Following tradition Incas

FOLLOWING TRADITION

In order to keep track of goods stored in their warehouses, the Incas used the knots and strings of a special comb; a precursor of the system integration activities carried out by Incas SpA. Hence why the company is named after the civilisation of pre-Columbian America, which built an empire mainly through road building and commerce, rather than waging war, as Mr Ermanno Rondi, Incas SpA’s MD, explains to Barbara Rossi.

Incas SpA was set up in 1981 in Biella, northern Italy, as a small company manufacturing automatic weighing and labelling systems. Because of the industrial vocation of the area in which it was based, strongly focused on the textile sector, the company was mainly serving this industry, as well as food production companies based in the Parma area. Incas was a real innovator, as weighing and labelling tasks had previously only been carried out manually. Over the years its activity expanded to include packaging lines, again starting with products designed for the textile industry (but also for the plastic and mechanical sectors) until it began the production of supply chain automation systems.

Mr Rondi points out, “Up to the end of the 1990s 50 per cent of our turnover came from the textile industry, now its contribution is of less than 1 per cent. Our ability to change has been the basis for our success. We have been able to adapt to changes in market demand. Our business model has been that of being able to produce automated systems for the whole logistical chain, from production, warehouse and materials handling to delivery systems. Today we are a reference company in our sector in Italy, with a turnover slightly exceeding €20 million and 150 employees.

“We take care of a whole project, from the initial requirements, design, PC, AS 400 and PLC software to mechanical and electrical design and boards, installation and post-installation assistance. Only mechanical components are purchased from external suppliers. We now provide both turn-key logistical automation systems, as well as individual automation solutions, to fulfil any needs that clients may have in a particular logistical area. This is totally in line with our flexibility and modularity. A whole system can also be completed module by module, initially focusing on a particular area and then expanding it with other solutions regarding other company processes. In fact, as automation systems have a strong impact on a company and its organisation, taking a modular path may sometimes be beneficial so as to better integrate automation solutions dealing with different production phases. ”

Technological development

Huge importance is placed on reliability and ease of maintenance. This is a real strength of the company, proven by the fact that one client has a system which has been in use since 1983. “This focus is probably owing to the fact that I come from the aeronautical engineering sector, where these qualities are a must,” explains Mr Rondi. “The mechanical part of the solution is mainly standardised to guarantee reliability and durability, so that future upgrading can be carried out (our systems have a life cycle of about 30 years). Customisation, on the other hand, has a great role to play with regard to software.

“We develop new products every year. We will launch a new touch screen industrial terminal by the end of the year. This is a very innovative product, as these terminals are small, robust, offer a high performance, can be integrated on both cabled and wi-fi networks, are able to collect data and control machinery, but are low-cost. We also recently presented a multi-order picking trolley, of which we are already installing some models.”

As if this was not enough, Incas is also involved, together with the Politecnico di Milano, in the E-scoop European project. The aim is to produce handling systems which will no longer require a PLC electrical

board, thanks to smart modules, each of which is equipped with a remote control unit and connected software. Incas is also working on another project with the Politecnico di Milano: Retail Logistics 2.0. The aim of this project is to analyse the impact of logistics in the future of retail, so as to adapt logistical solutions to future retail channels where multimedia will be used for ordering and purchasing, mixing the boundaries of in-store and on-line services. Incas also has a myriad of smaller projects in the pipeline, as it channels 3-4 per cent of its turnover into R&D.

The company, which as well as the Biella facilities has a production plant in Bologna, specialises in transport management systems. It has an operational branch in Barcelona, Spain, supporting small to medium systems, which it supplies to a wide range of market segments, including all industrial sectors, distribution and third logistical parties. As long as there are products to be moved the company has solutions to offer. Clients include Kaiser Roth (part of the Golden Lady Group), Golden Lady itself and Gucci from the fashion industry; Giunti, Feltrinelli, Messaggerie Libri and Mondadori from publishing; L’Erbolario from natural cosmetics; and Amplifon, the hearing aid specialist. Maintaining quality

The company’s turnover has grown significantly in recent years and, even more remarkably, it is still mainly generated in Italy (only about 25 per cent is derived from export). Mr Rondi explains: “As system integrators we have to translate the technology and culture of a geographical area or country into another context. For this reason, operating in different geographical and cultural contexts can be challenging. It is not just a matter of supplying a product; we have to interpret an organisational model. For instance, there are substantial differences between northern European countries and Italy, as well as between Italy and other continents (in terms of organisation, creativity, work conditions, culture and legislation). This means that, for instance, some of the models of logistical automation in use in Holland or Germany would not be marketable in Italy.

“Although we are rooted in Italy, our mind is set on the world. We follow Italian companies when they move or expand abroad. For instance, one of our clients is Kaiser Roth in the US, which is part of the Italian Golden Lady Group. Today our products are used by them because we bring an element of flexibility and creativity which makes a difference. Italian companies with foreign operations are the main vehicle that we use to win over any initial diffidence that there might be towards us in foreign markets. Our export share is going to grow thanks to this model. We are already present in Spain, eastern Europe, the US, Brazil, Mexico and Serbia. Eastern European countries are definitely an area of interest for us, as there is a strong Italian presence and we are appreciated. Country perception is very important when somebody has to decide to buy a system.”

Future growth is going to follow organic expansion and collaborations. Despite the general negative economic trend which commenced in 2008, Incas has continued to increase its turnover. “Recently we have managed to take on several highly qualified young people, something of which I am particularly proud. I am very keen on my staff. We have our calibrated growth path, as it is essential that we keep our high quality level. If growth is too rapid it could be detrimental to quality.

“Quality is critical for us. For this reason we have selected a range of suppliers for our mechanical components, with which we have developed a relationship and on which we can rely. They are mainly based in Italy and Europe (Germany in particular).” n