Bergi presents at ITMA ‘Attiva’, the latest generation buffing machine by Bertex, the brand of the company from Arzignano dedicated to the textile and artificial leather sector. We discover its peculiarities with Riccardo Centomo, Technical Engineer.
Bergi Spa of Arzignano is a company that has been operating in the leather processing machinery sector since 1965. Founded by Giovanni Bergozza, the company has established itself over the years as a point of reference in the sector, thanks to the quality of its products and the constant search for innovative solutions. In the mid-1990s, the company expanded its field of action, creating new brands such as Bertex, dedicated to the textile sector, and Pizzolato, specialised in paper cutting (later sold to the Japanese in 2010). Continuous research into new evolutionary solutions and constant dialogue with customers have enabled the company to develop increasingly high-performance machines that are easy to use and environmentally friendly. Today Bergi Spa continues to innovate, designing and manufacturing its products within its own technical department, with a sales and service network extended to all countries in the world, and thus confirms itself as a leading and avant-garde company in the sector of leather processing machines and, with the Bertex brand, in that of dry finishing machines for: fabrics, artificial leather, microfibre, PU, PVC, rubber and cork. Thanks to its dynamism, its innovative spirit and its focus on sustainability and social responsibility, its consolidated presence on the national and international market makes it a reference point for all companies that want to create high quality and environmentally friendly products. With ‘Attiva’, the new belt buffing line specifically for surface buffing, calibration and pattern sueding, Bergi also wants to make its contribution in the textile sector.
“Attiva”, what kind of machine is it exactly?
“This new machine presented for the first time at ITMA is specifically dedicated to the textile, microfibre and artificial leather sector. In fact, its function is to surface buff reel products in a continuous process. Surface buffing can be understood as an abrasion to create a nubuk effect, or to create a patterned effect, thus not varying the colours but partially transforming the surface to the touch, or to adjust the thickness of the product with high precision. The working width of the machine presented at the ITMA is 1800 mm, but the company can supply machines up to 3200 mm. Very thin materials and thicker products in the range of a few centimetres can be processed with this machine. The thickness adjustment controlled by brushless motors operates in the hundredths of a millimetre range. This peculiarity of the machine represents a big difference to the leather sector, as the latter does not require such precision. Just as artificial leather can have similar thicknesses to leather, fabrics can have much thinner thicknesses such as microfibre. Motorised thickness adjustment is therefore an added value. Particular attention has been paid to controlling the movement of the product on the reel by focusing on the input and output pulling units that stabilise the machine’s working process. In concrete terms, Attiva is a state-of-the-art belt buffing machine that abrades the selected product, acting on the surface both to remove material and to reduce its thickness. In this way, the customer can always carry out special machining operations acting on both coarse and fine thicknesses.
Is this the first time you have approached the textile sector?
In the 1990s, the group leader Bergi developed some machines for the textile sector, in particular the roller buffing machine with wrapped paper, the deduster and a specific embossing calender. In 1995 it participated in the ITMA in Milan and several machines were produced during those years. In the following years, leather processing machines boomed to such an extent that a production choice was made and it was decided to focus more on the primary sector, i.e. leather. This ‘Attiva’ model for the textile sector is also a novelty for us, as it is the first time we have approached this market with a belt buffing machine. The machine works very well, it is precise and constant; the technologies used are of the latest generation, but the application principle is the same as we have been using for years in our leather machines, therefore proven by Bergi’s experience of several decades. This represents a guarantee for the end customer, as we are always provided with the necessary spare parts for maintenance and can ensure an efficient after-sales service. In fact, this machine is built with front and rear supports, which are the same as those of our other buffing machines that have already been successfully tested and used. This has allowed us to verify and recalculate the order of magnitude of the forces involved, guaranteeing efficient removal and rectification of the product, both on leather and fabric. The machine is also equipped with electronic devices to control speed and other parameters, such as absorption, and remote assistance, which is always useful for any remote control. Furthermore, the vacuum system is particularly efficient, as everything that is abraded has to be vacuumed, handled and treated to reduce energy consumption and the total production budget. This demonstrates our focus on sustainability and efficiency. In summary, ‘Attiva’ is indeed a novelty for the textile industry, but it is based on our many years of experience in the leather machinery sector. Its precision, parts availability and energy efficiency make it an excellent choice for customers looking for a high quality, environmentally friendly product.
Are you satisfied with the feedback you received at the fair?
“Yes, we had good feedback at the show. We met some customers who were very interested in our technologies and we found that their interest grew when they understood the potential application of the machine, especially as they realised that they could have future developments and integrate it with other plants, thus making the whole process more efficient. We are very happy with the positive signal we received, even though we know that our efforts must be maximum to promote a new product. However, we believe that it is important to have an involvement in this sector and to open windows to different and broader views, in line with current eco-sustainable trends.”
Customers ask you for solutions…
Several customers have made very particular requests to us where research and development of our product can find new fields of application. We are looking for new people in the technical department to focus more on this area, because we believe in it and see a future in it.
Riccardo Centomo