Managing director Vasco Caciagli says the important thing is to believe in what you are doing and concentrate on the production of the machinery and not on staffing offices. They specialise in fleshing, sammying and setting out, both as traditional machines and as through feed units and are continually improving their technology.
Their last through-feed sammying and setting out machine, the RAL/CS and CSP was introduced two years ago. At the last edition of Tanning Tech, in October 2004, they introduced their latest RAL/PN combined sammying and setting machine (see Leather International, December, page 39). The RAL/PN has been developed from a totally different base compared to the traditional RAL/P. In fact the RAL/PN features 25 ton pressure as well as rollers with a bigger diameter which have been positioned differently in order to obtain a better setting out performance. A less technological difference from the earlier P model is that the external motor of the P has been replaced by a more powerful motor which is internalised within the outer casing of the machine.
The additional power opens up the hide more and enables better sammying and setting out. This in turn results in the hide needing less time on the vacuum dryer because of the extra moisture which has been removed. The RAL/PN is designed for full, heavy hides for shoes and upholstery after dyeing. For wet-blue there is a continous press.
The RAL/PN requires one operator for average hides but two are needed for the larger ones. It can handle 100-150 hides/hour. A greater production rate can be achieved with a continuous through-feed; the CS can handle 200-250 hides/hour.
The company have sold five PNs and have another five on order. CM admit that the dollar is a problem but say that while China offers competition for the smaller machines, this is not the case with the larger ones where they simply have to compete with other European manufacturers.
When asked for his view of the current situation, Caciagli described it as ‘a lottery’. The company does have work but things are not improving and he does not see any signs of better business ahead. While CM have fewer orders than two years ago, when orders would take six months to fulfil and now only take three, Caciagli is an optimist and says his factory will continue because it is small and focused.
