Innovation and synergy Gruppo Industriale Tosoni

INNOVATION AND SYNERGY

Thanks to its industrial and service companies, Gruppo Industriale Tosoni SpA is a market leader in both the construction and transport sectors. Innovation and synergies among its companies are vital to its success, as Barbara Rossi finds out.

Headquartered in the Verona area (Villafranca), Gruppo Industriale Tosoni SpA is a holding, wholly controlled by the founding Tosoni family, which leads a group composed of seven industrial companies, two service companies and several foreign branches (the latter are controlled by the Italian operational companies rather than by the holding itself) organised in two macro-divisions: construction and transport. The group operates in the construction area through three companies, namely Cordioli & C, a leader in steel structures, Officine Tosoni Lino SpA, specialised in curtain walls for buildings, and Far Systems SRL, a specialist in electronic systems for the energy, environment and construction fields.

The transport division is led by Saira Europe SpA, a division sub-holding producing railway components, and includes Saira Electronics Srl, Saira Seats SAS, and Saira Asia Interiors Pvt Ltd. Saira Electronics Srl is a producer of electronics devices for transportation and Saira Seats SAS is a European leader in railway seats manufacturing based in France. In terms of interiors, as well as Saira Europe SpA itself, there is Saira Asia Interiors Pvt Ltd, which was set up in the Indian state of Gujarat in 2009 as a wholly Indian company, with the aim of providing a local presence in the country, where it manufactures products and carries out projects, designing and supplying railway interiors and electronics products.

The two service companies of the group are Far Energy Srl, also based in Villafranca, whose activity is managing alternative energy plants, and R&D Systems Srl, which carries out the R&D activities of the group from a modern R&D centre based in Rovereto (Trento).

This latter company works in close collaboration with universities, as well as public and private organisations, operating in research and innovation. It was set up in 2008, unifying all the R&D activities of the group in a single structure, as Tosoni

recognises the essential role that new, innovative solutions have in terms of enabling a company to compete on international markets and exploit the opportunities offered by developments in science and technology. Being recognised as a leading player, present on international markets, is fundamental for Gruppo Tosoni, as proven by its evolution from being a family company producing doors and windows for residential and industrial buildings to its current status as a group with a global presence.

Tosoni has always been a company willing to invest in diverse sectors, giving utmost importance to the synergies among the group’s companies. It operates thanks to a flexible, but strong organisation, with a strong focus on environmentally friendly systems, especially in the construction field. For this reason, one of the objectives of R&D System Srl is the maximisation of the competitiveness of existing production areas, so as to ensure future improvements through innovation in products, processes and organisations. Its research focuses on energy, the environment, and technology & safety, employing a multicultural approach and a team of researchers, graduates on work experience placements and research degree students who contribute to ongoing projects under the leadership of the centre’s own scientific directorate. The end result is the development of top quality products and systems with high added value, fulfilling end users’ needs, while at the same time being environmentally friendly and making a significant contribution to economic growth.

Recent projects and achievements

Recognition for this activity materialised in 2011, when R&D Systems was a finalist in the “Companies for innovation” prize, awarded by Confindustria in collaboration with APQI (Italy Quality Prize Association) for the promotion of organisational and strategic models working towards growth through innovation.

This activity is reflected in the innovation that the group’s companies are able to present to the market. For instance, in terms

Tende e componenti per allestimenti ferroviari Tendine civilli e industriali • alzavetri elettrici

Curtains and components for rail equipment

Small curtains for civil and industrial use • electric window closer

Flexso nasce nel 1992 a seguito della riorganizzazione del gruppo R.M. che operava nell’automotive.

Flexso è specializzata nella progettazione e realizzazione di alzavetri elettrici e manuali per il settore automotive; le attività di diversificazione avviate dalla direzione aziendale, hanno individuato un importante mercato nel settore ferroviario. Flexso realizza esclusive tendine elettriche, elettromanuali e manuali nonché fi nestrini completi di tenda per carrozze ferroviarie in partnership con SAIRA EUROPE ed altri.

E’ stata quindi ampliata l’area produttiva con l’inserimento di una nuova linea dedicata alla realizzazione delle singole tendine e degli assieme fi nestrino.

Flexso progetta e realizza soluzioni personalizzate per tendine in accordo con il Cliente per il settore civile ed industriale.

Flexso was born in 1992 after the reorganization of the R.M. group which worked in the automotive industry.

Flexso is specialized in the design and implementation of electric and manual window closers for the automotive industry; the diversification activities, which have been made by the corporate management, have found an important market in railway industry.

Flexso makes exclusive electric, electro-manual and manual curtains as well as window panels complete of curtains for passenger cars in partnership with SAIRA EUROPE and others.

The productive area has therefor been amplified with the opening of a new line dedicated to the creation of curtains and window panels.

Flexso designs and manufactures personalized solutions for curtains in agreement with the customer for the civil, industrial and railway sector. Products: 1. Curtains for the rail industry

Electrical:* Motorized outside the roller Motorized inside the roller Power supply 12-24 VDC

Electric/manual:* Motorized outside the roller Power supply 12-24 VDC *Possible quick permunation of the curtain 2. Window closers for automobiles

Electrical by cables

Manual by cables

Pantograph

Mechanisms using panels 3. Small mechaincal groups

Movement mechanism for the tow bar (Alstom)

Rearview mirrors (Alstom)

Specific equipment destined to the automotive industry 4. Curtains for the industrial/civil industry

Electrical: With motorization and electronic control positioned inside the roller Power supply 12-24 VDC Command function: push-button/remote control Operates: by gravity

L’azienda é certificata ISO 9001 ed ISO 14001 progetta e realizza i prodotti anche in co-designer con il cliente. The company is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified and also designs and creates products with the client as a co-designer.

Via Valente, 62/I 16044 CICAGNA (GE) Tel. +39 0185.929848 Fax +39 0185.971284 fl exso@flexso.it www.flexso.it

of construction, Officine Tosoni has been the first among curtain wall manufacturers and fire prevention specialists to develop a fire resistant curtain wall with aluminium and glass modules, an achievement carried out for the construction of the “Centro Congressi Italia” in Rome, otherwise known as the “Nuvola” or “Cloud”, a structure designed by the architect Massimiliano Fuksas. The design required a section of glass curtain wall, measuring about 5000 square metres, which in the event of fire could protect the emergency stairs for at least sixty minutes. Protection was required from both smoke infiltration and excessive heat, in order to allow the building to be evacuated and the Fire Brigade to intervene safely. This achievement is even more remarkable in view of the fact that this has been the first installation undertaken by Officine Tosoni in terms of fire resistant curtain walls. Another company of the group, Cordioli, has also been involved in this project, in terms of assembling the metal structure forming the basis for the actual “Cloud”, alongside constructing the elements supporting the side vertical curtain walls.

Furthermore, in 2011 Officine Tosoni obtained the PASS VEC and the PASS innovation certifications (respectively certifying the structural bonding process used to bond glass to metal surfaces and the use of curtain walls incorporating photovoltaic surfaces, in accordance with French standards).

Cordioli has also contributed to changing the Bologna skyline, thanks to its involvement in the erection of the “Unifimm Tower”. This mixed steel and concrete tower block has two basement floors and 30 above ground storeys, a total height of 125m. Other recent projects carried out by Cordioli have included the building of affordable, high-quality and environmentally friendly housing, called the “Rising House”, through the use of prefabricated modules, which after having been assembled at ground level are lifted up and stabilised; as well as the construction of the Porto Empedocle viaduct.

In 2010 Far Systems installed the second longest photovoltaic noise barrier in Italy, along the SS434 highway near Oppeano (Verona) and, in collaboration with Hyundai, it has offered PSD (platform screen doors), escalators and elevators to subway and light rail stations. It also co-organised and participated to the Cenelec TC9X committee plenary meeting, where it showed an energy consumption monitoring application for the railway field running in real time on a fleet in the UK.

Finally, Saira, a European leader in the design and supply of tram, metro train and railway carriage interiors and street furniture, has recently supplied the interiors for 78 high speed carriages for Trenitalia, alongside having supplied interiors for many other intercity, metro, high speed and light rail trains for many leading clients in several countries. n