Simplifying production processes Dallan

SIMPLIFYING PRODUCTION PROCESSES

In-house developed software, top class components, continuous research and strong partnership with customers and suppliers are the ingredients of Italian company Dallan’s success, as C.E.O. Andrea Dallan explained to Barbara Rossi.

Dallan is a continuously evolving company. Since 1978, when engineer Sergio Dallan set it up as a roll forming equipment design firm, Dallan has increasingly specialised in precision roll forming machines for thin gauge profiles and pre-painted materials, and then in packaging and assembly systems for the same profiles. Today, Dallan technologies are the benchmark for rolling shutter, plasterboard profile, metal ceiling and venetian blind production.

In 1988, Dallan introduced the Dalcos-branded coil fed punching machines to provide customers with additional flexibility and speed, and obtain a finished product at the end of the process. In 2014, at the Euroblech fair, the group presented its new DALCOS ELXN COMBO, the world’s first in-line punching and laser cutting system. Now, in 2016, this product has been developed further, thanks to the use of integrated high-definition vision systems. DALCOS ELXN is the only processing line that offers simultaneous punching and laser cutting features, thereby increasing productivity by up to 200 per cent in comparison with traditional sheet fed systems.

Dallan has two production sites in Castelfranco Veneto, in northeast Italy. Its main headquarters are in Via dell’Economia, where its roll forming machines and largest systems are engineered, assembled and tested before shipping. The Dalcos facility, where all the punching machines and lasers are assembled and tested, is only two kilometres away. Today Dallan employs 150 people and has additional sites that are used at peak production times and are also designated for future production capacity development.

Investing in innovation

The majority of investments made by Dallan are in R&D and human resources. In particular, the development of the Punch/ Laser project has taken more than four years of preparation, design, research and prototyping to reach the level of product maturity and ease of use expected for industrial machinery today. For the past five years, Dallan has registered between three and ten patents every year, many of which have then been extended to European and international level.

One of the main sectors served by Dallan is sun protection, particularly rolling shutters and venetian blinds, for which the company has developed innovative coil-to-window technologies. In fact, from the painted coil, these systems produce wholly assembled rolling shutters and venetian blind curtains complete with accessories such as head pins, hooks and plastic caps. In this way, all raw materials are used, with zero wastage.

Another very important sector is interior finishing, in which Dallan has developed fully integrated systems called ‘coil-to-package’.

For plasterboard and T-bar profiles, the Dallan range allows profile production and packaging, either with strapping machines or using paper boxes.

The third main sector is punching machines and laser cutting systems employed worldwide in several sectors, including metal furniture, logistics, HVAC, electrical cabinets, road signs, industrial kitchens, painting lines, tooling, energy and many more.

Regarding geographical markets, Mr Dallan said, “This information can vary from year to year. In recent years, Dallan has worked 20 per cent in Italy, 40 per cent in Europe and 40 per cent outside of Europe. In terms of expansion in new geographical markets, I would say that the United States is an area of interest – as this is one of the markets where Dallan’s technologies are increasingly appreciated – as well as the Middle East.”

Thinking of Dallan’s future, he added: “We believe that the organic development of products and markets, responding to the needs put forward by our clients and partners, is the best way to guarantee the continuous growth of our group.”

“The global market is showing a growing interest in Dallan’s integrated processes, which help companies introduce the key Lean production concepts in an easy and natural way, optimising the processing stations, reducing waste and implementing just-in-time production and continuous processes. The Dallan technologies are firmly aligned with this production philosophy, which today is demanded by all market leaders, and they certainly represent a solid basis for our growth in years to come.”

Working as a team

“We have strategic suppliers that have been working with us for over 25 years. At Dallan we work to build solid and long lasting partnerships with our customers and suppliers, whom we value as being part of the team. In order to respond rapidly and effectively to market and customer demands, Dallan expects the highest level of quality and service from its suppliers.”

In fact, the quality of its products depends on the quality of the machines and tools used, as well as on the operator’s skills and the raw materials employed. All the mechanical, electrical and electronic components are supplied by leading companies, which are renowned for their product quality and reliability. SKF, Emerson, Pilz, Siemens, Beckhoff, SMC and Parker are some of the names featuring as suppliers of the Dallan system standard components.

“Over the years, we have integrated essential and strategic features, such as electric panel, mould, roll forming equipment and mechanical precision process design and production. Today all our software is developed in-house. In this way, we can offer our customers cutting edge solutions, customise interfaces and make our systems as simple and easy to use as possible.” n