Since its foundation, SYN-BIOS SpA a chemical company based in Montebello Vicentino has been investing significant resources in its in-house laboratories, in order to provide innovative, cutting-edge products.
“Nowadays, it is deemed imperative to constantly be at the forefront, in order to provide customers with innovations, but this is feasible only through steady investments in R&D activities.” This is the secret to continuity and to success, as explained by Enrico Gastaldello, owner, together with his father Daniele (who founded the company in 1988 and is still the president) of SYN-BIOS SpA – chemical company headquartered in Montebello Vicentino that, for over thirty years, has been supplying the tanning firms based in the Arzignano district and worldwide.
Enrico Gastaldello
The enterprise led by the Gastaldello family has experienced a progressive growth over time, resulting, a few years ago, in the launch on the domestic as well as on the international markets of INK FOR LEATHER®, a cutting-edge range of water-based inks designed both for the wet-end phase and for the finishing process.
Daniele Gastaldello
“Right now, as competition is getting fiercer,” stated Enrico Gastaldello, “you can’t rely solely on standard articles and keep putting forward the things done by others. It is pivotal to implement innovative solutions, some “specialties”, as we love to call them, able to provide the customer with something unique, that goes beyond imagination, yet able to make the difference in terms of performance and sustainability: this is undoubtedly a market need, but, at the same time, it can also be an opportunity for those companies, such as ours, that feature a forward-looking attitude. Since my father established the company thirty-one years ago, the guideline has always been the same: investing in R&D is not a mere slogan or a “trend”, but our true philosophy, pursued through time with consistency and resolution, always ensuring a positive outcome.”
How is this department organized in SYN-BIOS?
A significant share of our staff is involved in R&D projects in the in-house corporate laboratories: these teams are made up of chemical experts and tanning technicians, whose professional skills and work experiences are fully complementary, and hardly a day goes by without either working on something new or developing some innovation, while keeping up the usual production activity. Each study or process is monitored down to the smallest details: inevitably, this corporate philosophy results in huge costs in the short term. However, said investments turn out to be a key asset in the long run, due to this ability to constantly innovate and upgrade. As everyone knows, up until a decade ago, the tanning sector was thriving, almost all the ideas were accepted, while, in the last few years, the market has become more and more demanding. For this reason, it is necessary to “turn on the light” for the customer, by providing useful, solid innovations, able to guarantee real solutions and benefits.
More specifically, what does “research and development” entail?
Research concerns, in its early steps, innovative, low-impact raw materials, more sustainable for the environment, for the industry professionals and for the end consumers: this is a worldwide demand. This selection process can take place only by carrying out several in-house trials and laboratory tests, so as to guarantee durable, not impromptu results. Eco-sustainability has grown into a topical issue not only in fashion and in the automotive field, but in all the other sectors as well: globally speaking, there are increasingly stricter specifications in terms of “green” processes, regulations we have been dutifully complying with for quite some time now, way before it was mandatory. Another demand lies in the ability to get back to our customers as soon as possible, as they are, in turn, subjected to more and more pressing requests and schedules: as a matter of fact, a key role is now played by the promptness of the service that the chemical company can guarantee to a tannery. Therefore, besides quality and sustainability, you must also add the race against time.
One last question: how important is it for SYN-BIOS to be headquartered in the Arzignano district?
A lot, because this area is widely acknowledged, even internationally, as the world’s most important district, especially in terms of expertise and technical know-how. I have been travelling all over the world in order to monitor the firm’s sales abroad, and I can proudly say that there is no place like this, where in a small space you can find the full range of tanning, chemical and machinery technology, able to meet all requests from a quantity as well as from a quality perspective, without forgetting the fact that Italy is considered the “homeland” of fashion, creativity and leather. At the same time, the industry entrepreneurs must be able to convey a clear message about membership, solidarity, unity of intent and views. In this sense, I would like to highlight the decision to pick, for the debut in the professional football league, UNIC’s brand Vera Pelle as the main sponsor (see page 12 for more information) of the Arzignano Valchiampo team, of which I am a proud partner, board and vice-presidency member: we believe and we hope that this might be a pivotal step, in terms of promotion as well, for the tanning sector.
www.synbios.com