Hitech Group, or… the desire to work together

03/03/2010

The news comes in the first days of the new year, even though – as we are told – the idea had been maturing for several months. Now the time has come to try new ways, to experiment new opportunities: with a market still deep in stagnation (see article on page 24) we need to stop any hesitation and take courage with both hands. Better, with sixteen hands!
Yes, sixteen, because eight Italian technology brands have decided to join their forces and start to cooperate to provide the global market with the chance to contact one single partner. Macmazza (panel saws), Bimatic (edge-banding machines), Cosmec (machining centers), Alberti Vittorio (drilling machines), Simimpianti (presses), Cga Italia (surface finishing), Siti (logistics and handling), Bup Utensili have decided to start this tough adventure as Hitech Group (www.hitechgroup.info).

“We know that this decision presents several challenges”, tells us Claudio Ginnasi, owner of one of the group’s companies. “In a country of individualists like Italy, the decision to join forces always looks like a hard challenge to win. But we believe there are great opportunities for us”.

“Unfortunately, other experiences did not work out”, Ginnasi continues. “But on our side we have a very clear idea, a precise target: providing a complete product range, able to meet any requirement. Not only in the woodworking sector, but also in the industries of aluminum, plastic, light alloys and composite materials… Within the negotiations we will find ourselves in, everyone of us will be able to be the “general contractor”, offering technologies produced by all partners. After all, we are talking about collaborations that have been going on for several years: among these eight companies there have been several “professional contacts” over the last decades. We happened to produce plants together all over the world, which means that our machines are perfectly able to interface with each other, work together to provide our partners with exactly what they expect from us: quality, reliability, service, ability to analyze problems and solve them”.

With a key added value, i.e. they are eight specialists, companies with a know-how and expertise at the top of the industry. “These brands are renowned all over the world and have a long-standing experience. We could say this is another thing we have in common and that makes us similar: all of us have been working in the wood industry for several years. We know every little detail of it, we have faced any possible problem. By working together, we know we can be highly competitive in economic, but most of all technological terms, thanks to this long-standing tradition that in recent decades led us to face the needs and requirements of small handicrafts activities and huge lines operating in large factories manufacturing high quantities”.

As already mentioned, the project is pretty clear: it is about optimizing resources and facing together orders that may require specific knowledge. The work of these eight specialists will be exactly this, i.e. providing sophisticated solutions. In some cases, each product line will be provided as a “stand alone” solution, but there will be no problem in thinking, planning and designing an integrated solution, an “automated factory” that carries out an entire working process until the finished product.

Ginnasi explains: “Our skills allow us to say that we are able to create any type of plant for the production of items starting from panels. We will install different machines in-line which will be able of a perfect dialogue, including stages from handling, control software, labeling and item identification.. the organization of the entire production cycle. A task we take on also thanks to a partnership with specialists in engineering and creating control software that allow us to optimize the efficiency and productivity of every specific project. On the other hand, each one of us is a specialist, renowned in its own sector, and when skilled operators who know what they are talking about meet…”.

The official debut is scheduled for the upcoming edition of Xylexpo, where the eight companies will exhibit together in one single booth covering over 1,5 thousand square meters in hall 2.

Alberti Vittorio

One hundred years of history and experience in the mechanical industry make Alberti – specializing in the production of drilling machines – one of the most renowned and appreciated brands in the industry.

Bimatic

Automatic edge-banding machines for straight and post-formed panels. Three product lines that can be configured in over 300 custom solutions.

Bup Utensili

A wide range of both standard and custom tools for special applications on traditional and nc machines.

Cga Italia

Everything you need for surface finishing:. sanding, calibrating, finishing and polishing for large factories or handicraft companies.

Cosmec

Nc working centers for the milling, drilling, sanding, cutting and engraving of wood, plastic, composite materials and light alloys.

Macmazza

Turnkey panel saws and plants for “edgebanding-ready” quality of panels, post-formed or pre-edgebanded bars, thin fibers, frames…

Simimpianti

Membrane presses for the lamination of curved surfaces, continuous veneering and post-forming presses, automatic-load presses for blockboard panels, single and multiple daylight presses with manual loading for medium and small enterprises.

Siti

Clamps, handling, loading and unloading systems, automatic warehouses, i.e. everything you need to improve the efficiency and performance of a production line.