Lucart Group – one of the leading players in Europe in the production of thin MG papers for flexible packaging and hygiene products in tissue and airlaid - excels in terms of production capacity, quality and sustainability operating Valmet converting lines. Between 2015 and 2022, Lucart installed four Perini MyLine in its facilities across Europe, particularly in France, Hungary and Italy, for the transformation of tissue paper into consumer hygiene and kitchen towel products. Thanks to these solutions, the historic Lucca-based group has increased its production capacity by over 15%, compared to previous plants, for superior quality products.
"The Perini MyLine is a system that perfectly meets our needs to set up different product changes throughout the week and month - says Gabriele Coli, Engineering Manager of Lucart Group. Thanks to the flexibility, reliability and high performance that characterise Valmet’s technology, we can diversify our production to effectively respond to market demand. The multiple benefits already observed with the first line have led us to continue our collaboration with Valmet as our trusted partner in every aspect."
Simplicity, quality and sustainability
Among the numerous advantages for the company, is the quick start-up of the installed plant, coupled with a simplified operator interface. Another plus of the Valmet Perini MyLine is the laminator-embosser, which allows for quick changes in embossing without requiring specific skills on behalf of operators. For customers, who needs to modify embossing during production, the line offers high flexibility and optimal alignments with processing times. Additionally, the joint research by Valmet’s Engraving Solutions and Lucart's technical team, over the years, a series of embossings have been developed and customised, leading to a significant improvement in the various product categories in terms of quality, finish and aesthetics.
Ivo Cataldi, Sales Manager Valmet, says "Lucart is very attentive to the constant upgrading of the final product quality. In this regard, the services offered by Engraving Solutions perfectly reflect the care the company invests in this area. In particular, our facility is equipped with pilot lines dedicated to testing various embossings with Lucart's paper, in order to optimise the quality of the product to be offered on the market."
Ultimately, with the installation of Acquabond® water-based lamination technology, developed by VALMET, Lucart has reduced procurement costs related to the use of glue for sheet adhesion, also benefiting from a general simplification in terms of maintenance, plant cleaning and generating eco-friendly products, such as the Tenderly brand. Thanks to the partnership with Valmet, Lucart will, in a near future, be able to launch technically different products compared to what is available on the shelves today.
Group synergies and unparalleled technical support
Due to the excellent results achieved with the Perini MyLine technology, Lucart Group has also associated Perini Proxima lines, highly flexible machines specialised in the production of Away from Home products. The modularity of Valmet machinery has enabled the generation of group synergies, facilitating the entire production process.
"If we need steel rollers for embossing at a certain location, we can transfer them seamlessly from one facility to another on all lines, as the laminating units are 100% compatible. Moreover, our technicians, trained by Valmet, become in-house trainers who are able to share the know-how they have acquired on the field with colleagues from other plants - says Gabriele Coli, who concludes: "also, if a spare part is not available in our factories in Italy, we can quickly source it through Valmet or from our overseas locations, minimising downtime.”
Another key strength of Valmet Converting Solutions is the service that the Valmet team offers in all phases of the project: from consulting in choosing the ideal configuration, installation and start-up of the machinery, to the after-sales phase. Due to the project management service dedicated to each individual project, Valmet provides its customers with a multitude of specialized skills, capable of preventing and solving most problems quickly.
Ultimately, Ivo Cataldi states: "The priority for Valmet is the customer satisfaction. For this reason, we stand out for both our cutting-edge technological solutions and our specialized and timely assistance, onsite and remotely, which enables us to guarantee comprehensive support to reduce downtime and ensure continuity of the production plant. Traits that make Valmet a reliable long-term partner, capable of ensuring its customers the lowest transformation cost on the market".