The Rupp Report: Italy Is On The Move

From the beginning, Italy has been one of the major suppliers of textile machinery for the global
markets. At ITMA, the Italians always have one of the biggest country representations. In the next
few weeks, the Rupp Report will take a closer look at the Italian textile machinery industry. Here
is a first glimpse:

Going Across The Borders

As the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers (ACIMIT) recently reported,
“The year 2013 will be marked by a push towards internationalization.”
(See ”
ACIMIT Targets The Sector’s
Internationalization
,”
TextileWorld.com, November 27, 2012.)
As everybody knows, 2015 is in sight,
and ITMA Europe will take place in Milano.

As reported last week, the promotional initiatives will cover some ten countries:
Bangladesh, China, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, South Africa, Turkey and Vietnam.
The instruments to promote the sector will include technology symposiums organized overseas and
training courses for foreign operators in Italy, mentions ACIMIT president Sandro Salmoiraghi.

ACIMIT also will be promoting awareness for its “Sustainable Technologies” project in India
and Bangladesh. Initiatives will include a symposium presenting “Made in Italy” sustainable
technologies in Bangladesh, which will be promoted both in India and Bangladesh.

Evergreen Jeans

As with most of the European textile machinery suppliers, the Italian manufacturers are
mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. This is the case for classic textile machinery as well
as for special equipment for the apparel industry. The Italian manufacturer Vi.Be.Mac., based in
Verona, is one of these typical Italian companies, producing specialized machinery for the apparel
industry in general, and for denim jeans manufacturing in particular.

Sales & Marketing Manager Simone Bianchi mentioned during a recent visit to the
company’s premises that Vi.Be.Mac.’s machinery is specialized for the production of jeans, dockers
and military garments. The company started in the 1980s as a service center for Singer sewing
machines and celebrated its 30th birthday in 2010. From the very beginning the company focused on
the production of jeans. In the company’s early days, this focus was quite a risk, but today, it
could be considered a lucky decision. The innovative founder, Carlo Guerreschi, holds a few patents
for sewing technology, particularly for jeans manufacturing: the puller system, the dynamic
pressure control (DPC) of the company’s feed-off-the-arm machine, a low-running-cost pocket setter
and the first automatic belt-loop setter.

The Brain Trust

The intelligence and knowledge of the company is focused in its Jeans-tech consulting
department. It is based on the modular system and includes company analysis, organization of
production lines, logistics organization and management operation, plus personnel training and
motivation. According to Bianchi, the main focus is to provide comprehensive service and support
optimized development of apparel production, resulting in reduced costs of management and
production. A lot of emphasis is put on the word “intelligence” – which at Jeans-tech includes
elimination of all risk factors – as well as existing production lines and also relations with the
involved workers, and, finally, the adequate technologies to define the customer’s strategy and
provide improved results and reduce cost factors.

Close To The Customers

Vi.Be.Mac. does not sell directly to the end-users. The reason is obvious: The company wants
to control the after-sales service, which is guaranteed through authorized dealers in more than 55
countries. A further service center at the technical headquarters in Italy responds to customer
requests in 24 hours.

The innovative Vi.Be.Mac. provides an excellent example of a company that is helping to
boost Italy’s textile machinery industry. As Salmoiraghi said at ACIMIT’s recent Board of Directors
meeting: “The number of newly associated firms [30 joined ACIMIT in 2011-12] represents an
encouraging sign for the entire sector. The economic situation is indeed difficult, and also bears
witness to the deep level of uncertainty permeating forecasts for 2013.” He concluded, “Both the
association and its members will work together to achieve common goals capable of providing a
further boost to our industry.”

December 4, 2012

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