Quality and innovation at any temperature

For over 50 years Cisaplast SpA has been a leading refrigeration brand on an international scale. “Our door frame systems for commercial refrigeration cabinets are installed in every continent, for a variety of operational uses, providing convenience and efficiency in thousands of retail outlets,” says company president Barbara Guiducci. Barbara Rossi reports.

Cisaplast is specialised in the production of frames and glass doors for low temperature refrigerating cabinets and cold rooms, as well as in manufacturing glass doors with frames for normal temperature multi-deck wall cabinets.

Innovative products

The range offered by the company is very wide and fulfills all market needs. “We offer various solutions tailored to what customers require. Our main strength lies in interpreting and implementing every single project in such a way as to fulfill our customers’ needs,” Ms Guiducci explains.

At Euroshop and Chilventa 2014 Cisaplast presented its new range, the result of a long and complex research process carried out by its

R&D department. “We are able to present innovative solutions for vertical wall cabinet closures for both above and below zero temperatures, hinged or sliding doors, and lids for horizontal low temperature islands. All of these were developed as customised products in order to respond to the needs of the major supermarket chains.”

The latest addition to the range is CISA 100, the crowning achievement of the low energy consumption and low temperature range. Thanks to the completely new approach employed in the production of its system’s structural components, it is unique and offers improved performance, with a significant insulating capacity increase.

Another wholly innovative product recently launched is the ‘REACTIVE DOOR’. Specifically designed for normal temperature applications, it features a frame and sliding doors equipped with a highly customisable automatic opening. It has a series of technological specifications that make it unique, such as an adjustable opening speed button, a customisable timing closure, and a door block for product loading.

A modern and efficient company based in Suzzara (Mantua), just south of the Po river in northern Italy, Cisaplast has two production sites extending over a covered area of 8000m2. A plan for building a new 7000m2 facility in the near future is already in place.

“In addition to making us focus on technological innovation, the latest economic and financial events have spurred us into restructuring our industrial organisation. We have carried out improvements both in organisational and human resources terms, increasing the

company’s focus on broadening our horizons towards new countries. At the same time we remain determined to hold on to our existing customers.”

As a continuously evolving company, Cisaplast carries out significant investments in its cutting and mechanical preparations department on a regular basis, purchasing CNC workstations. The company is currently in the finishing stages of a new layout to house a new and advanced glass door-frame gluing station.

Up to the challenge

“I believe that a company needs challenges in order to grow and be at the cutting-edge. The absence of challenges translates into an absence of objectives and, without these two elements, a company is destined to slowly wither away,” says Ms Guiducci.

Cisaplast’s main customers are manufacturers of vertical refrigerating cabinets or horizontal islands, as well as large supermarket chains for retrofitting. The vending and medical segments are very significant and growing fast, as are display units for ice-cream and pastry.

Export sales generate 53 per cent of overall turnover and in 2015 the company has been able to strengthen its position in Spain and Turkey, as well as achieving good results all over Europe and the Far East. Particularly interesting growth prospects have been identified in Latin America, in different countries, such as Brazil, Colombia and Chile. “The former CIS is an area that is seeing strong growth, hence we have expanded our sales network in this region, particularly in Russia. Furthermore, Cisaplast France was established this summer. Currently it is a commercial branch, but it has a very promising future.

“We rely on innovation as an engine for new business and the market regards us as being at the absolute cutting-edge. For these reasons we believe that the best way to develop our business is through organic expansion. Growth is a must for any company. Cisaplast has already changed a lot over the past few years, but we are ‘on the way’ to continuing the strengthening and the development of our position in new businesses and in new markets. This is down to our internal skill base and the technological resources we have acquired over our long experience.

“An essential element in supporting growth is equipping the company with an organisational and management structure with perfect inner workings. Of course this must be accompanied by dimensional growth.”

As Cisaplast is a sector leader, its big future challenge is to achieve continuous growth and innovation in order to maintain its top ranking, despite the fact that there is very fierce competition. It is a private company, with a fast and lean design and decision-making process. Moreover, it is very flexible, allowing it to be highly dynamic in terms of customer service.

“We have also developed partnerships with some key suppliers to be more aggressive and competitive on the market. We have focused our research on innovative raw materials and new glass types. We research these materials to achieve even lower energy consumption.”

From its suppliers, the company requires the highest levels of quality and reliability, aesthetic perfection and continuous materials innovation. “All of the above is achieved whilst at the same time maintaining a high quality standard, because product quality is the cornerstone that a company must always put first.” n