MFN had the pleasure to talk to Mr. Valerio Pezzoni, Turbotecnica Engineering Department Manager.

(?) MFN: Could you tell me a little about the background and history of Turbotecnica?

(!) V. P.: Turbotecnica started its activity in 1980 (after 30 years of experience in the design of shot-blasting machines, Mr. Rosaldo Pezzoni had decided to start up his own company). After two months and with the help of just one worker, the first machine was ready for delivery and it presented some innovative solutions with respect to the competitors. The company has grown more and more thanks to the ever-growing customers’ satisfaction and its capacity to design standard, special and customized shot-blasting machines. At present, Turbotecnica has 32 employees working in a 6000 sqm workshop, where the machines are design, manufactured, assembled, painted and tested. In fact, to reduce the time required for assembly on site, all our products are tested and pre-commissioned in-house. Our shot-blasting machines are sold all over the world, with an export market corresponding to 90% of the overall market.

(?) MFN: What do you mean by export market? Where is Turbotecnica in the world?

(!) V. P.: Turbotecnica is present in Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Bosnia, Romania, Greece, Turkey), Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia, Kazakhstan), Asia (India, Vietnam, Pakistan, China, Singapore, Malaysia), Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Angola, South Africa), Middle East (Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates), North America (Texas and Canada) and South America (Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Argentina), Australia and New Zealand.

(?) MFN: What are the key products of Turbotecnica?

(!) V. P.: Turbotecnica is a flexible company, because it customizes its own machines to the customers’ technical and economic needs. We are specialized in the design and implementation of special and customer-tailored installations, which goes from the basic shot-blasting machines to the precision shot-peening ones. Our company products range includes wheel-blasting machines, air-blasting machines, manual shot-blasting rooms, dust-collector units and special machines.
Turbotecnica also has great experience in the field of automation, automatic transport systems, up-loading and off-loading devices.
We also design and manufacture complete treatment lines for steel plates and profiles including pre-heating and drying units, shot-blasting machines, painting units and all the relevant material feeding and handling devices.

This way we are really able to satisfy any request of our customers.

(?) MFN: Which industry sectors does your company serve?

(!) V. P.: The Turbotecnica installations are used in a wide range of sectors: automotive, foundry, plastic, carpenter and metal workshops, the aviation industry, stones and concrete, …

(?) MFN: Can you brief us concerning Research and Development?
 
(!) V. P.: Turbotecnica strives every day to make its machines reliable and technically performing. The simplicity of the construction and the essential components hide the complexity of the design, so helping the customer in managing the daily production.

For the future, Turbotecnica is integrating into its lines robot cells to improve and increase the production cycle of the customer. To work in robotic systems, our machines must ensure an impeccable precision in the positioning systems of the products to be treated. Turbotecnica works everyday to improve all process of automation.

(?) MFN: What are the measures taken for the quality product?
 
(!) V. P.: Since 2005, Turbotecnica has had a certified quality system according to UNI EN ISO 9001:2008. Thanks to this control system, we can assure high quality management in all phases, from the initial commercial negotiations, to the design and manufacturing stages to the final installation at the customer’s premises.
Turbotecnica also received the CRIBIS certificate acknowledging the company reliability.

(?) MFN: In addition to equipment, what services like installation, after sales etc., do you offer to your customers? How does Turbotecnica support its customers?

(!) V. P.: Turbotecnica produces complete installations. Erection and commissioning at customers’ sites are carried-out by our specialized fitters. After the installation start-up, one of our engineers trains the customer’s operators.
All our products have a 12-month guarantee that can be extended following the commercial negotiations. We have competent technicians able to assist our customers in case of emergency in short times worldwide. Besides, Turbotecnica has a well-stocked warehouse, so that the most common parts can be shipped to the customers in very short order.
On customer request, Turbotecnica organises scheduled maintenance. This way, our customers are supported throughout the installation life.

(?) MFN: What are your products' distinguishing features compared to those offered by competitors in the market?

(!) V. P.: Our main features are simplicity, efficiency, choice of the materials and a careful design and analysis of our projects right from the start.

(?) MFN: What are the key strategies to remain ahead of the times with such vast competition?
 
(!) V. P.: Giving quick answers to our current and potential customers is our strength. The feasibility awareness and gained experience are the key to win confidence from customers.

(?) MFN: What challenges do you face in the manufacturing & design of machines?

(!) V. P.: Customer requests are more and more complex above all in the field of automation and the moving of materials. We must keep updated to meet their requests; we can’t make mistakes.

(?) MFN: What are the future plans?
 
(!) V. P.: Optimization and standardization of all production phases which build our machines.

(?) MFN: What strategies does Turbotecnica as a leading provider pursue to build environmentally friendly installations?

(!) V. P.: Mechanical treatments for surface finishing generate scraps that must be disposed of, and these vary with the type of material treated, the abrasive used, any surface films applied and the agents deriving from other treatments. All machines are equipped with suitable systems to eliminate scraps and impurities from the mixture of abrasive and intake air. They consist of:
A vibrating screen crossed by the abrasive flow that retains rough parts (paint, flash, etc.) then collected into an appropriate container;
A grit separator to remove abrasive fragments, thus ensuring a constant particle size when the abrasive is thrown against the turbines;
A dust control filter with self-cleaning cartridges that retains the particles in the air coming from the separator and the shot-blasting chamber.
Treatment residue, collected at the outlet of the screen, separator and hopper of the filtering unit, can be disposed of as scrap metal or inert material, except for scraps generated when using shot-blasting machines to remove paint. This needs specific treatments. In any case, filtered air can be discharged into the atmosphere or the working environment, as the dust content is lower than that required by existing regulations.

MFN would like to thank Valerio Pezzoni for the interview!

For Information: Turbotecnica SpA
via Macchiavelli 19/21
20025 Legnano (MI), Italy
Tel. +39.0331.576744-47, Fax 576745
E-mail: info@turbotecnica.it
www.turbotecnica.it