Vetaphone has announced one of Italian press manufacturer Lombardi’s customers, Minova Labels, has installed two Synchroline 430 machines equipped with Vetaphone surface treatment technology.

Established in 2006 by Ivan Caldirola and his business partner, Minova Labels began life with a Gidue 430 8-color press and added a second Gidue 630 10-color press in 2010.  Both presses were fitted with Vetaphone A-station corona treaters, largely because of the ongoing relationship that both Minova and Gidue enjoyed with Giuseppe Rossi, Vetaphone’s area sales manager for Italy.

When, in 2016, Minova was looking to expand its production capacity, a personal recommendation steered them towards Lombardi and a 10-color Synchroline 430 was installed at the company’s facility in Malnate, Varese.  Lombardi also preferred Vetaphone corona technology to that of other manufacturers and the new press was fitted with a VE1-A station. Then, in 2023, a second Lombardi Synchroline 430 was added, also a 10-color flexo press, but this came with the first of the new Vetaphone VE1-AM models to be installed in Italy.  All printing at Minova is UV, but the presses have hot air dryers for water-based glue applications.

Currently 95% of production at Minova is on filmic substrates so the need for reliable and consistent surface treatment is paramount.  Products include pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, tubes and IML, mostly for the cosmetics and industrial sectors.  “Minova is quality not quantity oriented so reliable corona treatment is essential to our production capability – there is no question of us specifying any supplier other than Vetaphone,” says Caldirola.

With typical run lengths at Minova declining from 5000-8000m down to 3000-4000m, and for cosmetics to 2000m, it is clear that the company is not in the volume market. Caldirola adds, “Eight colors is now the minimum, and 10 is often not enough!”

His comments are echoed by Andrea Mena, technical and R&D manager at Lombardi, which has recommended Vetaphone corona technology for more than 15 years.  “It has a reputation for reliability with excellent sales and service support – it’s also the preferred choice of our customers, so we are committed to the partnership long-term,” he says.  For Lombardi, which sells its machines around the world, Vetaphone’s global support network is a major bonus, ensuring that no customer is far from sales and service people.

Still a family-owned and managed business, with founding father Claudio supported by sons Massimo, Lorenzo and Nicola, Lombardi Converting Machinery has built a strong reputation in the 37 years since its inception in 1988.  Now employing more than 50 in its manufacturing facility in Brescia, the company supplies narrow and mid web modular inline flexo presses to the label and flexible packaging markets, with an emphasis on quality and productivity.

The need for consistent corona treatment on Lombardi presses is typified by Minova Labels workload that is predominantly on film or foil substrates in frequently more than 10 colors, where only perfect surface treatment will allow high-quality print register. Mena explains, “Surface treatment is essential before the material enters the printing process to ensure that all colours are progressively deposited until the final image is complete.” 

For a company that prides itself on quality with zero defects, high standards of precision are required at all stages of the manufacturing process, and this includes the ancillary equipment.

Speaking for Vetaphone, Giuseppe Rossi comments, “There is a definite synergy between the Vetaphone and Lombard companies – both are still family-owned with a common philosophy that attention to detail is the pathway to successful and happy customers.  Optimizing production processes such as cleaning, maintenance and ease of parts replacement is fundamental to Vetaphone corona systems, along with our unique iCorona generators that constantly monitor and adjust corona dosage according to material and running speed.”

Lombardi marketing manager Nicola Lombardi concludes, “Any non-conformity in the final product has a negative impact on the overall efficiency of our production system so we are committed to ongoing investment in high-precision and quality.  The connection between these two is the cornerstone of our corporate mission so our cooperative partnerships with companies like Vetaphone are both valuable and vital.”