SYN-BIOS SPA, chemical company headquartered in Montebello Vicentino (Vicenza province) that, for over thirty years, has been supplying tanneries worldwide, has bounced back pretty well after the health emergency.
In the second half of 2020, as well as in the years to come, the firm will keep investing in the “metal-free” segment, resulting in processes devoid of any tanning metal (Cr, Al, Ti, Zr, Fe), in full compliance with the standards set by the ZDHC’s MRSL v.2.0 concerning all the other heavy metals, and with a low environmental impact, featuring top-notch biodegradability properties, suitable to manufacture end products designed for people allergic to chromium or other metals.
Enrico Gastaldello, General Manager Sys-Bios
Bearing this in mind, SYN-BIOS SPA, currently led by Enrico Gastaldello, owner of the enterprise together with his father Daniele (who established it in 1988), developed and launched on the market, at the beginning of 2020, a new range of water-based microdispersed pigments called “METAL-FREE®”, specifically conceived to get metal-free leathers during the finishing phase as well, according to the definition reported in the UNI EN 15987:2015 regulation: “Animal hide converted into leather, whose total content of all tanning metals in leather (chromium, aluminium, titanium, zirconium, iron) is less than or equal to 0,1% (mass of the amount of all metals / total dry weight of the leather).
“The shades featured in the “METAL-FREE®” pigments line,” explained Enrico Gastaldello, “encompass the whole range of colours, while ensuring first-rate performances and coating levels. Furthermore, these solutions guarantee prime chemical-physical fastness in order to manufacture an article suitable for the leatherware, footwear, furnishing and automotive sectors. Successfully developed in-house, the “METAL-FREE®” line, besides complying with the parameters set by ZDHC’s MRSL v.2.0, has been specifically conceived to foster the use of all nuances, both alone and combined, without exceeding the concentration value, amounting to 0,1%, concerning the total amount of the five tanning metals in the finished product.”
How is the health emergency affecting your business and your reference markets? Obviously, there has been some consequences, as it happened to all the companies and to the economy in general, but we managed to be ready, thus doing some damage control. I believe that, those who sowed well and constantly in the past, can somehow reap the benefits, even in such an undeniably difficult situation.
Did you use the lockdown period to carry out an in-house reorganization? We spent more time dealing with projects and various arrangements than usual, even though our company already featured a strategic, steadily improving organization. Therefore, there was no need for any upheaval. Obviously, we fell into step with the current regulations, but, in that case as well, it turned out to be a partial commitment given that, as a chemical enterprise, we had previously implemented strict rules concerning protection devices.
In a static economic situation, how much is it important to launch innovations and cutting-edge technologies in order to be competitive during the recovery phase? This has always been our corporate philosophy, now more than ever. The investments in technological resources are part of our “DNA”, we have always allocated funds for our facilities: solutions conceived to optimize production processes are the result of tests carried out in laboratories, where new formulations as well as machinery prototypes and innovative equipment are tried out. Our structure is grounded in a safety-driven culture at all levels, in terms of devices, utmost efficiency and safety of both machines and plants: this is the goal we have been pursuing in collaboration with enterprises specialized in the design and production of state-of-the-art machinery. The customized solutions we provide are constantly tested in order to improve productivity, to reduce manufacturing times and to achieve top-notch performances once our articles are applied.
Yours is a company at the forefront when it comes to R&D activities: are you going to plan some investments is the post-Covid period as well? We have no intention whatsoever of backing down, not even now: competitiveness and innovation have always been our top priorities in order to provide the customer with new opportunities. For this reason, we deploy pivotal human, technological and economic resources when it comes to research, tests and field trials. Our R&D department is led by a qualified staff featuring a well-established experience in this field, a team bent on looking for effective products that can guarantee above par results and meet the clientele’s demands. The combination between compliance with tradition and innovation is the guideline for research. SYN-BIOS SPA, based in the renowned Arzignano district – a strategic location to rapidly supply the local tanneries -, can provide a comprehensive range of leather chemicals for a wide clientele, to be used in the automotive, furnishing, footwear, apparel and leatherware sectors. The qualified technical assistance service gives to the customer the chance to interact directly with the company at all levels, from the formulation phase to the manufacturing of any article. SYN-BIOS SPA manages to guarantee other services such as the customized colour sampling, for both the drum dyeing and the finishing stages, the development of the best application recipes by using its ample array of solutions and the control of the leathers’ chemical-physical resistance. Equally significant the investments and the potential concerning logistics as well: 5,000 square meters of automated warehouse and a careful planning ensure constant product availability, allowing to quickly supply all customers. Each product is filed and identified throughout the processing cycle and transfers, so as to always guarantee its traceability. The well-provided warehouse, the fully computerized management and the deliveries carried out with either owned means of transportation or via affiliated forwarders, result in an efficient, prompt logistic service. www.synbios.com