Non-woven solutions always within reach Fitesa

as to fulfil customers’ requirements and which can be supplied as single component or as integrated air moving solutions. For instance, the motor can be supplied with fans especially designed to maximise high efficiency, exceeding EC Directive requirements for 2015. Mr Albrici specifies, “In terms of motors for commercial refrigeration, we are one of the main global producers, with an output exceeding 7 million units a year.”

Over the years Elco has undergone an internationalisation process, opening its first foreign plant in Spain in the 80’s. Today production takes place at three sites, located in three different continents. First of all there is the Italian plant (Inzago, Milan) which houses production of the whole range of products, as well as offices, the supplier approval centre and the R&D department. 14 engineers are dedicated to R&D. The ventilation/air conditioning range is exclusively produced at the Italian plant. The other two production sites are located in China (Dongguan) and Brazil (San Paolo) and are solely focused on the manufacturing of the refrigeration range.

In early 2014 a new production site will be opened in Central America to supply the commercial refrigeration range to the North American market. The production structure of the group is flanked by a series of commercial branches, located in Russia, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), Singapore, Mexico and Colombia. Furthermore, thanks to the fact that in 2010 Elco became part of the Regal Beloit Corporation, one of the largest motor producers in the world, it can count on the group’s organisation to distribute its products in a number of other countries, including North America, Australia, the UK and South Africa. As if this was not enough, there is also a network of local agents and distributors, which means that overall Elco sells its products in more than 80 countries.

Product development

With regard to new products, Mr Albrici adds: “We are going to further develop our products within the boundaries of ECM technology, expanding the available range and increasing its number of applications. We are extending it to the heating sector as well, applying it to boilers. Some of these new products are already available as part of the Regal range and shortly will also be available in ours.”

Thanks to its R&D department, the company fully develops its products internally, both at hardware and software levels. It is also equipped with a testing lab, where fans up to 7000 CFM can be tested, in terms of capacity, noise levels and vibrations, among other factors. “Being part of Regal Beloit is very important with regard to being able to offer increasingly innovative solutions, as the Regal Beloit technical staff support us in this.”

While most of the refrigeration products are for commercial and (to a lesser extent) industrial refrigeration, the ventilation/air conditioning range mainly serves the residential sector, with an offer ranging from fan coils to ducted solutions. The soon to be available heating range will serve both the residential and industrial sectors, always featuring high efficiency/low consumption motors.

Key market sectors

“We are key players in the ventilation/air conditioning sector, both in Europe and in the Middle East. Europe is the most important market for this kind of product (we estimate we enjoy a 40 per cent share of it), with Italy playing a leading role; a stable market but technologically oriented, exactly in line with the company focus on high efficiency solutions. The Middle East, on the other hand, is rapidly growing, demanding the quality of European-made products; our brand has a very strong reputation and is considered as reference of quality, reliability and innovation.”

“We are also very strong in the commercial refrigeration sector for both shaded pole and ECM motors. Our products rank at the top end of the scale in terms of reliability over time. We cover an even wider geographical area with this range, as we manufacture in three continents. We hold a number of certifications, proving that our products comply with the legislation of countries all over the world. Again, Europe is a fundamental market, but stable; our focus remains to support those users seeing consumption reduction as an opportunity for business sustainability. Markets which are showing a very fast grow rate for the company are China and North America.”

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Future development plans include increasing Elco’s presence on the markets it already serves. An area of particular importance for both refrigeration and ventilation/air conditioning is eastern Europe, hence the company’s commercial facility in Russia. Elco will grow organically, increasing its sales volumes and widening its offer of high-technology solutions.

“Our products for the heating sector will initially be offered to the European market and we are going to launch them (starting with the Premix of RBC’s Fasco brand) at ‘Mostra Convegno Expocomfort 2014’ in Milan March 18-21 Hall 1 booth N19-P18, where we are going to be present with a dedicated stand in the heating area, in addition to having our usual stand in the ‘refrigeration and HVAC’ zone Hall 22 booth E41-F42. As usual high energy efficiency will be central to our offer, as by now it is part of our sustainable business mission.”

Currently refrigeration accounts for more than half of turnover, because world demand is very high. The ventilation/air conditioning market will grow following an ever-greater demand for comfort and compliance with new legislation (for instance the ErP 2015 EU Directive). Furthermore, increasingly there will be a shift from fan coils towards ducted units. “We have long-term partnerships with our suppliers, thanks to which we can maintain and guarantee our high quality levels. For instance, I would like to mention Duepi Srl, which supplies us with moulds for plastic materials as well as with finished plastic components; GKM Sinter Metals SpA, which supplies us with critical components, such as motor bushings; and Officine Meccaniche Dante Villa, another critical components supplier, this time for motor shafts.” n

NON-WOVEN SOLUTIONS ALWAYS WITHIN REACH

Leading global nonwoven fabric manufacturer Fitesa specialises in products for the fast-expanding hygiene sector. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to the VP – Sales EMEA and Operations Michael Baumgartner and Global Marketing Director Ray Dunleavy to gain an insight into how this ambitious, dynamic company is maximising its capabilities for the benefit of its customers.

First established in Brazil in 1973, Fitesa, owned by Brazilian company Evora, has grown to become a leading global nonwovens manufacturer through investment, strategic partnership and acquisitions. In 2009 Fitesa, a South American spunmelt manufacturer, formed a joint venture in North America with well-known spunmelt manufacturer Fiberweb. In 2011 Fitesa acquired Fiberweb’s hygiene business, to become what is now the second largest hygiene nonwovens manufacturer in the world.

This continual focus on expansion sits alongside Fitesa’s long-term dedication to the satisfaction of its customer base, which includes some of the most famous multinational and regional manufacturers of nappies and incontinence products. VP – Sales EMEA and Operations Michael Baumgartner told Industry Europe how these two core values define Fitesa’s success. He said, “We have grown to become a global leader in nonwovens with a focus on hygiene. With our presence in North America, South America, Europe and Asia, we are truly a global partner.”

Fitesa’s most recent expansion comes from its 2011 acquisition of three Fiberweb hygiene nonwovens manufacturing plants in Europe, giving it an increased geographical reach. Mr Baumgartner continued, “Our owners are excited about the addition of our three European plants – in Norrkoping, Sweden, Peine, Germany and Trezzano Rosa, Italy which allow us to manufacture close to our customers in Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe as well as Southern Europe, North Africa and throughout the Mediterranean”

A global enterprise

The broad yet specialised product portfolio offered by Fitesa means it develops and produces innovative fabrics for the hygiene market. Making spunmelt, carded, and airlaid fabrics for applications in baby-care, feminine hygiene and adult incontinence as well as other markets such as medical, agricultural and industrial products, Fitesa operates a total of ten manufacturing plants worldwide. It employs a number of different spunmelt process technologies including spunbond, meltblown, SMS (spunbond/ meltblown/spunbond), bicomponent spunbond and SMS, and nonwoven laminates.

Global Marketing Director Ray Dunleavy told Industry Europe how this global footprint enables the company to support its customers. He said, “To insure that we meet our customers’ needs, we are continually investing in modern manufacturing assets around the world, including the interesting emerging market of Peru, where we now have excellent spunmelt capabilities, and our carded resin and air thorough bonded capabilities in Gravatai, Brazil and Tianjin, China. Recently we announced new spunmelt investments in Europe and North America. As our mission