Compressed air specialists VMC

COMPRESSED

AIR SPECIALISTS

Italian company VMC has radically changed the world of air compressors by implementing several innovations and 13 patents. It exports to 40 countries worldwide and has branches in the US and China. Daniele Garavaglia reports.

The history of VMC, now a leading company in the compressed air industry, goes back to the 1970s when its founder and current managing director, Virgilio Mietto, established it in Creazzo, near Vicenza. “Our company designs and manufactures valves and air-ends for compressors based on the patented principle of component integration,” he explains.

“During a period of over 35 years, VMC has achieved 13 patents – cementing our reputation for cutting-edge know-how and ensuring our continued international growth.” During this time, VMC has designed and manufactured solutions that have transformed traditional air compressors into efficient, flexible, low-cost and compact tools, ensuring high performance and lower environmental impact. A strong business partner

VMC has always offered its customers a comprehensive range of products. Today, it specialises in the manufacture of air ends, minimum pressure valves, intake valves, multiblocks and thermostatic valves. According to Mr Mietto, “VMC wishes to be a true business partner to its customers. Our flagship product is Pack Smart, a solution that has radically changed the world of air compressors, even in its gear-driven version.” Pack Smart is a highly sophisticated integrated system engineered by VMC to ensure high performance with extremely reduced overall dimensions, combined with diminished assembly time and maintenance, greatest user-friendliness and optimised logistics with a range from 2.2 to 75KW (3 to 100 HP).

“Our research and development team is the key to our business,” Mr Mietto continues. “Meanwhile our production spaces have been optimised to guarantee quality, efficiency and productivity. Only a few machines have been outsourced, and in these cases VMC has a trusted network of certified sub-suppliers. These are located within a few kilometres of our plants so as to foster a steady dialogue and control between customers and VMC.”

Focus on R&D

VMC’s R&D department complies with fixed procedures, from project analysis and technical specifications, assessment of development and engineering costs to benchmarking activities and prototyping. To support this, the company uses the most sophisticated software,

Tecno Turning S.r.l is specialised in precision mechanical processing of customised components.

The company is focussed on small and medium-scale production and is easily able to fulfil the requests of various market segments. It is able to take care of the whole process, from sample production to the manufacturing of the finished product, with surface treatment carried out by selected suppliers.

Thanks to our modern technology and highly skilled staff, and in order to be able to offer a high level of flexibility, we can process any type of bar or casting material.

Since 1995 we have supplied components for the dental, air compressor, refrigeration/air-conditioning, and automotive sectors; as well as for industrial automation in general.

Tecno Turning S.r.l. Via dell’Artigianato, 12 • Fossona di Cervarese Santa Croce • 35030 – PD - Italy Tel: 049-9915818 • Fax: 049-9915947 • Email: tt@tecnoturning.it

ODE

Since 1960 ODE has designed and manufactured a complete range of solenoid valves for machinery and equipment manufacturers including specialty air compressors, providing customised solutions according to our founding principles based on high quality, adaptability, product reliability and excellent after sales service. The experience gained in 50 years of manufacturing has helped us to reach new goals and has led us to develop new products that will meet the majority of industry sectors. ODE is present in all major countries worldwide. Today we are able to provide customised products according to the needs of our customers. The recent partnership with Defond has allowed ODE to invest in specialist human resources and technology to continue to manufacture our products in Italy.

operating systems and cutting-edge engineering in order to meet every customer’s production needs and reduce production times.

Environmental protection and employee safety are also top priorities for VMC: “Our growth has been characterised by sustainability. In compliance with ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards, the company has adopted procedures to manage eco-friendly production activities and guarantee the safest workplace to its collaborators.”

Rapid international growth

Leveraging its proven technical know-how and expertise, the company soon started growing internationally and opened offices and branches in several important markets. “Besides our headquarters in Veneto, we now have establishments in China and the USA, as well as agents and distributors in Turkey, Russia and South Korea. Products are entirely designed in Italy (by VMC Engineering, a recently established company within the VMC Group), where production and sales operations are also located. Our Chinese premises already host production and marketing activities, whilst our US office takes care of logistics and commercial functions.”

From the above, it is clear that VMC today has a strongly-rooted and widespread commercial network. “Of our 2014 turnover, Europe accounts for 55 per cent, the Middle East for 15 per cent, the Far East for 12 per cent, North America for 7.5 per cent, and Russia and South America for 5 per cent each.” To support its international growth, the group regularly takes part in some of the world’s most important trade fairs – such as the upcoming Hannover Messe. As Mr Mietto tell us: “We aim to both make new contacts and allow those who already know us to discover our new products. Hannover Fair is therefore a great opportunity to enter into new business relationships and strengthen existing ones. Parallel to introducing our flagship products, we plan to demonstrate the quality of the services we are offering: our worldwide reputation is established for precision, flexibility and, particularly, reliability. Moreover, VMC Engineering ensures valuable design skills and machine system knowledge. Come and visit us at Hannover Messe (Hall 26/D54): we’ll show you Pack Smart and many other solutions.”

Niche markets

Mr Mietto is optimistic about the group’s business progress: “We are about defining our future expansion plans, and it’s the US market we are mainly interested in. We consider the years 2015-2016 as the turning point in terms of VMC’s acquisitions and further development and but we are eager to seize any profitable opportunities in line with the company’s policy. I think VMC’s future growth will take place in niche markets, since we are already playing a leading role in more developed countries.” n