Elettric80 and BEMA: successful case studies in the tissue sector

Thanks to highly innovative hardware and software solutions, Elettric80 and BEMA revolutionized Factory 4.0 more than 20 years ago, becoming well-known all over the world as the market leader of integrated automation solutions. The two companies were established in the 1980s and 1990s respectively, in Viano, in the province of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Elettric80 and BEMA specialize in the implementation of flexible and modular, integrated and automated solutions, designed for high-volume consumer products manufacturers, mainly in the food, beverage and tissue industries, as well as in diversified sectors, like ceramics and plastics. Elettric80 and BEMA provide solutions for production planning and control, storage and shipping activities, with a significant increase in factory efficiency and ensuring the total traceability of handled products.

The main systems, designed according to the customer’s application needs, are: palletizing robots, a wide range of Laser Guided Vehicles (LGVs), SILKWORM high-speed robotic stretch wrappers, depalletizers and WOODPECKER pallet control system, robotic labellers, AS/RS warehouses (Stacker Crane Solutions) and SMART STORE Multilevel Solution and SMART BOX compact solution for end-of-line. The whole process is managed centrally by a single software platform, named SM.I.LE80 (Smart Integrated Logistics), which ensures a “direct link” between systems and production processes, and the optimal and effective management of all internal and external plant operations: from incoming raw materials to complete warehousing and shipping management.

Currently, Elettric80 and BEMA have installed more than 2,000 robotic systems and 4,500 Laser Guided Vehicles worldwide and have collaborated with Tetra Pak at a global level since 2007. Beyond their headquarters in Viano, Elettric80 and BEMA have set up branches in Australia, Brazil, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, France, Great Britain, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Sweden, USA and Thailand (Bangkok). In addition to their innovative solutions, Elettric80 and BEMA guarantee their worldwide business customers a 24/7 remote and on-site assistance and support service which ensures they remain highly efficient over time. In fact, Elettric80 and BEMA technicians work around the clock within the two companies’ Customer Service and Support Centers. For larger, more complex systems, Elettric80 and BEMA can deploy Embedded Engineers with the aim of guaranteeing efficiency to the plants proposed over time. All technicians are engaged in continuous training programmes, assisting testers in the workshop; thus, they are all constantly updated on the technological innovations that will be implemented in the customer’s plants.

Fully integrated tissue converting facility

Roto-cart S.p.A. is a top quality integrated tissue producer, manufacturing toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, napkins and AFH products. All premium products are distributed through the brands Sensitive and Toffly for consumer market and Formula for away from home. The Company produces parent reels in the Group’s mill base in Borgo a Mozzano (Lucca) and converts them into finished goods at the completely new 48,000 m2 manufacturing, storage and distribution facility in Castelminio (Treviso). In addition, the Company operates a second converting plant in Piombino Dese, in the province of Padua, and currently the Group’s Headquarters. Nowadays the Group supplies some of the Italy’s largest retailers and wholesalers (2.7% market share of Italian market).

We offer state-of-the-art high-value systems that guarantee maximum flexibility and complete integration for customers

The Group currently has 11 converting lines in operation, which include 5 recently commissioned lines (including the most advanced 900 meters/min Perini Print Unit equipped with all carbon rollers) for the completely new plant in Castelminio (this plant represents the state of the art in terms of integration and flexibility in the tissue market). For its new cutting-edge converting facility, Roto-cart S.p.A. chose Elettric80 and BEMA as sole partner in the establishment of one of the main greenfield production facilities in Padua. This is another important example of a fully integrated factory, from raw material input, scheduling of production and related processes, palletizing, stretch wrapping and warehouse management, full interaction with the client’s ERP system, to finished product preparation for truck loading. The group decided to entrust Elettric80 and BEMA with an investment of over 20 million Euros.

From smart factory to smart revolution

Sofidel boasts a net sales of more than 1.7 billion Euros (2017) and a worldwide presence. In an assertive and dynamic manner, Sofidel has internationalized its business efficiently, analyzing its manufacturing plants individually; it has reached this aim by relying on a technological and strategic approach for optimizing costs and the quality of solutions. Sofidel’s latest project is a greenfield plant built in Ohio, for which the Italian investors were congratulated by former US President, Barack Obama in 2016. It is an outstanding 4.0 factory which is highly automated and integrated, from the raw materials to the truck loading: an overall investment of over 330 million Euros, 30 of which the Group decided to entrust to Elettric80 and BEMA. The greenfield converting plant, opened in Sweden in 2015, gives an idea of the magnitude of the project currently being implemented.

Safety, Innovation and Integration are the key elements of our solutions and services

20 years betting on innovation

With an emphasis on high product quality and service, Papelera San Andres de Giles (PSAG) has consistently bet on technological and product innovation. Considered Argentina’s most efficient and modern tissue manufacturer today, it’s fair to say those bets have paid off. In 2016 PSAG was internationally recognized with the prestigious PPI Tissue Innovation Award, honoring its Leadership, Vision, Innovation and Strategic Accomplishments.

Step by step, over the years, all production processes have been integrated and fully automated. Starting from the automated LGV-managed parent reel warehouse and flowing through to robotic palletizing, robotic stretch wrapping, LGV pallet transport, the 5-level high 10,000-pallet position LGV automated drive-in warehouse, automatic LGV pallet pre-staging, and the newly constructed self-supporting Smart Store high-density warehouse, 7-levels high housing 16,000-pallet positions. Papelera San Andres de Giles and the Gagliardi family selected and entrusted Elettric80 & BEMA every step of the way.