In its stand at the Tanning Tech Show in Milan, the company highlighted the flagship Innover, a system able to significantly improve the way leather is finished
Todesco Srl, based in Creazzo (Vicenza province) and specialized in the production of intelligent and valuable finishing lines, stood out among the leading brands at Tanning Tech, held in Milan last September. The company from Creazzo (Vicenza), founded in the late seventies and now in its second generation, decided to highlight in its stand one of the most valuable pieces of the range, the Innover, one of the most advanced systems to finish leather, but above all to produce and save. The company was founded in 1976 as GT Todesco Snc, by the founder Giampietro Todesco. Now, the it can count on about fifteen employees, mostly young, a small and highly motivated staff.
“Innover is our ‘flagship’ – says Paolo Todesco, CEO of the company led together with his brother Giorgio Todesco – as it represents the very first cabin launched on the market, equipped with 24 arms and related guns which, only thanks to the geometries, proved to be by up to 30% more efficient than a traditional spray. In particular, the new technologies applied on Innover make it the system with the highest existing efficiency on the market today, as demonstrated by the transfer efficiency of over 75%. The cutting-edge technology and innovation are highlighted by the fact that this machine has no less than 14 patents.”
How many models did you sell and who are the main buyers?
“There are over seventy pieces, spread all over the world. Over 90% of the world’s leading tanneries in the production of leather for car interiors, and the best groups specialized in the production of leather for furniture, use Innover as the main machinery in the spray painting process.”
What are Innover’s main technical features?
“There are many, but the most important relate to a series of automations, including the scanning of the leather, no longer through the diode bars, but through a high-definition scan with cameras. The system is equipped with fairly advanced mechanical solutions, including the mechanics of the carousel itself, in particular the fifth wheel-pinion transmission. And again, the rotary carousel, which is the beating heart of the machine, but above all the HV-03, which is the most advanced spray gun on the world market, applied only to Innover carousels and booths. Finally, also the quality electrical panels, the DRS distributor shafts, the dust suppressor and the steam leather drying tunnel.”
The added value of this machine is about the painting process. Can you describe other specs?
“The 24-arm geometry allows, on the one hand, a significant improvement in the quality of the finish, and on the other, a considerable saving of chemical product since it is possible to significantly limit the extent of the advance / delay in opening / closing the guns in proximity of the leathers to be painted. By reducing this space, the amount of product sprayed on the outside of the leather is reduced by up to one third compared to traditional spray booths. To achieve stability in dispensing the chemical product on 24 guns, we have relied on all the experience acquired in the last 30 years. Well, I would say that the main feature that let us stand out among competitors is that our systems are developed thanks to a deep knowledge on the spraying technique and on the production of low-pressure volumetric guns. The whole machine is conceived to let the guns work in the best condition; often they do the opposite: the spray control and the guns themselves are treated as a mere accessory to a carpentry work such as the spray booth.”
What other technological innovations feature the Innover model?
“Even the booths we produce have some interesting features: they are made of AISI 304 stainless steel, robust and finished with attention to detail. The innovative position of the smoke suction fan, directly connected inside the cabin, ensures a homogeneous flow of air. The main suction is placed on the median of the conveyor belt instead of below. The main advantage is that the dispersed color never settles on the leather and the shocks are reduced to a minimum to avoid affecting the spraying flames. Versions with external air recovery are possible, which guarantee considerable savings in thermal energy. The air extracted from the flue gas purification systems is conveyed through special vents in the roof of the cabin, directly from the outside of the building. This avoids expelling previously heated or cooled air.”
What were the innovations presented in 2022 and which will also characterize future years?
“The most important involved the launch on the Italian and international market of a line that is mostly addressed to the leather goods market, simplified and well-designed, made with lots of glass, which allows for a broad control and guarantees a better aesthetic look. Another news, destined to become our strength, is the launch of a new economizer, totally independent from hardware, called Microp Next, which for our family also represents a return to origins: in the Eighties my father produced a device called Microp, which at that time was one of the first microprocessor-based paint economizers; over 3,000 pieces were sold, not only in the tanning sector. As mentioned, Microp Next no longer has its own hardware, so the customer is totally independent in the management of the electronics. We developed such a software whose brain of control are industrial PLCs (Siemens-Omron). The customer buys a PLC, available anywhere, and by placing a simple reading bar alongside it, he can take advantage of technical assistance as well as having the central computing unit in about 300 countries around the world always available. The customer is therefore independent of our ability to have a spare parts warehouse.”
Can you anticipate an important news that will be launched in 2023?
“From a commercial-technical point of view, the launch of the Assistance Center in Mexico, where we already work, which will allow our customers to be assisted by local technicians. For Todesco, this strategy already exists in China, a country where we haven’t been in three years and where the installation of machinery and assistance is guaranteed by the technicians who live on site.”
