenon, which has been described as a basic application towards the concept of green technology. Recycling is the reuse of materials that can create useful items. Governments worldwide encourage recycling in order to protect the environment through the intelligent use of waste products to serve a new function.

Ice River Systems will use a whole bottle wash machine in its new plant.

Coming full circle, a Canadian company will build its own Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) recycling plant to produce 100 percent recycled PET water bottles. Ice River Springs Co., Inc. (www.iceriversprings.ca), Feversham, Ontario, Canada, will provide what it calls a world-class facility and close the loop for recycling in North America. This is the first time a water bottle company will make its own PET resin from dirty post-consumer bottles.

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“We believe this to be a great step in our sustainability program,” says Jamie Gott, president and co-founder of Ice River Springs (IRS). “It provides our consumers with an environmentally friendly option in their bottled water. Our goal is to eliminate our dependency upon foreign virgin PET resin by self-manufacturing recycled resin (RPET) from baled post-consumer plastic purchased from Municipal Recycling Centers.”

Ice River Springs has manufacturing plants in eight locations across Canada and the United States. The company is committed to going green with its new “Go Eco” campaign. The Feversham facility has recently installed its first phase of a solar system consisting of 128 panels; it is rated to produce 90 kWh/day. Plans are to expand the system to offset electrical usage. Pollution offsets for the system are 28 tons per year of annual greenhouse gas offsets and 56 tons per year of other pollution.

Because the company has developed a new lightweight bottle cap that uses 44 percent less plastic, it is reducing its carbon footprint. Geothermal chilling also reduces the footprint. The firm’s tri-axle trailers deliver more per load, reducing truck trip miles by 40 percent. Only recycled cardboard is used in production, which saves 84,000 trees per year, winning an Environmental Sustainability Award. IRS has also planted more than 70,000 trees.

The use of 100 percent RPET for beverage bottles is highly innovative. This will be the first food-grade RPET manufacturing facility in Canada, diversifying the firm’s market by selfmanufacturing its resin needs for beverage production, plus selling food-grade RPET resin to other food and beverage companies for a variety of packaging requirements.

The project involves securing an industrial building in Shelburne, Ontario and the purchase of specialized plastics processing equipment. The equipment cleans the Blue Box materials, and purifies and converts the plastic back into a food-

recyclable technologies

grade product that can be used in beverage and food applications that employ new (virgin) PET. During the last decade, IRS has decreased the amount of plastic in its bottles by approximately 40 percent and in its caps by 300 percent. It currently leads the beverage industry with one of the lightest-weight 500mL bottles in North America.

The company has reduced its carbon footprint through high-efficiency lighting, geothermal chilling, high- and low-pressure air recovery and the use of alternative energy. The site in Shelburne is located on the shipping lane from the location in Feversham, permitting raw materials to be back-hauled on trucks that would normally come back empty.

Ice River Springs will be the first major water bottler in North America to use a water bottle made of fully recycled plastic. Recycled foodgrade PET can produce more than 20 successful generations of water bottles.

There are multiple environmental advantages.

The company would no longer need to purchase virgin PET resin, thereby reducing the overall demand for oil. Additionally, the recycling process uses much less energy than producing virgin PET from fossil fuels. And since most of the virgin plastic resins come from Asia, it will reduce transportation requirements and fossil fuel emissions.

Jamie Gott says,“We evaluated several manufacturers of this technology for both the sorting and cleaning of the post-consumer PET bottles as well as the purification of the clean RPET materials.

The choice for the washing was AMUT S.p.A. (www.amut.it), an Italian provider of extruding and thermoforming equipment, whose technology had proved to be extremely cost-effective and utilized a minimum amount of water, chemicals and energy in the cleaning process.

“For the purification process, we selected a European machine manufacturer.The SSP (solid state poly-condensation) technology from the manufacturer for the purification of the flakes is excellent and demonstrates excellent attention to minimizing energy costs to convert the clean RPET flakes from the AMUT washing line into high-quality PET pellets, which are then utilized in our injection molding machinery to make the pre-forms for our new water bottles. The combination of the systems will be the first of its kind in operation in North America; they have successfully teamed up to recycle PET post-

consumer bottles in France already. As such, we are very confident that our recycling plant will be a benefi t to all, encouraging more recycling in North America.”

This will be the first combined plant for the two equipment manufacturers in North America, although they have worked together in France to recycle post-consumer bottles. Ariostea SpA (www.ariostea.com), an Italian manufacturer of material handling equipment, is supplying material handling technology for the plant.

AMUT thermoforming helps Global P.E.T. achieve its goals.

Ice River Springs will be the first major water bottler in North America to use a water bottle made of fully recycled plastic.

According to Anthony Georges of AMUT North America, “Being a person who grew up in Ontario and has been involved in the environmental movement for decades, and plastics recycling for years, I can say we are extremely excited about being selected as a key technological and machinery partner. What excites me most is the opportunity to create a totally ‘closed-loop recycling’ solution for Ontario, working with Ice River Springs, a respected supplier of high-quality bottled water throughout North America.”

HPSS process makes a difference HPSS (high-performance solidification and stabilization) technology is a remarkable industrial process used for the production of stabilized, de-contaminated granules from sediments and excavation material.

This is a synopsis of a report from Professor Amilcare Collina, The Expert’s Opinion, writing in Realta Mapei International. The process is the result of an original Mapei (www.mapei.it) 1-888-italtrade

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recyclable technologies

research project based on the company’s experience about the effect of super-plasticizing additives on various hydraulic binders.

Founded in Milan in 1937, Mapei is today the world leader in the production of adhesives and complementary products for the installation of all types of floor and wall coverings. The company also specializes in other chemical products for building: from waterproofers to special mortars, from admixtures for concrete to products for the restoration of ancient buildings.

The two-step process was developed in Mapei’s R&D labs for treating earth and sedi-

Update on Global P.E.T. Back in 2005, Machines Italia reported on Global P.E.T. in Perris, California, when the company installed a complete washing process to produce 2,000 kilograms of clean RPET flakes per hour. It was the first of its type to be sold in North America, the first PET recycling plant to operate in the state and the only RPET recycling washing operation west of the Mississippi River.

The company was able to wash more than 40,000,000 pounds of dirty post-consumer bottles brought in from the local marketplace through municipal collection and deposit collection agencies. A patented process from AMUT S.p.A. (www.amut.it) provided high-quality clean PET flakes.

The plant only used one pint of water to clean one pound of dirty PET flakes, as well as a minor use of chemicals in the cleaning process.

Today, the plant makes 100 percent RPET sheet with AMUT extrusion/ sheet technology. Last year the company made its own thermoformed containers for food packaging called “Bottle Box.” This year, a second installation of a washing line and a third huge AMUT extrusion/sheet line will double the overall output to 80,000,000 pounds annually.

The FFG-920 QUAD, an inline high-speed thermoforming machine with four stations, provides a pre-heat station for the sheet prior to entering the forming station. All tooling is built with automatic centering technology and a quick disconnect system allowing change-over in minutes. Programming permits the recall of more than 100 product set-ups so operations are fast and user-friendly.

ments contaminated by heavy metals and/or organic products. Step one is the granulation in a rotating disk, and step two is the distillation of granules in a stream of superheated steam under vacuum to eliminate organic contaminants.

The outcome is the transformation of sediment/earth into a new decontaminated, stabilized granular material with good mechanical strength, which complies with the legal limits for the release of the contaminating substances present into the environment.

The use of Mapei’s super-plasticizing additives allows granules to reach certain mechanical

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characteristics to make them suitable for various applications and eliminates the organic contaminants through an emission-free process.

The company’s technology partner, In.T.Ec, transformed this process into an industrial process and built the first industrial-scale treatment plant on the Island of Murano (in the Venice lagoon) to treat the ground contaminated by heavy metals from glassworks.

The contaminated ground to be disposed of (classified as hazardous waters before treatment) requires transport costs and disposal costs to be put into waste sites. It now it can be transformed into new, usable materials with a certain value.

The reclamation of 6,000 m3 of ground on the island was successful. Granules were used as filler and to form screeds on the same site.

Operations on a second lot got underway in 2008. The technology is covered by two patents registered in Italy; two European patents have been applied for, jointly owned by the partnering companies.

Applications for by-products include filler material, aggregates for screeds, decorative stones (introduced on the market by Mapei under the name of DYNASTONE COLOR), and aggregates to make concrete.

The inertization, decontamination and stabilization plant is located where reclamation takes place, avoiding transport of contaminated materials offsite. The process is emission-free and the liquid effluent, the only by-product, is sent to a waste-water treatment plant.

Using it all Since 1947, Grede Iron Mountain Foundry (www. grede.com) has specialized in valves and other gray iron castings with complex internal shape requirements. Its markets encompass automotive, heavy trucks, appliances and other industrial applications.

As an environmentally focused company, in 2008, recycling/reuse of Grede’s production byproducts saved more than 220,000 tons of material from being landfilled. Some of the recycled materials include gates and risers, slag, sand, coke, fines, used oil, wood pallets, used grinding stones, dust collection particles, parts washer solvent and acid scrubber sludge. Many of these are reused at the plants and many of the materials that cannot be used by the company are sold or given to organizations that can reclaim or recycle them.

recyclable technologies

Grede is also able to use by-products from other manufacturing processes and industries, such as shredded automobiles and appliances, railroad tracks and leftover materials from demolition projects. Just about anything made from iron or steel can be used by the foundries to produce castings.

Scott Flaminio, project engineer, was responsible for the installation of the SAM 300, a 3-axis automated casting grinding cell manufactured by MAUS S.p.A. (www.maus.it), as well as its successful startup, and initial part fixtures and operator training.

The SAM 300 was on display at the 2008 CastExpo show in Atlanta, Georgia, where MAUS and Grede agreed to a three-month trial of the equipment prior to purchase.

“During the initial tooling period,” says Flaminio, “we were successful with two part numbers fixtured for the cell by MAUS.The original estimated savings for two part numbers was $288,715. A time study at the end of the trial period proved the annual savings were $296,285 for the same part numbers.”

Asked if he would consider additional Italian equipment, Flaminio replied, “Yes, this is very dependable equipment. It’s operator-friendly and easily programmable with the MAUS bench programmer. New part programming can be accomplished offline, allowing maximum equipment uptime.”

MAUS S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of a variety of grinding and riser cutting machinery for the foundry business and heavy metalworking machineries. MAUS’s North American market is growing. The company has stated that it is investing 6 percent of its gross revenue into R&D, to keep pushing the envelope for its customers with new and better methods of achieving faster throughput, more flexibility in manufacturing and higher margins through advanced automation and control.

EU moves to integrate environmental and energy policies Political interest and action are increasing in the European Union as integrated environmental and energy policies go on a timeline to reduce fossil fuel consumption, save energy and develop alternative sources. The EU wants to produce half of the energy needs for electricity, industry, transport and civil applications by 2050, and hopes to accomplish it through use of renewables and with carbon dioxide emissions.

In 2008, the recycling and reuse of Grede’s production by-products saved more than 220,000 tons of material from being landfilled.

Sources include wind and solar energy, hydraulic energy, biomass, organic biofuels and hydrogen as fuel. The EU also underwrites a variety of supporting research programs.

The Umbrian region is especially pro-active in programs created by the Italian Trade Commission (ITC), Region Umbria Offices, in conjunction with the Italian Ministry of Economical Development.

Umbrian companies prominent in the photovoltaic sector should reach production objectives sufficient to cover 10 percent of what is installed

Grede Foundry depends on MAUS equipment. and commercialized in Italy.This potential permits Umbria to penetrate international markets. The number of research centers in the territory enables a strong competitive stance.

The ITC is continually adding promotional activities to promote Umbrian-based and other companies throughout Italy to foreign markets.

As in this example of Umbria’s expertise in solar photovoltaic and solar thermal sectors, knowledge exchanges can take place internationally.

Visit the ITC website (www.italtrade.com) for more information.

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news

Hannover Messe 2010

Italy to feature ‘Sustainable Mobility’

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taly will be the “Partner Country” at Hannover Messe 2010, the world’s leading showcase for industrial technology (http://www.hannovermesse.de/italy), in Hannover, Germany, April 19-23, 2010.

To promote “sustainable mobility,” an Italian Pavilion, organized by the Italian Trade Commission, is a place where visitors can discover innovations in transportation, from airplanes and trains to ships and cars, under the aspect of efficiency, reduced environmental impact and use of sustainable fuels.

Italy’s Hannover Messe presentation is supported by the country’s Ministry for Economic Development.The pavilion of the Italian Trade Commission serves as the hub of Italy’s many decentralized exhibits.

Italy is not just presenting its industrial capabilities, but also will highlight investment opportunities and foster international cooperation. The country is organizing various match-making platforms to help interested companies and institutions identify and contact potential partners.The joint presentation, in a total of 2,000 square meters (10,760 sq ft), spreads across five exhibition halls, with theme areas such as industrial automation, energy, power plant technology, factory automation and industrial supply.

Group pavilions organized by the Italian Trade Commission will show Italy’s technological competence in industrial automation, drive technology and electrical engineering.

A Night of Innovation on April 19 at the Research and Technology Pavilion is a principal event, focusing on trends in innovation and research that have been points of strength in applications of Italian Industry. This is one of many events that Italy has on the schedule, spanning various pavilions at Hannover, and crossing sector-related activities.

Salvagnini installs new laser system in U.S. Salvagnini Italia S.p.A. (www.salvagnini.com) recently developed the L1Xe laser cutting system equipped with an electronic source that offers many benefits compared to standard carbon dioxide systems. The fiber source requires virtually no maintenance. Energy consumption is reduced up to 70 percent, plus fiber does not require high energy levels to achieve exceptional performance nor to cut thick material.

Wide ranges of machineable materials are cut using the fiber-optical power source, making cutting of reflective and conductive material possible -- aluminum, copper and galvanized steel. Higher cutting speeds and rapid piercing are possible with the high-density beam. Salvagnini offers a range of automated material handling and integration with fabrication systems.

Systems were recently installed, or are being installed, in the U.S. in Wisconsin, Illinois and Georgia for job shops, HVAC and The new 1LXE from Salvagnini food industry equipment manufacturers.

offers green benefits.

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Colines stresses environmental awareness Colines Extrusion Lines (www.colines.it) is focusing on three environmental issues: testing biodegradable raw materials, mechanical solutions consuming less energy, and automation devices optimizing optimize consumption.

Colines, with associated company B-Pack, is experimenting on extrusion lines with all available biodegradable resins to understand processing potential of raw products and trade potential of finished products.

The company has applied solutions to reduce energy consumption through:

Use of asynchronous high-performance ac motors (95%) with liquid cooling for additional efficiency;

Use of the latest generation of highperformance (98%) gearboxes; and

Use of inverters on motors (reducing losses for passive currents).

news

Shanghai World Expo to showcase Made in Italy

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hanghai World Expo 2010 (www.expo2010.cn) is an historical event and a unique opportunity to enhance trade and economic relations between Italy and China.

The Italian Trade Commission – ITC will undertake important initiatives to promote Made in Italy to the world. A technologically advanced Pavilion will be one of the biggest national pavilions, along with 11 other countries.

The Italian Trade Commission will ensure an important contribution to the Pavilion, through a promotional project, which includes a permanent exhibition and a series of events taking place during the six Expo months. The Italian Trade Commission will set up its own exhibition space inside the Italian Pavilion to promote Made in Italy.

The key concept of this permanent exhibition is “The Italian city as a collective artwork.” In the art of building cities, Italy has a record of excellence. The cities express their culture from a long history as living symbols of Italian style and elegance. This tradition is the core of Made in Italy.

Visitors will be literally wrapped into a multiplicity of screens and projections, with full immer(top) An artist’s rendition sion in a music-and-sound experience, playing famous compositions of Italian classical musicians. of the Italy Pavilion.

This area will be organized around six themes, one a month, displaying innovative Italian solutions (bottom) The groundbreaking for a better quality of life in contemporary urban environments. In May, the theme is City and Serceremony of the Italy Pavilion vices; in June, City and Design; in July, City and Cultural Heritage; in August, City, Sport and Leiat the Expo Site. sure; in September, City, Logistics and Sustainable Mobility; and in October, City and Architecture.

The cities of Rome, Milan,Venice and Bologna will stage their presence. Rome will organize an exhibition, “Italian Squares,” from April to June at MoCA, Museum of Contemporary Art, in Shanghai. Milan, host city of World Expo 2015, will organize events, particularly in June and October.Venice and Bologna plan permanent exhibitions in the Urban Best Practices Area.

The Italian Trade Commission has agreed with Tongji University of Shanghai to construct an Italian Design City in the Design and Innovation Center inside the campus for a permanent space, dedicated to Italian design and creative industries.

Agrati solutions offer North American manufacturers strong energy savings Agrati-AEE Srl (www.agrati.it), a leading company in pressure die-casting and the design and construction of machines for diecasting aluminum, Zama alloy and magnesium, is redefining the concept of its machines with the new Energy Saving range, a flexible and technologically advanced solution.

The company’s 50-ton hot chamber machine illustrates its philosophy, which is based on the quality of Italian products to provide high levels of productivity and energy savings.

Agrati serves a worldwide base, but production is Italian with machines built and assembled in the Zingonia (Bergamo) plant, where HC 50 Energy Saving was built -- an innovation in pressure die-casting. It reduces energy consumption (electricity) and resources (water) by 50 percent compared to traditional models.

Even in a challenging economy, the company is dedicated to innovation, investing resources in projects that produce energy savings and reduce environmental impact and consumption

levels. HC 50 Energy Saving is a hot chamber die-casting machine consisting of a press with a 52-ton maximum closing force, a 6.3-ton injection force, and a 4.4-ton central extraction force.

Collaboration “For the first time in the die-casting sector, this type of machine has been equipped with the complete motorpump-inverter system in a closed speed and pressure ring supplied by Rexroth” explains Angelo Masiero, Agrati solutions continued on page 29

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news

Abrigo provides impressive test showroom for North American companies

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brigo Industrial Machines, part of Abrigo S.p.A. (www.abrigospa. com) is bringing North America innovative practices in the food sector, especially in bakery and confectionary. Collaborating with Italian manufacturers, Abrigo provides integrated solutions for processing and producing baked products and confectionary, plus packaging and handling.

Reduced costs stem from integration of mechanical and electrical controls and direct common project management between manufacturers.

Abrigo has developed standard applications and customized solutions, investing time in research and development in innovative sectors. Robotic solutions are being studied, plus high-speed automatic systems that apply to the assembly of solar panels, components and accessories.

Abrigo technology impacts the food and Abrigo Inc. maintains a dynamic, growing branch with office and shop facilities. In bakery industries. its 10,000 sq-ft facility, the company has CNC lathes, CNC milling machines, bending machines and welding machines that build basic machines in Canada, plus spare parts for its largest lines and those of North American partners. An impressive showroom houses equipment to test demonstrate customers’ products.

Assocomaplast Report reveals growing North American demand for Italian solutions The Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry ranks second in the world in export volume and since the early 1950s has offered a range of original, reliable machines.

The industry has progressively developed, moving to more sophisticated, specific levels to provide higher productivity and quality technologies to improve penetration in worldwide markets.

Italian evolution in this field, both process and technology, offers plastics and rubber processors a range of machines and related equipment, plus peripheral or auxiliary tools up– and downstream for complex production lines.

The economic upturn of the sector is linked to the size of firms and experience realized during 50 years of activity.

Continuous upgrading permits a steady supply to Italian and foreign end–users, in particular to those interested in high hourly production and/or higher added value, through customized machinery.

Technological upgrading is demonstrated by 512 European patents of Italian plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers, members of the association ASSOCOMAPLAST (www.assocomaplast.org).

Italian companies, while continuing to install complex treatment plants in Europe and the U.S., are also experiencing and meeting a growth in demand for those technologies, particularly in emerging markets.

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Association fosters worldwide sustainability, partnership

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ustainable manufacturing is supported by the Italian association UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE (www.ucimu.it), which acts as a worldwide ambassador to promote the most advanced technology in Italian-made products.

The group reports that in the machine tool industry, Italy claims an exceptional standard of competence, which makes Italian manufacturers the “technological partners” chosen by users worldwide.

Solutions devised by Italian companies aim to meet the requirements that, given the globalization of the market and consequent international nature of corporate organization, force worldwide industry to set up manufacturing structures that are quick off the mark, flexible, and reconfigurable when working under increasing pressure.

Machines and systems based on functional modularity that can be adapted to suit production switches more easily and quickly than traditional operating units are typical of what Italian manufacturers offer.

These Italian companies are able to match the highest product technology standards with a quality of service that translates into not only technical assistance and advice on maintenance, but also acts as genuinely global consultancy.

Success of Italian machine tools is part of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE’s activities, whose main objective is to ensure that companies are in a position to operate with maximum competitiveness.

news

In Mexico, Italian solutions help a local plant to recycle A large plant start-up in Toluca, Mexico, Petstar S.A. de C.V. (www.gen.tv/ english/reciclaje1.html) will construct and operate a bottle-to-bottle plastic recycling facility to convert post-consumer PET bottles into food-grade, recycled PET resin to be sold to the Mexican soft-drinks bottling industry.

The design, based on the best washing technology, produces flakes for making new PET bottles. Demanding specifications are followed to obtain the purest standards for RPET material.

The plant, part of a project amounting to $35 million started by Petstar in early 2009, has hourly output of 3,000 kg of finished RPET products.

Following washing, RPET flakes are converted to granules for bottle-to-bottle application through the Bühler SSP (Solid State Processing) plant. Post-consumer bottles in Mexico are extremely dirty; most come directly from landfills and are not collected curbside or through deposit-refund systems.

The whole bottle pre-washing system uses hot high-friction washing. Using minimal detergent and special water distribution technology, sterilization is achieved. Savings are realized in operational costs -- the plant requires only one liter of water for every kilogram of RPET material. Plant operation is fully automatic, controlled by a central PC, providing data on machine status, processes and devices during washing.

Petstar plans to double plant throughput with a second AMUT S.p.A. (www.amut.it) washing line, to reclaim more than 120,000,000 pounds of PET bottles annually.

North American market one of many to welcome Italian textile machinery According to ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (www.acimit.it), the country’s textile machinery industry entails substantial investment in research, in-depth knowledge, and long experience in textile, mechanical and electronic fields.

Italian textile machineryexport by categories – 2008 Only a few countries boast firstclass textile machinery production.

Finishing 22% Italy is the second leading producer Knitting 15% of textile machinery worldwide Weaving 9% Spinning 24% and the technological level of its Accessories 21% production is recognized as setting Other 9% a high standard.

In 2008, production of Italian textile machinery amounted to 2.0 billion Euros, 79 percent of which was exported to about 130 countries, including the main export area Asia (43 percent), Europe (34 percent), South America (11 percent), North America (5 percent) and Africa (7 percent).

The supply of Italian textile machinery is characterized by a range that includes pre-spinning and spinning machinery; knitting and hosiery machinery; twisting, reeling, winding machinery; dyeing; printing and finishing machinery; pre-weaving and weaving machinery; and laundry dry-cleaning and ironing machinery.

Italian machines process all natural fibers (wool, cotton, silk, flax) and man-made fibers (polyester, acrylic, polyamides) to meet the needs of a modern textile industry.

Agrati solutions continued from page 27 head of Plastics at Bosch Rexroth S.p.A. (www.boschrexroth.it). “Similar solutions, with a motor-pump-inverter in a closed ring, have been around for some years, but are usually applied to medium-large tonnage machines with average-long cycle times. Rexroth’s innovation is to apply this technology to shorter cycle times, even of less than 10 seconds. Up to now, energy savings on smaller machines weren’t even considered, as they weren’t thought to be effective on fast cycles: this application, however, has demonstrated that very possibility.”

Apart from the advantage in energy savings, there is an increase in productivity. Because of the solution based on a synchronous motor with variable rpm and a single hydrostatic unit, higher speeds are obtained compared to traditional machines that use two hydrostatic units and an asynchronous motor with constant rpm.

The technology even produces savings in the quantity of conditioning water, as the hydrostatic unit and synchronous motor enable the use of a variable rpm ranging from an average minimum of 20/50 rpm to a maximum of 3,000 rpm, according to forming needs, without any waste that would be conditioned.

With incandescent open flame objects, the machines work with glycol water. These systems must work with lower temperatures compared with mineral oil. The machine works longer before arriving at a temperature where the conditioning system needs to be used, with a lower level of energy dissipation in the tank, reducing use of cooling water, another resource saving.

The Agrati press offers a reduction in general consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, plus an increase in production-cycle speed.

“The choice of Bosch Rexroth is undoubtedly linked to the quality of its products, which must have a long lifespan and be reliable, but also to the fact that the most winning strategy nowadays is that of creating solutions with a single supplier,” says Agrati director Vittorio Rovaris. “We’ve been collaborating with Bosch Rexroth for many years now, but in this specific case we met at precisely the right time: we were looking for energy saving solutions and Rexroth had just defined this complete motor-pump-inverter package that fully satisfied all our design needs.”

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awards

Italian Technology Award Programs

Host North American Students

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he Italian Trade Commission (ITC - www.italtrade. com/usa), with several partners, made it possible for two groups of North American students and professors to gain firsthand knowledge of Italian machinery and technology for the machinery manufacturing industries of machine tools and packaging.

These Italian industries are noted for holding significant global market shares.The Italian machine tool industry ranked third as a global provider for machinery and technologies.

Italian packaging machinery manufacturers provide one of every four machines worldwide.

For more information and for the latest metalworking and packaging technologies from Italy, contact the Italian Trade Commission, Machines Italia division, 888-ITALTRADE or via email at info@italtradeusa. com. The website www.machinesitalia.org provides information on the overall Italian Technology Award program and activities.

IMTTA winners were: Benjamin Rainwater and Andrew Kaufman (University of Arkansas), Jacob Davis and Evan Hoglund (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology) and Nicholas Grell and Levi Lentz (San Diego State University).

Accompanying the students were professors Duane Abata (South Dakota School of Mines and Technology), Thomas Impelluso (San Diego State University) and Uchechukwu Wejinya (University of Arkansas).

Winners of the Third Italian Machine Tool Technology Awards (IMTTA), selected as having the best papers, were awarded a two-week trip to Italy from March 13-27, 2010.

Students visited top Italian companies in the machine tool industry and took part in an advanced international engineering program from Polytechnic of Milan.

This trip was part of the Italian Machine Tool Technology Awards, which is part of the international program Italian Technology Awards. The IMTTA is sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission, via its Chicago Office, UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE (Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machine Tools, Robots, Automation Systems and Ancillary Products www.ucimu.it), Polytechnic of Milan (www.polimi.it) and for the U.S. element of Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ Education Foundation (SMEEF www.smeef.org).

IMTTA is comprised of a competition asking upper-level students attending premier North American universities to write a thesis on relative innovation in mechanical engineering-related

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industries and issues they face.The aim is to enrich the engineering education of students and advance knowledge on important industry issues to the next generation of engineering professionals.

Pasquale Bova,Trade Commissioner of the Italian Trade Commission’s Chicago Office, said, “Faculty participation provides the academics with a noteworthy opportunity to experience and learn about Italian machinery and technology and to enhance their programs by sharing such experiences upon their return to the classroom.”

Visits to Italian machinery manufacturers provided students with opportunities to experience firsthand Italian machine tool machinery and their vanguard technologies, which make Italian manufacturers world leaders. Company tours and discussions with machine tool machinery manufacturers throughout Italy were scheduled with Agusta Westland S.p.A. (www.agustawestland. com), BLM S.p.A. – BLM Group (www.blmgroup.com), Brembo S.p.A. (www.brembo.com), Breton S.p.A. (www. breton.it) COMAU S.p.A. (www.comau.com), Pama S.p.A. (www.pama.it), and Passaponti Metal Cleaning Technology S.r.l. (www.passaponti.com).

The trip concluded with Polytechnic of Milan’s certification program, visits to educational institutions and cultural tours of cities. During the second week an awards ceremony at Milan’s Museum of Science and Technology took place for students and participants in the international “Italian Technology Award” initiative, part of a program to introduce the Italian Trade Commission’s publication “The Italian Edge:Technology for Excellence.”

Packaging awards The ninth edition of the Italian Packaging Technology Awards (IPTA) launched at Pack Expo 2009 in Las Vegas.

The program awards student winners of a writing competition (on technical innovations in packaging) with a trip to Italy to visit leading packaging machinery manufacturers. Italy is a main supplier of machinery and materials for the sector.

This summer, student winners will spend two weeks in Italy visiting leading packaging machinery manufacturers. Faculty from participating universities will accompany students.

During Pack Expo International in Chicago this year, students and faculty will be hosted at an awards event by program sponsors -- the Italian Trade Commission, UCIMA (Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association www.ucima.it) and, for the U.S. element, the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP www.iopp.org).

sponsoring innovation

Italian Innovation in the Spotlight Machines Italia takes “Turning innovation into productivity” on the road to major North American events.

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f you make the purchasing decisions for your company, you have an enormous responsibility. You must know the ins and outs of production in a way no one else does—finding machines and systems solutions that are functional, reliable and durable, with readily available service and spare parts.You decide whether the return on investment ultimately can be realized. In short, much of your company’s success depends on your purchasing choices.

Italian machinery can make your decision easier.

That’s why Machines Italia, together with its partner associations, is proud to be a featured participant and/or sponsor of major industry events. Over the course of 2010, Machines Italia will, or is planning to, appear at the events listed in the box at right.

To strengthen global competitiveness within the manufacturing industry, these events will include presentations on technological advances within the industry and instructional workshops on best practices. Machines Italia will be at these events to reveal the latest in Italian mechanical innovation, representing its partner associations and companies.

Major Event Highlights Take advantage of these events by attending Machines Italia’s presentations.

The Machines Italia Manufacturing Summits. Machine Italia’s invitation-only event for leading C-Level North American executives will feature top North American and Italian Manufacturing experts, editors and industrialists to address key concerns facing manufacturing today and tomorrow.

The World Business Forum: Machines Italia will hold exclusive C-Level executive opportunities during the Forum.

Machines Italia representatives and partner Italian machinery manufacturers associations will be at the events to help you identify the best Italian solution providers to meet your unique production needs.

Visitors to Machines Italia’s booths will have access to information on the world’s most skilled engineers, designers and manufacturers, who have been inventing or retooling productivity-enhancing systems for decades.

Representatives will be available to respond to your needs or point you towards appropriate materials, including case histories, industry white papers, news, and testimonials on how Italian solution providers are keeping North American manufacturers both productive and competitive.

As Machines Italia frequently adds additional events and conferences to its roster, please remember to visit the event websites or contact our Machines Italia offices at info@italtradeusa.com or 888-ITALTRADE (482-5872) for more information.

Calendar of North American Events Coverings 2010 April 27th – 30th, 2010 Orlando, Florida www.coverings.com

Machines Italia Manufacturing Summits May 19, 2010 Toronto, Canada May 20, 2010 Chicago, Illinois

IWF – International Woodworking Fair 2010 August 25th – 28th, 2010 Atlanta, Georgia www.iwfatlanta.com

IMTS – International Manufacturing Technology Show September 13th – 18th, 2010 Chicago, Illinois www.imts.com

World Business Forum October 5th – 6th, 2010 New York City www.wbfny.com

Pack Expo International / Process Expo October 31st – November 3rd, 2010 Chicago, Illinois www.packexpo.com

Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association Fall Convention & Industry Showcase November 3rd - 6th, 2010 Dallas, Texas www.emda.net

OESA - Original Equipment Suppliers Association’s 2010 Outlook Conference and 12th Annual Meeting of Members November 2010 (dates TBA) Detroit, Michigan www.oesa.org

AG Connect Expo January 7th -10th, 2011 Atlanta, Georgia www.agconnect.com

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trade shows

Italian Exhibitions Listed by Sector Sector

Trade Show

Title

Machines Italia Partner Association

Show Location

Show Dates

Agriculture

EIMA International 2010

International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition

UNACOMA

Bologna, Italy

Nov. 10-14, 2010

Ceramic Technology

TECNARGILLA 2010

International Exhibition of Technology and Supplies for the Ceramics and Brick Industries

ACIMAC

Rimini, Italy

Sep. 27-Oct. 1, 2010

Food Technology

CIBUS TEC 2011

Food Processing Packaging Technology Exhibition

Not in Attendance

Parma, Italy

Oct. 18-21, 2011

Food Technology: Baking

SIAB

International Exhibition of Technology and Products for Bakery, Pastry, Confectionery, Fresh Pasta and Pizza Fields

ANIMA (ASSOFOODTEC)

Verona, Italy

May 22-26, 2010

Food Technology: Catering & Restaurant

HOST

International Expositions of the Hospitality Industry

ANIMA (ASSOFOODTEC)

Milan, Italy

Oct. 21-25, 2011

Footwear & Leathergoods Machines

SIMAC 2010

International Exhibition of Machines and Technologies for Footwear and Leathergoods Industries

ASSOMAC

Bologna, Italy

Oct. 12-14, 2010

Foundry

FOUNDEQ EUROPE

Exhibition of Equipment and Products for the Foundry of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Metals

AMAFOND

Montichiari (BR), Italy

April 14-17, 2010

Glass

VITRUM 2011

International Trade Show Specialized in Machinery, Equipment and Systems for Flat, Bent and Hollow Glass and in Glass and Processed Industrial Products

GIMAV

Milan, Italy

2011, Dates (TBA)

Graphic, Printing and Converting

GRAFITALIA

Exhibition of Machinery and Materials for the Graphic Arts, Publishing, Paper, Converting, Package Printing and Communication Industries

ACIMGA

Milan, Italy

May 7-11, 2013

Machine Tools, Components & Ancillary Products

SFORTEC

Technical Subcontracting Exhibition

UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE

Milan, Italy

Oct. 5-9, 2010

Machine Tools for Metalforming

LAMIERA

Machines and Equipment for the Machining of Sheet Metal, Pipes, Sections, Wire and Metal Structural Work, Dies, Welding, Heat Treatments, Surface Treatment, Finishing

UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE

Bologna, Italy

May 12-15, 2010

Machine Tools, Robots & Automation Systems/ Subcontracting

26 BI-MU

Machine Tools, Robots, Automation

UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE

Milan, Italy

Oct. 5-9, 2010

Machine Tools, Robots & Automation Systems/ Subcontracting

EMO MILANO 2015

The World of Metalworking

UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE

Milan, Italy

Oct. 5-10, 2015

Machine Tools, Robots & Automation Systems/ Subcontracting

BI-MU MEDITERRANEA

Machine Tools, Robots, Automation

UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE

Bari, Italy

Feb. 18-21, 2010

Marble

MARMOMACC

International Exhibition of Stone Design & Technology

ASSOMARMO MACCHINE

Verona, Italy

Sep. 29-Oct. 2, 2010

Marble

CARRARA MARMOTEC

International Fair for Marble Technologies & Design

ASSOMARMO MACCHINE (Exhibitor)

Carrara, Italy

May 19-22, 2010

Packaging

PACKOLOGY

Exhibition of Technology for Packaging and Processing

UCIMA

Rimini, Italy

June 8-11, 2010

Packaging/ Food Technology

Ipack-Ima 2012

International Exhibition for Packing, Packaging, Material Handling and Food Processing Machinery

UCIMA-ANIMA ASSOFOODTEC

Milan, Italy

Feb. 28-March 3, 2012

Packaging/ Pharmaceutical

Pharmintech 2010

The Innovations Exhibition for the Pharmaceutical Industry

UCIMA

Bologna, Italy

May 12-14, 2010

Plastics & Rubber

PLAST2012

International Plastics and Rubber Industries' Exhibition

ASSOCOMAPLAST

Milan, Italy

May 8-12, 2012

Tanning Machines & Chemical Products

TANNING-TECH 2010

International Exhibition of Finishing and Knitting Machinery Tanning Industry

ASSOMAC

Bologna, Italy

Oct. 13-15, 2010

Woodworking Machinery

XYLEXPO 2010

Biennial Exhibition for Woodworking Technology

ACIMALL

Milan, Italy

May 4-8, 2010

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www.machinesitalia.org

trade shows

Web Site

Organizer

Address

Zip Code

City

Telephone*

Fax*

Email

www.eima.it

UNACOMA Service Surl

Via Venafro, 5

00159

www.tecnargilla.it

RiminiFiera S.p.A.

Via Emilia, 155

47900

Roma

06 432981

06 4076370

eima@unacoma.it

Rimini

0521 9961

0541 744243

info@acimac.it

www.fiereparma.it

Fiere di Parma S.p.A.

Via Rizzi, 67/a

www.siabweb.com

VERONAFIERE

Viale Del Lavoro, 8

43100

Baganzola (PR)

0521 9961

0521 996270

tecno@fiere.parma.it

37135

Verona

045 8298111

045 8298288

info@siabweb.com

www.host.expocts.it

Expocts S.p.A.

Via Generale G. Govone, 66

20155

Milano

02 349841

02 33600493

expo@expocts.it

www.simac-fair.it

Assomac Servizi S.r.l.

Via Matteotti, 4/2, CP 73

27029

Vigevano (PV)

0381 78883

0381 88602

exhibition@assomac.it

www.foundeq.com

Edimet S.p.A.

Via Brescia, 117

25018

Montichiari (BR)

030 9981045

030 9981055

info@edimet.com

www.vitrum-milano.it

VITRUM

Via Petitti, 16

20149

Milano

02 33006009

02 33005630

vitrum@vitrum-milano.it

www.grafitalia.biz

CENTREXPO S.p.A.

Centro Mostre Specilaizzate Corso Sempione, 4

20154

Milano

02 3191091

02 341677

centrexpo@centrexpo.it

www.bimu-sfortec.com

EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE S.p.A. in cooperation with CEU-CENTRO ESPOSIZONI UCIMU S.p.A.

Viale Fulvio Testi, 128

20092

Cinisello Balsamo (MI)

02 262551

02 26255214/ 349

ucimu@ucimu.it

www.lamiera.net

CEU-CENTRO ESPOSIZIONI UCIMU S.p.A.

Viale Fulvio Testi, 128

20092

Cinisello Balsamo (MI)

02 262551

02 26255214/ 349

ucimu@ucimu.it

www.bimu-sfortec.com

EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE S.p.A. in cooperation with CEU CENTRO ESPOSIZIONI UCIMU S.p.A.

Viale Fulvio Testi, 128

20092

Cinisello Balsamo (MI)

02 262551

02 26255214/ 349

ucimu@ucimu.it

www.emo-milan.com

EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE S.p.A. promoted by CECIMO (European committee for the Cooperation of the Machine Tool Industries)

Viale Fulvio Testi, 128

20092

Cinisello Balsamo (MI)

02 26255860/ 861

02 26255882

info@emo-milan.com

www.bimu-mediterranea.it

ENTE AUTONOMO FIERA DEL LEVANTE in cooperation with CEU-CENTRO ESPOSIZIONI UCIMU S.p.A.

Viale Fulvio Testi, 128

20092

Cinisello Balsamo (MI)

02 262551

02 26255214/ 349

ucimu@ucimu.it

www.marmomacc.com/ home_en.asp

VERONAFIERE

Viale Del Lavoro, 8

37135

Verona (VR)

045 8298111

045 8298288

info@veronafiere.it

www.carraramarmotec.com

CarraraFiere S.r.l.

V.le G. Gallilei, 133

54036

Marina di Carrara (MS)

0585 787963

0585 787602

info@carraramarmotec.com

www.packologyexpo.com

Rimini Fiera S.p.A.

Via Emilia, 155

47921

Rimini

0541 744111

0541 744200

info@packologyexpo.com

www.ipack-ima.com

Ipack-Ima S.p.A.

Corso Sempione, 4

20154

Milano

02 3191091

02 33619826

ipackima@ipackima.it

www.pharmintech.it

Ipack-Ima S.p.A.

Corso Sempione, 4

20154

Milano

02 3191091

02 33619826

pharmintech@ipackima.it

www.plast2012.org

PROMOPLAST S.r.l.

Centro Direzionale Milanofiori, Palazzo F/3

20090

Assago (MI)

02 82283743

02 57512490

info@plast12.org

www.tanning-tech.it

Assomac Servizi S.r.l.

Via Matteotti, 4/a- CP 73

27029

Vigevano (PV)

0381 78883

0381 88602

exhibition@assomac.it

www.xylexpo.com/eng

XYLEXPO

Centro Commerciale Milano-fiori, 1a Strada Palazzo F3

20090

Assago (MI)

02 89210200

02 8259009

info@xylexpo.com

*When calling Italy, dial 011 + 39 (country code) before the local number

1-888-italtrade

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Italian machinery

Innovation at work in global markets Agriculture/Farm Machinery UNACOMA represents Italian manufacturers of tractors, agricultural machinery and gardening machinery.

These Italian manufacturers produce everything from power mowers for the homeowner to tractors and harvesters used by the world’s leading agribusiness enterprises. UNACOMA members account for 90% of Italian farm machinery production. Italian farm equipment manufacturers rank first in the world in terms of the range of machines produced. www.unacoma.com Ceramics Italian manufacturers of machinery and equipment for ceramics have earned a world-class reputation for providing solutions that meet a vast range of customer needs—from traditional ceramics to the latest design trends. Customers around the globe choose machinery produced by members of ACIMAC, the Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machinery and Equipment for the Ceramic Industry, because it is easy to program and simple to maintain; this machinery is also known for its ability to increase productivity and for its design flexibility. www.acimac.it Earthmoving Machinery COMAMOTER is the group of UNACOMA representing the Italian manufacturers of earthmoving machinery, attachments and components. COMAMOTER has approximately 40 members (manufacturing over 80% of the total output) who build high-quality, reliable, heavy, medium and light equipment for worldwide use, valued at over $3 billion a year. Italy exports more than $1 billion of earthmoving machinery, equipment and parts annually to more than 140 countries worldwide. www.comamoter.com Food Technology ASSOFOODTEC (Incorporating UCMA)—the Italian Association of Machinery and Plant Manufacturers for Food Production, Processing and Preservation—has leveraged the Italian spirit of innovation into a global leadership position. ASSOFOODTEC operates within the Federation of Italian Mechanical and Engineering Associations (ANIMA), and its members turn out machines for global exports that are well known for technological superiority, durability and ingenuity. www.assofoodtec.it Footwear, Leathergoods and Tanning ASSOMAC is the association representing the Italian manufacturers of footwear, leathergoods and tanning machinery. The 180 member manufacturers are world leaders in this sector supplying the most advanced footwear, leathergoods and tanning technologies all over the world. The industrial sectors represented by ASSOMAC export almost 70% of their production. www.assomac.it Foundry and Metallurgical Machinery AMAFOND is the Italian association of companies producing machinery, plants, furnaces and products for the foundry industry. Its 80 member companies provide machinery used in the manufacturing of everything from automobile engines and components to domestic appliances. AMAFOND credits the “Italian approach” to business—characterized by extra customer care and stronger personal relationships—as one of the reasons its member companies attract worldwide customers. www.amafond.com

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www.machinesitalia.org

Italian machinery

Glass As an evolution of the Italian glass-making tradition, GIMAV—the Italian Association of Glass-Processing Machinery and Accessory Suppliers—represents Italian excellence in glass-making machinery today. This industry sector has expanded internationally by employing innovative technology that meets today’s marketplace needs. GIMAV’s 80 member companies are known for customizing machines to meet exacting end-user specifications—from high-rise building construction to fine arts applications. www.gimav.it Marble and Stone Three hundred and twenty-five companies form the foundation of Associazione Italiana MARMOMACCHINE (CONFINDUSTRIA MARMOMACCHINE), the association representing the Italian marble and stone machinery industries. These companies supply the advanced technology that makes Italy a global leader in the stone and manufactured stone industries. Italian machinery is engineered to be versatile and provide customers with unique solutions to process marble and stone at competitive prices. www.assomarmomacchine.com

Metalworking UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE is the Italian Machine Tools, Robots and Automation Manufacturers’ Association. As an official representative of the industry, UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE acts as a worldwide ambassador for some of the latest technology developed in Italy. The 214 member companies, who produce around 70% of the output for the sector, have won universal recognition for their quality, flexibility, reliability and customization. www.ucimu.it Packaging UCIMA groups the Italian Manufacturers of Automatic Packing and Packaging Machinery. Its members represent 70% of the total Italian production and, on average, 80% of Italian exports. One packaging machine out of every four in the world bears the wording “Made in Italy.” And the United States is the industry’s main outlet market for the sector. The worldwide success of the Italian packing and packaging industry is fi rmly rooted in a consolidated technological tradition and in the ability to find customized packing solutions. www.ucima.it Plastics and Rubber The companies of ASSOCOMAPLAST, the Italian Plastics and Rubber Processing Machinery and Molds Manufacturers Association, are globally renowned for their “turnkey solutions”—addressing customer needs through sophisticated machines and engineering. As a result, the Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery industry has seen steady growth since its inception in 1960. Italian machines are highly prized by the world’s most industrialized and economically advanced countries. www.assocomaplast.org Printing, Graphic and Converting ACIMGA represents the Italian manufacturers of machinery for the graphic, converting and paper industry.

Members of this association are world leaders in making machinery for rotogravure and flexographic printing, paper and cardboard processing, and converting. Most of what is produced is absorbed by the packaging market with 50% of the industry’s turnover, followed by the graphic arts industry with about 35%, the rest is employed in various sectors. www.acimga.it Textile Machinery ACIMIT is the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, representing 80% of the entire Italian textile machinery production. Each member takes pride in helping their manufacturing customers spin “cloth into gold.” Italian textile machinery manufacturers meet the full spectrum of industry needs (spinning, weaving, knitting and finishing machines), and leading American textile and clothing manufacturers rely on the quality of Italian high-tech machinery. www.acimit.it Wood In every segment of woodworking, from sawmills to the industrial processing of solid wood and panel to finishing, the Italian industry is present with technological solutions capable of responding eff ectively to a multitude of user requirements. ACIMALL, the Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tools Manufacturers’ Association, with over 220 of the most qualified companies in their field, represents 90% of the whole industry, both in terms of employees and in turnover. www.acimall.com 1-888-italtrade

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Innovative Solutions for

Green Manufacturing

T

he latest issue of Machines Italia examines how global manufacturers can benefit from sustainable manufacturing practices, as promoted and supported by Italian machinery makers.

We are pleased to have the President of the Italian Trade Commission, Ambassador Umberto Vattani provide the introduction of this edition.

With the world of business and industry facing challenges on every front, we have attempted to present a comprehensive array of topics, and we thank you for your interest in these diverse articles.

Sustainable manufacturing encompasses a variety of activities and assets, from green manufacturing practices, “green” machines and renewable energy sources, to a renewed emphasis on recyclable technologies and tactics. The responsible company—seeking to reduce its carbon footprint and maximize energy savings—needs to understand which options will produce the greatest green benefit. With the influx of high-quality Italian machinery that is intentionally engineered to provide green benefits, there is a stunning variety of choices available to the North American market.

We suggest as you reflect on today’s choices to consider the broad spectrum of Italian companies that offer not only excellent machinery, but also superior services that can help your company reach all its sustainable goals.

The Italian Trade Commission works with 14 professional associations and organizations that represent major Italian machinery manufacturing industries.We invite you to use our resources available on the soon-to-be redesigned Machines Italia website (www.machinesitalia. org), which promises to be more user-friendly and dynamically engaging, offering you a breadth of assistance, options, tools, and information to aid you in your decision-making process.

You may also call or email us at 888-ITALTRADE or info@italtradeusa.com.

Sincerely, Pasquale Bova Trade Commissioner—Chicago

Atlanta c/o Italian Trade Commission 233 Peachtree Street N.E., Suite 2301 P.O.Box 56689 Atlanta, Georgia 30343 Tel: 888-ITALTRADE (482-5872) Fax: 404.525.5112 E-mail: atlanta@ice.it Chicago c/o Italian Trade Commission 401 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 3030 Chicago, Illinois 60611 Tel: 888-ITALTRADE (482-5872) Fax: 312.264.6209 E-mail: info@italtradeusa.com Los Angeles c/o Italian Trade Commission 1801 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 700 Los Angeles, California 90067 Tel: 888-ITALTRADE (482-5872) Fax: 310.203.8335 E-mail: losangeles@ice.it Mexico City c/o INSTITUTO Italiano Para El Comercio Exterior Edificio Omega – Campos Eliseos N. 345 Colonia Polanco – 11560 Mexico D.F. Toll Free: (in Mexico City) 5281 50 10 or (outside Mexico City) 1.800.696.6032 Tel: (+52 555) 2808425 2813950 – 2813957 Fax: (+52 555) 2802324 E-mail: info@italtrademexico.com Toronto c/o Italian Trade Commission 180 Dundas Street West, Suite 2002 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1Z8 Toll Free: 888-ITALTRADE (482-5872) Tel: 416.598.1566 Fax: 416.598.1610 E-mail: info@italtradecanada.com

Published on behalf of the Office of the Italian Trade Commission in Chicago USA