Headquartered in the heart of the Arzignano district, one of the key centers of the tannery sector in Italy, and boasting more than 30 years of experience in the design and installation of leather roller finishing plants, Gemata has recently added important innovations to its plants by launching Greenfinish®. Based on the release paper process, this system is based on the use of release paper to create fine grains such as false grain on full grain or buffed leather, preserving its softness.
The process is innovative: a very thin finishing film is created on a though- feed support of release paper; subsequently, with an electronically controlled pressure, the film applied on the paper is pressed onto the chemical product deposited on the leather in order to create the definitive grain. Thanks to the differentiated temperature control, the system avoids the formation of humidity between the release paper and the leather. This method ensures a uniform and defined finishing and guarantees that the grain is permanently imprinted, even if the leather will then be subjected to mechanical stresses typical of the packaging phases.
In today’s industrial landscape, technological innovation plays a fundamental role in reducing environmental impact and optimizing process efficiency; for this reason, Greenfinish® takes on a pioneering role in the field of tannery machinery. There are many innovative aspects that this system offers.
The use of the patented Greenstar roller coating machine, for example, guarantees extreme coverage and precision in all types of applications, even on very defective leathers and with high variations in thickness, ensuring a covering effect and a uniform and homogeneous grain over the entire treated
surface, all without emissions into the atmosphere. Unlike traditional release paper lines, which relies on spray booths with high dispersions of chemical product into the environment, the use of the Greenstar roller machine completely eliminates emissions.
Furthermore, using a smaller quantity of chemical product than traditional methods, ensures a more efficient, cost- effective and ecological production process. Also, with the roller machine the need for a scrubber and a thread washing unit is eliminated, resulting in considerable savings in water and electricity. Another plus point in the direction of energy efficiency is the adoption of Stardrier IR infrared ovens. Equipped with low-consumption infrared lamps tunnels, these ovens effectively replace the traditional diathermic oil boiler. By automatically turning off when not in use, they reduce energy needs and help minimize the ecological footprint. Greenfinish® also offers economic advantages in terms of personnel, since it requires fewer operators to manage than traditional systems: only two employees, plus a part-time controller, to ensure optimal production.
Another feature of the release paper system is the protection of the integrity of the finished surface from dust since the leather surface remains attached to the release paper until the end of processing. Automatic cleaning of excess chemical product using adhesive tape helps increase the efficiency of the finishing process, ensuring paper reuse up to 80-100 times.
A system radically oriented towards a production process that cares about quality, efficiency, but also environment and sustainability, for a finished product that excels both in terms of aesthetics and performance.
Gianni Maitan
