Biesse shows off new technology

As part of an ongoing effort to stay front and center in the minds of its clients, Biesse America recently sponsored "Biesse Inside" at the headquarters of its parent company, Biesse Group, S.p.A. in Pesaro, Italy. Biesse Inside included guided tours of Biesse's 970,000-square-foot production facility in Pesaro, as well as several technical workshops.

Although originally scheduled as a four-day event, participation was so high that Biesse duplicated the event a week later to accommodate demand. Ultimately more than 2,000 people attended, representing more than 50 countries.

Prior to Biesse Inside, Biesse America sponsored a technical tour for a number of its North American clients which included senior executives from a dozen companies from eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. The group examined woodworking facilities in various parts of northern Italy.

Impressed with automation

Tour participants noted they were particularly impressed by the amount of automation used in production and material handling at the plants. In many cases, just a few employees were able to run an entire facility.

"I found it really valuable to see various plants around Pesaro using Biesse machinery. It gave me a new perspective on things we might consider in our operation here in Fargo," says Jason Larkin, president of Fargo, N.D.-based Solid Comfort Inc. "I was also very impressed with the amount of automation that Biesse uses in the plants we toured."

The official Biesse Inside event kicked off on Oct. 10, with the unveiling of Biesse's new 32,000-square-foot showroom at its headquarters in Pesaro. The showroom features 32 machines, and for the event, nearly 100 machinery demonstrations were scheduled for visitors. Of particular interest to many attendees was the Selco EBTR 120 Twin Pusher panel saw.

Workshops were also presented at the event. Luca Sironi, store manager for Ikea in nearby Ancona, spoke about what is necessary for companies to become suppliers for the chain, and Nicola Giombini, product manager, Biesse Systems, spoke about integrated working cells. Workshops were also presented on strategies and commercial models for Italian joinery, and on technological innovation in the window and door production process.

John Mauro, vice president of Biesse Systems, says he was extremely pleased with both the technical tour and Biesse Inside as a whole.

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About the author
Ken Jennison

Ken Jennison was a senior editor at CabinetMaker and FDM magazines from 2006 to 2008, writing more than 70 articles about cabinet and furniture manufacturers. He is currently director of acquisitions at Hearland Historical Properties LLC in San Francisco.