Interview with Rossano Biancalani – President of Biancalani Textile Machinery
By: Kohan Textile Journal
About Biancalani Company, history and success story.
Our company was founded in 1957 by Fiorenzo Biancalani, who begun with the design and production of machines for wool processing, such as UNIVERSAL, a combined milling and washing machine, first in the market to use an airflow in a wet finishing process.
From there, with the help of Rossano, Rossana and Massimo, children of Fiorenzo, the company expanded in the international scene, with the important milestone of ITMA Paris 1987, where Biancalani introduced the AIRO®, a complete finishing solution for washing, drying and softening all types of fabric, which uses the power of air in order to move and mechanically soften the fabric.
The success of AIRO® increased and consolidated the presence of Biancalani in more than 40 countries worldwide, with over 1200 units installed, and established a new standard for this type of textile processing.
Already 25 years ago Biancalani chose the path of the continuous and open-width processing, which begun with PETRA, an open-width machine for wet sueding/emerizing, and had its culmination with the current line of integrated open-width machines for wet (AQUARIA®) and dry (AIRO®24, AIRBOX, BRIO®24) processing of woven and knitted fabrics.
AQUARIA® and AIRO®24 complement themselves as the natural evolution of AIRO® machine into the open-width continuous realm.
2. Let us know about the types of machinery and services that you offer to the textile industry?
Since its beginnings, Biancalani always pursued the development of new, efficient, and sustainable solutions to add value to textile products, offering what we consider a winning blend of machines, expertise, and support network.
In this context, our product range includes machines for processing any kind of fabric:
– AIRO® the all-in-one batch finishing tool which can perform complex multi-step washing processes, including the drying and the softening of any textile surface;
– IDRA and MILLA, combined washing and milling machines for woollen fabric;
– BRIO®24 continuous open-width relax dryer for knits, offering the highest degree of relaxation for knitted fabrics;
– AIRO®24 the continuous open-width AIRO® tumble dryer, matching efficiency and high production capacity with the extreme quality that the AIRO® is well-known for;
– AIRBOX continuous open-width pre-dryer, which can be used also as a stand-alone drying system;
– AQUARIA® continuous open-width washing range which – first and unique in the market – offers in a single module the combination of a long dwelling time with intense mechanical action, all in an open-width process from beginning to end, ideal for a wide range of preparation processes, for complete enzyme treatments, fashion effects, and washing after dyeing and printing.
3. R&D has a vital role in Biancalani success, Lets talk about your latest innovations and patents.
We always placed R&D at the centre of our activity, and this allowed us to gain and maintain the role of “innovators” which the market conferred upon us since the beginning. Our new AIRBOX open-width (pre)drying system is just another example of how ideas can be transformed into practical and efficient solutions, and an international patent covers the drying principle at the core of its high efficiency.
Similarly, the newest AQUARIA® open-width washing range, which is covered by several international patents (one of which covers the whole working principle), is proof that when tradition and innovation work together, new exciting things can happen.
4. How do you evaluate the Textile Machinery Manufacturing industry in Italy?
Italy is today one of the main producers and exporters of textile machinery in the world. A long tradition in textile, together with the dynamism of ideas and innovation, with the help of continuous and synergetic cooperation between machinery and textile manufacturers, is the key of this success.
5. Middle East (include Turkey) and Africa is an important destination for textile Machinery, how do you evaluate the textile industry in this region. How many percent of your export come to this region?
The Middle East and Africa have always been an important reference point for Biancalani. Currently, this market represents a relevant part of our export, with figures steadily positioned over 20%. However the importance of these areas comes also from their strategic position (proximity as direct market, and role of “gateways” for further markets) and their variety of products, which – from country to country – is always connected to the local tradition, making each area unique and valuable for its contribution to the development of new ideas.
6. Today sustainability and green products is a must and unfortunately textile is one of the most polluting industries, how we can improve sustainability in the textile industry? what is the role of textile machinery in this process? What is Biancalani sustainability policy?
We have always been of the opinion that the “green approach” should start first from ourselves as individuals in order to nourish all our ideas and then drive and motivate our actions. And machinery are to be seen not just as something to be “greenified” in order to reduce their impact, but as an opportunity, an important tool to pursue this approach.
For instance, when we design our machines, we give extreme importance to their efficiency in order to minimize energy consumption, and then we produce them adopting manufacturing strategies that allow reducing the global impact on the environment.
However, the most rewarding result comes from the fact that, in many cases, the most important contribution to environmental protection comes directly from the usage of our machines. Such as – for instance – when customers apply mechanical softening (i.e. with AIRO®24) which allows them to increase the softness and bulkiness of the products while reducing or eliminating the usage of certain chemicals. With the pleasant side effect of shrinking also the production cost.
7. How do you evaluate the textile industry and international markets in 2021 after Coronavirus Pandemic?
There has been a global change in the distribution of business, and certainly, in the way people do business, and due to the current context some market segments are suffering more than others are. However, we are confident that the resilience of textile manufactures will lead them out of this situation, and that the textile industry will recover and start again to count very positive figures.
More information and Contact:
BIANCALANI SRL
Address:via Menichetti, 28 59100 Prato Italy
Phone:+39 057454871
Fax:0574633491
E-mail:
[email protected]
Sales department: [email protected]
