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News Release from: P E I Group
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 October 2005
Machinery cover maker invests EUR 2
million
By investing EUR 2 million, the Italian P E I Group plans to increase production of telescopic covers for machine tools by 40% in the next three years.
Thanks to that investment, the Bolognese Group, one of the leading European manufacturers of protective covers for machine tools, plans to increase production of telescopic covers by 40% in the next three years P E I Group of Calderara di Reno (Bologna) aims at increasing production and process innovation
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 7 Oct 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Bolognese Group, among the European leaders in the production of protective covers for machine tools, has expended the S P E R plant in Solarolo Rainerio (one of the Group's companies) in the province of Cremona, increasing the productive surface covered of 2,500 m2 (whereof 500m2 are offices).
The total surface area has now become 8,000m2 (of 22,000m2).
The company from Emilia Romagna has also renewed its plants and processes, selecting innovation production technologies.
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"The increase of this manufactory structure," explains Giorgio Tabellini, president of the P E I Group, "Represents an additional step forward in the development strategy that has always been a driving force in our group: it increases dimensional and innovation growth and guarantees the development of innovative products for quality and technological content.
This can be obtained thanks to constant investments in modern production plants, in technological improvements in production processes and products." The S P E R plant, specialised in the production of glued flat covers, round sewn bellows, thermic-welded bellows and telescopic steel covers has 75 employees, 65% of them are less than 30 years old.
The decision to hire 10 people thanks to the expansion in the Cremona offices, confirms the importance the P E I Group gives to appreciating its own human resources and to training young, specialised workers.
"This new structure," continues Tabellini, "Will allow us to meet market needs, especially for large-scale telescopic covers.
Within three years, in fact, we plan to increase the production of telescopic covers by 40%.
The use of these new machines will increase our production flexibility and to reducing delivery times: those are the major factors of our client needs." The use of new high-service machinery, like a laser cutting machine, a folding machine and a folding machine-panel bender, guarantees an additional advance in the quality of precision production, speed and flexibility and demonstrates the company's deep commitment to innovative research.
The investment made by the Group from Emilia Romagna, therefore, allows the growing request for steel telescopic covers to be met, products that require continued innovation, high-quality materials and components besides an avant-garde technological production.
New machinery and development of training programmes under the guidance of specialized technicians (over EUR 100,000 invested each year to guarantee the constant training of its professionals and to ensure a standard know-how in all the offices) allows the P E I Group to offer quality telescopic covers and very competitive costs in order to support growing movement speed.
Then, the P E I Group will continue to invest in its S P E R site in Solarolo Rainerio (Cremona) during the next three years, having already planned an additional allocation of EUR 1 million.
In the new structure, traditional telescopic covers, special products and the 'Sheet-Pocket' line will be produced, expressing the technological innovation and quality that have always been the key values of the Group.
The P E I Group has its main offices in Calderara di Reno (Bologna) and extends over a total surface area of 16,000m2, where work 160 employees among three manufacturing sites.
Together with P E I company, the Group is made up of Zanini, a carpentry production company, with headquarters in Zola Predosa (Bologna) and from S P E R, a company producing glued flat covers, round sewn bellows, thermic-welded bellows and telescopic steel covers, based in Solarolo Rainerio (Cremona).
Main goal of the P.E.I.
Group is to unite the protection of the patrimonial value of the machine tools with the importance of workplace safety.
The protection of workers' health represents a top priority for any company and, for this reason, P E I Group uses the latest software and technical-commercial professionals with several years experience in the field to guarantee its own clients with customised solutions that meet their specific needs.
Despite the uncertainty of the global economic system, in 2004, P E I Group recorded an 9% growth compared the previous year reaching EUR 18 million in revenue.
The market awarded the Group's innovative research and quality and the important results were added by Europe, where significant growth was registered.
"Our winning hand," affirms Tabellini, "Is the choice to offer clients the best service possible.
We can manage the entire production process, from the initial phase of "ready made" planning, moving on to the most suitable technical solution right up to production and product delivery." The Bolognese Group has been present in foreign markets for over ten years and, in 2004, its exports reached the amount of 25% of its turnover.
The P E I Group aims at additionally strengthening its own presence on foreign markets and plans, for 2005, an increase of exports, thanks to an increased penetration into Austria (+50 %), Spain (+50%), Switzerland (+40%) and Germany (+15%).
The German market is especially strategic for the P E I Group which has generated 50% of the export total: in addition to the three production plants in Italy, the Bolognese Group has, in fact, its own P E I branch - located in Ismaning, near Munich in Bavaria.
The Group, the only 'non-German' company in the sector to work in Germany with its own direct branch (with 7 staff members), has a strategic base to take advantage of the opportunities from the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Slovakia markets.
The professionals at the German branch are carrying out a project feasibility study and manage the marketing processes for products that are then produced in the Group's Italian production plants.
In particular, the roll-up covers and telescopic covers are appreciated in the German market, which, overall, produces 45% of the revenue generated by the German branch.
For an additional consolidation of its presence on the international level, the P E I Group.
in 2005, signed a commercial agreement in Spain with Exclusivas Rein (a company with 26 years of experience in distributing components for machine tools with a strong presence in the territory and a consolidated experience).
The Spanish market currently accounts for 7% of the export total for the Bolognese company and, in 2004, the products from the P E I Group sold in the Iberian territory increased by 40% compared with the previous year.
Into American market, the 'P E I technology' products, are present thanks to a commercial agreement with M P C company - Milwaukee Protective Covers of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (later purchased by the American conglomerate A and A Manufacturing Company, a leader in the United States in the production of covers for machine tools), which purchased the know-how of the Bolognese Group and machines to produce "thermal-welded bellows, roll-up rollers and telescopic covers.
The Group from Emilia Romagna distributes its own products through commercial agreements in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Turkey, Taiwan and several Eastern European countries.
P E I continues to target consistent investments for all the group's companies in order to offer new high-tech products and to improve production processes, basic elements in guaranteeing high quality at competitive prices.
"Our choice," concludes Tabellini, "To invest 4% of our turnover in research and development each year comes from the desire to create a complete response to the needs of a continually developing market.
Despite the unfavorable economic situation and thanks to the Group's financial strength, we can carry out these investment plans." Thanks to continuous innovation efforts, the Group was able to register 36 international patents over the years.
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