The real core business is service
Officine di Lombardore is a pipe manufacturer specialised in the production of high-strenght and ultra high-strenght tube. "We produce 18,000 t of tube a year, 70% of which is cut-to-length as we deal exclusively with the end user therefore moving away from the so-called iron and steel commerce of our competition. In this business, quality and service must be our strong points".
In fact, service is the real core business of this pipe manufacturing activity located at the entrance to Turin, and which Mr. Paolo Pastore, Managing Director of the company, likes to define as the "logistic tube centre".

From coil to finished piece
With a view to providing an increasingly complete service, Officine di Lombardore has installed an ADIGE Lasertube LT 712D cutting system, thanks to which the company can supply not only tubes that are cut-to-length, but also finished tubes.
"There aren't that many producers in Europe like us, who are able to start from a steel sheet coil and process it to provide a finished product " explains Mr. Pastore. "We have taken this step because from a strategic point of view, although it is a niche sector for the moment, this type of production can guarantee a potentially greater growth compared to a simple OEM supplier, and among other things, we offer the advantage of raw materials that certainly have a lower cost and are immediately available".

The best laser technology for tube
Officine di Lombardore is rapidly converting into the "technological tube centre" in which customer service is taking on increasingly more importance and which makes the difference. Merely as an example of this is computerised production management for the manufacture of a single component with just-in-time concept, or the same laser technology, which par excellence, is the most flexible and versatile tool on the market.
Continues Paolo Pastore: "The Lasertube LT 712 system has allowed us to have the best laser tube cutting technology and certified product quality that combined with a top class material quality has made us extremely versatile".
Inspiring innovative products
The "laser project" officially started in 2006 when the ADIGE system was installed; "since then, we started to promote the activity in decisive manner " says Enrico Bencini, Sales Director. "The new laser service attracted a lot of interest in our customers, about 20% of which had an immediate need for finished components. Another 20%, on the other hand, did not have an immediate requirement, but showed interest in the advantages deriving from such a service. This result has immediately allowed us to saturate the use of the machine for one working shift and now we are getting organised over three shifts. To further disseminate this technological know-how, we are organising small open house activities to show designers and engineers, the state-of-the-art that has been achieved in the manufacturing department.

To see a machine, its processes and, consequently, our service potential can undoubtedly provide inspiration to study new products using tubular components rather than sheet metal. In fact, the laser offers an all-round
possibility to re-design old products or study new ones whereby the tube can be used in a more efficient and convenient manner". It is not just by chance that the automotive industry has been the most receptive sector to date.

by BLM