Bauce, a leading name in the tanning industry, particularly for hide pressing and drying, is transitioning its entire product line to new electric versions, phasing out hydraulic systems.
According to Bauce, based in Trissino (Vicenza) and founded in 1970 by Attilio Bauce, whose business is now carried on by his three children – Luca, Sabrina and Michela –, aiming towards electrical solutions is a business strategy that is already providing excellent reactions, both economically and in terms of feedback from the international market.
Under the second generation of the Bauce family, the company made the decision to focus exclusively on manufacturing these machines, ensuring continuous technological innovation and superior product quality, two attributes further elevated by the electric models.
“The results have been undeniably encouraging,” confirms Luca Bauce, whom we interviewed at the headquarters in late April. “This is not just about reduced energy consumption but also enhanced quality performance. This is particularly evident with our wet-blue presses, where the electric version is generating considerable interest globally. As a core business strategy, we are aiming to convert all models in our range, as the substantial advantages are clear, especially concerning maintenance and running costs, which had become increasingly high with the hydraulic versions. The positive feedback we continue to receive from our customers who have switched to Bauce electric versions, expressing great satisfaction with energy savings and overall cost reduction, confirms that we are on the right track.”
Does the electric version also offer reliability from a production standpoint?
“Absolutely. This is particularly true for our range of continuous setting-out machines. We embarked on this transition over a decade ago, and we were among the pioneers in this area. We’ve believed in it from the outset; our electric machines are thoroughly tested and perform exceptionally well, to the point where they have almost entirely superseded hydraulic technology. This shift has also included all our presses, which we offer in 3, 5, and 7 roller configurations.”
Could you outline the main differences between the electric and hydraulic versions?
“An electric machine has fewer moving parts compared to a hydraulic one. If an issue arises with an electric machine equipped with a remote system, we can pinpoint it immediately through remote assistance. In contrast, with a hydraulic system, it’s necessary to physically trace the problem within the hydraulic circuit, often requiring multiple attempts and potentially leading to downtime of two to three days. In today’s leather processing industry, the primary concern isn’t so much replacing a motor or valve, but rather the significant losses incurred due to production halts caused by machine downtime. This is the key driver behind our strategy to convert all models from hydraulic to electric.”
How do you provide remote support for your electric machines?
“When an issue occurs with an e-Power model – which, in reality, has been quite infrequent – we receive a direct call from the customer, no matter where they are in the world. Our remote assistance team then takes immediate action. By simply accessing their computer, our technicians can connect to the machine and diagnose the necessary intervention. This might involve simply advising the customer to replace a specific component, which they can then do themselves, minimizing downtime to a very short period. All the major players have transitioned to electric machines for this very reason, reinforcing that our strategy is sound and one we will continue to pursue.”
What are the primary Bauce brand models currently offered exclusively in the electric version?
“Regarding Wet Blue presses, it’s the entire E-Power line, comprising three models: the Bluepress H3, the Bluestar H5 R and the Bluextreme. For the crust leather line, the MVC4 S Versus continuous setting-out machine and the RMVT traditional setting-out machine are fully electric.”
What’s your assessment of the current global market situation?
“Our export share ranges from 85 to 90%, so our turnover is inevitably tied to overseas sales. At the moment, forecasting is challenging, almost impossible. Nevertheless, we are continuing our work, and considering the circumstances, we cannot complain. The announcement of potential tariffs by the US President has triggered a general slowdown, impacting the entire global economy. As for the fairs we’ll be exhibiting at in 2025, we’ve already participated in Chennai, India, Brazil and Hong Kong in recent months. In September, we will be present at Simac Tanning Tech in Milan, which has now become the most significant international trade fair for our sector.”
You are a company deeply rooted in the Vicenza tanning district and often welcome visits from students…
“We hosted a group just recently (a report on the visit of first-year students from the ITS Green Leather Manager of Arzignano is on the following pages, ed.). Generally, we do this every year in the spring, at our two facilities in Trissino: the one in via Arzignano and the main plant in via del Lavoro. At the latter, the students first toured the main machines in our range, where we explained their construction and how leathers are processed. Subsequently, they were taken to the test room laboratory where, together with our technicians, they conducted some simulations with hides. This year, the students had the opportunity to see a new piece of equipment: a system that uses artificial intelligence-driven cameras to visualize defects in hides.”