Dms, based in Montecchio Maggiore (Vicenza), is working on the italian and foreign market with the double brand Dms Italia and Dms International. The firm has reached an important level of competitiveness: 6 patents achieved already and more are on the way
History
The Vicenza-based company, headquartered in Montecchio Maggiore, in the Arzignano tanning district and in the Chiampo valley, is working on the international tanning market with a double brand: Dms Italia, founded in 1997 (whose business is focused on qualified assistance, on the offer of a wide range of reconditioned used machines and on the search for finishing machinery and plants) and Dms International, founded in 2018 and specialized in the production and sale of finishing machines for tanning: the latter represents the commercial soul of the group and is the owner of the patents. The birth of the second company led the owners Dario Rubbo and Diego Cailotto to acquire an additional area of 2,300 sqm, located a few hundred meters from the main office, including an 800 sqm shed, still used as a warehouse for the stock of new machines and for the disassembly of used machines for overhauling.
In our country, the origins of the company date back to 1990 when Dms Italia was founded, a branch of the English company DMS, whose acronym stands for “Delapre Machinery Sale”: the first word is the town, belonging to the county of Northants, in the hinterland of London. DMS represents a historical brand, as it was one of the very first companies to work internationally, exclusively in the tanning sector, starting from the English colonies spread above all in India and South Africa, where there are leather processing districts or clusters. The development then continued in the rest of the world, also in Europe, up to hit, right at the beginning of the Nineties, the leather district of Arzignano to supply spare parts to the most important groups and companies in the sector. For a good part of the last decade of the last century, the representative of the British company acted as an intermediary with the companies of our country, but then, over the years, the ones based in the Chiampo valley district became more structured, carrying out the sales internally and starting to have its own direct collaborators and consultants. In 1997, Rubbo himself took over, with a purely commercial trade, to buy and sell the machines, and in 2001 entered Diego Cailotto as well. In 2016, two years before the birth of Dms International, the company began to build their own machines, testing them in the tanneries of the district: as soon as the two partners ascertained the results, they founded the second brand.
Dario Rubbo e Diego Cailotto
Important successes and great prospects for the future. In short, this could be the calling card of the company based in Montecchio Maggiore (Vicenza province), working on the Italian and foreign markets with the double brand DMS ITALIA and DMS INTERNATIONAL. A path (the story is described in the box herewith) which has made it possible to reach an important level of competitiveness, as confirmed by the six patents achieved and others on the way – probably as early as this year.
The exploits of recent years, despite the difficulties first linked to the pandemic and then to other extra-economic factors, convinced the staff of Tannery International magazine to spend a day together in the DMS headquarters, where we met and interviewed the two partners, Dario Rubbo and Diego Cailotto, a manager of the team’s technical office who is dedicated to development and an entrepreneur in the sector with whom an important partnership has been set.
The core business of the Veneto-based company is represented by the RC Paint model, the innovative roller coater machine for leather finishing, perfect synthesis between technology, ease and sustainability. The RC Paint, develope in the 1800 and 3400 versions, is suitable for most types of leather, featuring different softness; it is ideal for the application of fillers, impregnation, coverings, hot and cold greasing, application of foamed products on crust, buffed or full-grain leathers.
Behind the innovative RC Paint project is DMS INTERNATIONAL, a firm born as an offshoot of DMS ITALIA which has understood the need of a growing market that required an innovative and high-performance machine, managed by a team of motivated professionals with a strong industry experience.
“The more we tried to create a complete and innovative tool, the more RC Paint transformed into a simple, intuitive, fast machine,” explains Dario Rubbo.
“We have reached an important level of productivity – confirms Rubbo – considering that ours is still a small structure: overall there are 14 of us, 9 of which work in production/assistance department and 5 in the office. We are trying to hire new figures; everyone’s problem is the lack of personnel. We constantly need specialized technicians and workers, that’s why we rely on the technical institutes of Arzignano, which every provide dozens of excellent graduates. Only if we have more employees, we will be able to cope with the growing requests and, above all, we will be able to enlarge our offer, also in other sectors besides the tanning one. We are however very proud of the work done in recent years, especially after the birth of the DMS INTERNATIONAL brand, which has allowed us to compete in the international market with flattering results. We have not limited ourselves to building standard machines, the 6 patents we achieved confirm that we have launched innovative projects – we have also patented principles and mechanisms of the machine. More will come in the future, but at the moment we don’t want to give anything away.”
Dario Rubbo
In a forward-looking perspective, in which sectors can DMS machinery be used? “Our customers are above all the tanneries, 90% of our products are currently destined to that sector; the remaining 10% regards reeled materials, paper, fabric, synthetic materials – the latter is used in many industrial fields, including food. In this particular project, the R&D activities continue, but at the the same time we are carrying out tests and simulations: for example, we are making coating tests with an 18-micron film, thin but very strong, impalpable like Domopak film. Another essential step forward is that our machines can be included in complete tanning lines, with sizes that vary according to need: due to the fact of coating colour, resins, polyurethanes or adhesives, a bridge of connection with another roller machine, able to guarantee the drying phase is often provided.”
What are the additional optionals you have equipped the coater machines with? “It must be said that by not making mass-produced products we always manage to satisfy the customer based on the single requests, also as regards the sizes, variants and colors. For the rest we have added a series of top accessories also as regards to safety tools, according to the CE regulations, which we generally manage well in advance. Our machines are equipped with sensors, used as alarms, which warn when there are problems of any kind; for this reason, the technical office (in the interview with Diego Cailotto on the following pages there is a detailed explanation, ed.) has carried out and still develops a series of very innovative projects, to safeguard the workers and the machines. All of this was made with expensive investments, but it was a goal we set we wanted to reach.”
How important is the network dialogue of machines? “A lot, we have always believed in it. The PLC automation systems have been created or purchased with the intention of making the machines communicate with each other, guaranteeing many types of connection. Through assistance and remote controls, we can operate and interact with our customers. The recommended protocol is certainly the Ethernet system, which is a type of standardized technology for local networks, able to guarantee assistance and telemetry. We also use Wi-Fi systems but we do not recommend them because within of companies it usually works badly and the line, often disturbed, can drop, forcing you to redo the work from scratch. For example, one of the latest machines installed, an RC Paint 3400 coater machine, installed in India, in the northern tanning district near Lucknow, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, has been equipped with a router connection, which guaranteed us perfect remote assistance.”
How is your turnover currently divided? “At the moment Italy represents 70% and the remaining 30% worldwide. After officially starting five years ago with the production of machines, export quota was limited to 10%, then in recent years we have grown abroad, particularly in Asia, where we have recently installed several machines and receive many requests. Other markets of interest are Europe and South America, although there is a slowdown in the latter. China, where the pandemic hasn’t been completely solved, has slowed down the purchases of Italian and French fashion products. Certainly, it is still a large market that looks carefully at Italian products.”
Speaking of China, how much is the impasse of this huge country weighing on small components? “Undoubtedly a lot, given that they were the undisputed leaders in the sector. Just in the last period we realized that certain microchips and electrical objects were delivered after one year, and when they were not delivered, stopped the work on some of our machines for months. That’s why we were forced to give up and look for them in new markets, such as Great Britain and Korea. We did an expensive redesign and reprogramming followed by break- ins and tests. In the end we managed to put together a nice package, solving the problems and finally getting back to meet the right delivery times.”
How is your commitment to sustainability going on? “Definitely well. It’s not us who say it, all customers and even our competitors can testify it. From the very beginning, the products in our range have been developed according to environmental safeguard, just consider that these machines boast an average saving of at least 60% compared to other finishing systems. Roller coating is naturally less impactful because during the process there are almost no emissions into the air, no overspray as with spraying systems and, optionally, it can be equipped with a water recovery system through a small additional tank, where water is recycled and used to wash the roller or the tape. In particular, we have studied and created the water containment tank much more small and simpler to be cleaned more quickly, therefore with less consumption. Furthermore, with this type of recovery it is no longer necessary to empty the tank every day but it is enough to do it once a week.”
What are the prospects for 2023, also as regards to international fairs? “Important projects are expected in the year that has just begun, there will certainly be news, but we cannot revel anything. In terms of orders, we are good until June, but we are confident that the recovery will improve also during the first half of 2023. However, we will keep on working and investing, hoping for some help aimed at companies from the government: Industry 4.0 has represented an important driving force in recent years, it has undoubtedly helped the sector a lot. As regards our participation as exhibitors in world exhibitions, we have just returned from the international leather fair in Chennai, India, while we intend to attend the fairs of South America, and then close with the Tanning Tech in Milan. At the same time, we have already planned a series of trips around the world, we will go directly in the markets where we are already working to provide assistance and show new products directly at customers’ homes.”
Diego Cailotto
The strategies of the technical department
Engineering Department Strategies Manager Diego Cailotto, partner of Mr. Dario Rubbo, coordinates a close team that works in perfect symbiosis. The facility is equipped with the 3D program that facilitates design work
Within DMS based in Montecchio Maggiore, the technical department has a role that is strategic and fundamental, led by Diego Cailotto, Rubbo’s partner, which also sees the presence of Enrico, in charge of the electrical part (on the following pages his interview) and Dennis, who is in charge of planning. A very united and cohesive team, capable of always setting new goals and “raising the bar” compared to the competition.
“In an overall analysis,” Cailotto began, “it should be emphasized that our activity began precisely with servicing roller machines, which is the world we came from based on previous work experience. The long period of servicing and revision allowed us to gain that useful experience to understand the needs necessary for the creation of new technologies and possible innovations. At some point, also driven by customer demands, we decided to establish the technical department and produce the machinery with our own designs.”
How is the technical department structured at DMS? “We are equipped with the 3D program, similar to SolidWorks, an excellent investment made several years ago to be facilitated from a design perspective: this was a key step that helped us a lot. We started out by beginning to produce the smallest version, the RC 1800 roller coater, and then moved on to the largest model, the RC 3400. At the specific request of customers, who had known us for many years, we made other niche machines, which we also eventually patented. It was a path that gave us enormous satisfaction from the business point of view, and they served for our professional growth and to broaden the proposals at the production stage. We are very happy with the work we have done and with what lies ahead in the coming years.”
How important is the networking of the products you have sold all over the world? “Very much because from the technical department we can check the machinery in real time, obviously even abroad. This is a considerable help and a reason for peace of mind for the customer, who has the possibility of alerting us immediately in the event of a “machine downtime,” perhaps for a banal aspect that can be solved quickly. Without this connecting tool, as was the case decades ago, a technician would have to travel, taking days when dealing with other continents. I have just returned from India, where we installed an RC 3400: during testing, I, who am not a technician specific to the electrical part, connected with Enrico in the office, finding all the necessary solutions. Actually, tele-assistance is also used for machines located in Italian tanning districts, including the one in Arzignano. Our experience teaches us that sometimes it is enough to contact the company’s in-house technician to solve a problem easily: in almost all cases these are trivial situations, not related to breakages or mechanical problems, but almost always small errors of the operator who did not perform certain maneuvers correctly.”
What systems are needed to share the computer screen with those on the other side of the world? “Our machines are designed with the use of PLC, which allows you to make any changes in a simple way, without disruption, to the point that you only need a PC in the office or at home. In the design phase if a customer makes a special request to DMS within the limits of what is possible they are always accommodated, we have a basic model, which can be augmented by further custom requirements, even in the various steps and where even the subcontractor can make requests. Our initial idea, carried forward over time, was to devise a machine with a body that would fit each model, for example, the body was developed for all products in the range. Then depending on how the assembly takes place, the machine turns into “syncro” or “reverse.” Optional extras are also arranged on the basis of further requirements: if a customer, even at a later stage, needs to have, for example, heating or a roller conveyor to remove skins automatically, these requests can be easily met.”
DMS plants are also set up for other sectors other than tanning… “That’s right. We can also spread on reels, and this allows for use in other industries as well. In fact, just starting from the reel, we have built special machines, again patented and particularly innovative, that also work on plastic, paper, regenerated and textile film. In the end, the concept of coating, used for leathers, is therefore also valid in sectors outside the tannery. Indeed, in many respects coating on rigid substrates such as paper is easier, as the surface is constant and regular, being one piece, which is not the case with leather, which is divided into many parts and subject to difference in that as it is a natural product. Also in terms of the introduction system, there is a substantial difference between leather and other products, with the latter being easier to insert into the machine.”
Enrico, technical department Dms
Connected on the other side of the world with remote assistance
Within the technical department of DMS the role of Enrico is also fundamental, in charge of the electrical part of the design: it is his turn to follow the programming of the machines and electrical panels, with tasks also regarding the testing of the produced machines and remote assistance.
“Ours is absolutely a team effort,” confirms Enrico, “coordinated by the two owners of the company and in the technical department also shared with Dennis. Together we all have the task of designing and developing the machines and then bringing them up to full speed. Remote assistance comes into play when urgency is needed, so in case of various kinds of problems or electrical faults. In particular, remote assistance makes it possible to understand whether the problem is of a hardware nature, so related to the pushbuttons or whatever else, or a programming one. Quite often, during customizations, there is the possibility that a problem will emerge, which is then however resolvable at a later time.”
How many machines can you intervene with through remote service? “Over fifteen, distributed in Italy and around the world. Outside our country, we generally deal with the customer or one of his technicians by writing to us by e-mail in English: for us the main thing is to understand the nature of the problem by connecting, very often there is no need to even talk to the operator by phone. The big advantage is that once the connection is made in my computer I can view the operator panel, being able to get a live view of the status of the pulses and inverters, as well as see if all the motors are turning and if they are being controlled. From there, through the basic knowledge of the machine, since we did the design, we go back to the problem and then solve it.”
On average, what is the most frequently encountered problem? “The mechanical one is actually very rare, probably has never happened, since these are very efficient machines. Most of the cases are related to human error, often the adjustment is not done completely correctly. It is usually enough to intervene with a new adjustment. Based on our long-standing experience, we can say that we have never had insurmountable situations, but rather problems that can be solved fairly quickly.”
What can you tell us about safety systems? “Our entire product range has a number of alarms that are able to prevent problems with the machine, such as excessive overloads or belt centering in small or large machines, but which also protects the safety of the operators. The latter is actually the main one, since we want the one who runs the machine to be protected as much as possible during the processing stages. Compared to years ago with the automatic insertion of hides, the risks have also decreased considerably due to the presence of special sensors that signal any abnormal situations. In particular there is a “hand-saving” alarm, capable of recording the position of the upper limbs, as well as a rubberized roller that prevents the possibility of slipping. All devices obviously reflect the relevant international standards.”
What other features have been incorporated by the DMS technical department? “Another aspect that is used in terms of safety is the help of photos, which are also shown in 3D on the task screen located next to the machine. In the event of an alarm, the operator can notice the possible presence of foreign bodies by viewing the image, which allows him to understand exactly what foreign object, a pen rather than a scissor, but also where it is located so that it can then be safely extracted. Such systems are very useful in the case of repetitive errors, for example, if the leather introduction sensor keeps beeping, it means that action needs to be taken on the adjustment. And through the photo, the exact location of the sensor can be determined.”
How is the testing of a machine organized? “Again, this is a team effort, with the technical department engaged in the internal plant shed. Regarding the electrical part, which I personally control, it is necessary to proceed with adjustments following certain tables and regulations. Also in the electronic area, it is necessary to load the PLC, touch screen and safety program, and then carry out the checks related to absorptions, motors, rotations and make sure that the sensors are working, then in collaboration with a specialized technician the mechanical adjustments are made for us to start running the machine. Technically, when testing starts the engineering department has finished the design work, since the assignment is finished, but there is still an important verification phase. Quite frequently, prototypes are developed and made, which require more in-depth testing by the engineering department, which can intervene with changes, perhaps verifying in the drawings and plans that all the proceeding have been done correctly.”
Roberto Zordan owner of Tecnoleather srl together with his wife and Dario Rubbo
A winning partnership
An important agreement with Tecnoleather of Vestanova (Verona), which has relaunched itself with a machine from DMS International. And by 2024 dreams of having another model
Among the “bets won” by entrepreneur Dario Rubbo there is also an important and innovative partnership signed in December 2020 with Tecnoleather S.r.l. of Vestenanova, a municipality in the province of Verona, located about 500 meters above sea level and bordering the Chiampo valley. Such an agreement has enabled the owner of the Verona company, Roberto Zordan, to transfer all the work of patching the hides that used to be done by hand by the workers to a padding spreader, designed and manufactured by DMS International. Tecnoleather, founded in 1996, consists of a tannery specializing in the production and trade of hides, through leather preparation and tanning, dyeing and finishing.
“The results are largely positive,” explains Zordan, who, with the staff of Tannery International magazine, along with Rubbo himself, went to interview as part of the visit, “to the point that the goal would be to have another identical model. It is a project we are thinking about, we probably won’t be able to do it this year, but as we look to 2024 we will talk about it again, perhaps with the possibility of making further investments and having more staff. In the end this agreement is satisfying everyone, our company that has relaunched itself further, entering another market perspective, but also DMS that can commercialize this type of model. For us, the arrival of this machinery has allowed us to increase turnover by about 30 percent, but above all there is the advantage that at present we have no competition in the quality/price ratio: we are the only ones in Italy using this machinery for this specific purpose. It is the numbers that prove us right: the inclusion of the DMS coating machine within our tannery has guaranteed us greater production; we are now able to process significant production every day. We have managed to increase our staff, we are currently 22 employees, but always looking for new technicians and workers, the lack of which is a problem for the entire leather district.”
But how did this partnership begin? It is the owner of Tecnoleather S.r.l. himself who explains. “I went to Dario – he accounts – to get a machine that would help me with the grouting: the goal was to cover all the defects in the leather, but at the same time it also had to be a machine that was flexible and easy to clean. In addition, there was also a human aspect: from our customers we were asked to putty the leather 100 percent and we proceeded with manual operations, but seeing our workers doing this very tiring and physically nerve-wracking activity from morning to night did not seem right to us, hence the idea of being able to have a machine, then specially made by DMS International, to reduce workloads. Before, the production was always unbalanced because it was too conditioned by the initial qualities of the leather: I had been thinking about it for years, the problem was the price and seeing if it worked: we succeeded, also thanks to their willingness, and now we are satisfied because we do something different than everyone else. Certainly the final quality of the product has benefited, but thanks to the machinery the whole programming has also improved, now we can guarantee absolute precision of delivery days.”
The introduction of the DMS machinery has forced Zordan to learn a lot, including the internal work organization of the tannery. “The path we took together,” he resumes, “was rewarding even though it was not easy and quick to get up to speed: for about 8-9 months my wife and I, who works with me, and I didn’t take a break while trying to solve all the problems and get used to the new things. Before, the work was manual, while with the machine it was necessary, among other things, to add the use of chemicals, which is not such an automatic and trivial “step.” Rubbo granted me, in addition to advice, his assistance, produced it in his company, also based on what my clients’ needs were; after a time of apprenticeship we would proceed with flattering results. Even from the economic point of view for months we broke even, then we rebalanced prices to earn the right amount.”
“We are subcontractors,” adds Roberto Zordan, “the goods almost all come from India, the clients ship the hides, not in the raw but in crust, directly here. Our main customers are tanneries in the leather districts of Arzignano and Santa Croce sull’Arno, Tuscany, but there is also a Polish company. As a tannery, we specialize in drying, although it often happens that we proceed with other processing such as priming, depending on requests. On a professional level I have always worked in this sector, since I was young I worked in the tannery: doing all the processing with time I gained the experience that is now useful to me in the role of owner. The goal has always been to set new goals, also to face the dynamics of a market that is increasingly difficult to contend with. Hence the idea of entering into the collaboration with DMS International, although starting a bit blindly in the sense that at the beginning we did not know what this investment would entail but above all we did not even know what costs to apply to customers.”
Prospects for Tecnoleather are good for this year and the following years. “In 2022,” the owner concludes, “we have marked good growth at the level of turnover, and 2023 has also started well with an increase in orders already in January. What worries us, for an energy-intensive company like ours, are rather the costs of electricity whose increases in the second half of last year have reduced the margins, the hope is that from the coming months there may be “lighter” bills, as has been spoken about in recent times.”