comfort in furniture manufacturing
About two-thirds of Vallero International’s tannery drums are made of wood, but the company also makes versions in plastic and stainless steel.
Future Looks Comforting In
Furniture Manufacturing
F
urniture makers in the United States are going strong and expect continued growth, with annual production increases of 3% through 2019. Italian manufacturing machinery makers are helping them keep up, with innovation and automation in the wood, textiles, leather and plastics sectors. “From a technology standpoint, Italy’s textile machinery manufacturers are at the forefront of research and innovation, and their primary focus is on continuing to innovate,” said Raffella Carabelli, president of the ACIMIT - Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (www.acimit.it). The professional organization for companies that make shop machinery for processing and manufacturing with animal hides, ASSOMAC - The National Association of Manufacturers of Footwear, Leathergoods and Tannery Technologies (www.assomac.it),
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said its members are making automation and connectivity a priority. “Our members’ biggest concerns in 2016-17 are to increase machine automation and software simplicity,” said Andrea Favazzi, of ASSOMAC’s technology department. “That includes making hardware and software more friendly for the users.” Shoe manufacturers, especially, are working toward increased process control of production systems, Favazzi said. Italian manufacturers supply over half of the world’s shoe and leather goods machines. ASSOMAC members include ALC Tecnologie Adesive Srl, (Robassomero, Italy; www.alcgruppo.com) and DAP Italia Srl Cinisello Balsamo, Italy; www.durkoppadler.it), each of which produces both footware and leather goods machines. While critically important, automation isn’t the only criterion North American furniture makers use when choosing manufacturing machinery.
Volume XI | www.machinesitalia.org
