Fomat, systems and technology for paper mills

Fomat is based near Lucca, northern Tuscany, where it was founded by Bruno Giannelli in 1973. It started as a commercial company, supplying quality service and innovative products to the renowned local paper industry. The company evolved very rapidly, starting to manufacture its own solutions and expanding its geographical markets. Today it serves customers over the world, supplying high quality and energy efficient products and complex systems to the paper industry.

Fomat comprises four divisions: Technologies, Aerothermic, Automation and Handling. The Technologies division offers a wide product range, including felt and wire cleaning systems, water filters, basis weight control valves, monoflow and duoflow rotary joints, Yankee Doctor blade oscillators, edge cutters and tail cutters, and Yankee coating systems. The Aerothermic division takes care of complex systems dealing with air and steam handling. Its focus is on paper drying and creating a healthy paper mill environment. Its range of systems includes Yankee hoods, hall ventilation, Yankee head insulation, and dust and mist removal solutions, as well as steam systems for tissue machines.
The Automation division is focused on paper mill management and process control, offering quality control and distributed control systems. Recently, the Handling division has been added, which allows Fomat to increase its product range with conveyors, expandable shafts, shaft pullers and the handling of the paper roll up to converting.

Knowledge and technological innovation for paper mills, with systems that guarantee reliability, production quality and energy savings

Innovation is a must

“All our divisions are very important – Bruno Giannelli remarks. Our aim is that of providing optimal solutions for our customers’ needs. The solutions we provide to paper mills are always tailor-made, in order to fulfill this objective.

Even the components that we provide to paper-making machine manufacturers are customised, according to the energy needs of the country in which their final customer is based. Energy efficiency, quality and ease of use are at the very heart of what we do – states Giannelli. For this reason, innovation is a must.

This energy efficiency was possible thanks to our Integrex product, a heat exchanger and boiler. Basically, the burner only ignites to produce the small amount of steam that it is needed.

The space saving result was possible through the use of a combo solution. As all its components are pre-assembled at our premises, this solution also minimises machine downtime during installation and future upgrades, as the necessary work can be carried out in only seven days.” The company operates from a sole site, comprising four buildings, with planning permission gained to build a further facility here. All production takes place at these premises, because the company has a vertical production model, internally taking care of all the necessary production processes, from raw steel to final product. No outsourcing or delocalisation strategies are employed. Geographically, the company supplies its solutions all over the world. “We have customers all over Europe, North and South America, Africa, the Middle East and Australia, as well as Japan and Korea – says Giannelli. We serve customers in every market that demands high-quality products.

Our future is one of innovation. We have new cleaning systems for felt and wire. I expect significant demand for them, as they offer better cleaning results, while lowering water consumption. We will also bring the market products and complex systems with increased energy efficiency, which I think will be successful, as I believe that reducing energy consumption will continue to be a vital factor for any manufacturing company.”