an Italian company specialising in the heat treatment of metals and part of Colombo Special Fasteners (CSF) since 2019 has begun the installation of a new rack type line at its production plant in Usmate Velate The new rack type line consists of a furnace for case hardening and carbonitriding a controlled atmosphere furnace for carburising and carbonitriding as well as high temperature and low temperature tempering Also installed within the line will be a combined spray and immersion washing machine and a thermal burnishing tank The line is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025 This investment follows the official opening of the Usmate Velate plant in 2024 which currently houses a belt line for quenching and tempering and carbonitriding with an integrated defoaming system that allows productivity of up to 750 kg/h and a double chamber plant for quenching and tempering in a controlled atmosphere Both companies have been going through an ambitious investment plan to expand the range of services offered The company’s investment plan also includes a new office building recently completed at CSF’s Cisano Bergamasco plant In the production department new investments were also made with machines for the mechanical machining and optical inspection of headed parts a logistics automation project within the goods and tooling warehouse was also completed as well as a 4.0 interconnection project of all machinery to better manage and monitor production functions Having spent a decade in the fastener industry experiencing every facet – from steel mills as well as machinery builders and plating + coating companies Claire has developed an in-depth knowledge of all things fasteners exhibitions and conferences around the world Claire has also interviewed high profile figures – focusing on key topics impacting the sector and making sure readers stay up to date with the latest developments within the industry In 2019 Colombo Special Fasteners (CSF) acquired its heat treatment supplier CITT to guarantee the high-quality of its products Deputy Editor Claire Aldridge visited CITT’s brand new production plant in Usmate Velate to see how an investment in a fully automated belt line is helping towards CSF’s goal of 100% energy autonomy Established in the 1960s as a manufacturer of small furnaces for the goldsmith sector CITT Srl now offers heat treatments including hardening as well as thermochemical diffusion treatments such as carbonitriding (with and without hardening) Surface finishing treatments are also available including sandblasting and thermal burnishing the new automated belt line has a washing station with an integrated dephosphating system and has been developed with Industry 4.0 in mind The production plant also complies with all current environmental and industrial regulations The new dephosphating station consists of a washing process before the heat treatment and is carried out using specific alkaline-based products –  necessary for degreasing and removing oils as well as phosphates used mainly on steel to increase the efficiency of the lubricants required for cold drawing which is a requirement in many automotive specifications for strength classes ≥10.9 and the ISO 898-1 standard The new line also includes two new furnaces – a continuous furnace for smaller parts serviced by an automated belt and a static furnace for longer parts – to provide CITT with a wider range of quality services with everything connected to an internal IT system and geared for Industry 4.0 “In the current market it’s hard to find high-quality heat treatment suppliers We made the investment in CITT because the loss of a good supplier would have created problems for us,” explains Marco Colombo “CITT is working for others – not just for CSF – and is a reliable heat treatment partner in the fastener industry CSF invested significant resources to the complete renovation of CITT to guarantee a high-quality service quicker delivery times and more flexibility – contributing to growth CSF is now able to stand as a partner providing an even more exhaustive service in terms of offer as a factory geared towards the production of standard screws CSF now focuses on the development of special parts according to drawing and is able to manufacture cold formed parts from 2.5mm – 30mm in diameter This includes parts with complex geometries and finishing grades with special threads heat and surface treatments through to careful inspection and sorting with the remaining 40% coming from mainly European markets – something Marco is keen to develop further “Every day we take actions aimed at generating long-term value for the company and that includes a policy of expanding the countries to which we export These actions have brought both CITT and CSF into an Industry 4.0 perspective and the next investments from 2025 and beyond will be in sustainability and energy containment with the goal to reach 100% energy autonomy,” highlights Marco Sustainability for CSF means the constant and concrete commitment to promote a business model aimed at the efficient and strategic management of the resources available That is why the company’s strategy is made up of small steps that gradually contribute to integrating sustainability into the way it operates – laying the foundations for a real transformation of the company’s culture CSF’s sustainability goals include the completion of a new eco-friendly production site in Cisano Bergamasco – with solar panels to help meet the company’s energy needs; a centralised fume extraction system for the benefit of employees and the working environment conditions; implementation of an oil recovery and cleaning plan as well as waste reduction; digitalisation of the production departments by completely eliminating the use of paper; and finally the promotion of good habits and responsible management of resources in each department “We want our technology to combine profitability and sustainability increasing efficiency while reducing costs we are committed to promoting a good corporate culture in order to attract and retain skilled people – a challenge we currently face as a manufacturer CSF therefore offers the opportunity for young people to learn the art of cold forming and grow within the business,” mentions Marco He continues: “We need to make sure the CSF environment is a comfortable as it becomes clearer each day that the expectations of potential employees for the company are not just economic but wellbeing too the business is focusing on the renovations of office buildings in both factories to provide a more stimulating and beautiful environment.”  The new eco-friendly production site in Cisano Bergamasco also houses another of the company’s projects – MASTER FACTORY 4.0 The project means all machinery in the production department is now interconnected to manage and control the production function of the whole plant as well as the monitoring of machine activity load through the ‘real time’ data collection of headers Data collected includes quantities produced and related timing; machine stops and related causes; raw material used; rejects and product nonconformities; as well as production efficiency KPI measurement This enables the company to draft customised reports and have full product traceability Marco concludes: “With these investments in new high-quality technology we are laying the foundations for our future and shape our proposal according to the real needs of the customers – primarily ensuring their satisfaction We are open to constantly optimising processes and improving products aware that any positive change brings corporate wellbeing and new added values for our customers.”   The work on the Italian company's facility in Usmate Velate in Lombardy will create 22 new jobs Italian dairy firm Granarolo is to spend EUR21.4m (US$24.8m) upgrading a domestic plant The work on its facility in Usmate Velate in Lombardy will create 22 new jobs part-funded by the country’s Ministry of Economic Development will see the plant equipped with new technology and will result in a 30% increase in production capacity The site will also acquire greater storage capacity and will “leverage advanced sensor systems” to obtain better performance in terms of environmental sustainability A new refrigeration plant will also be constructed Granarolo’s Usmate Velate plant has a surface area of 107,000 sq m and processes 1,100 metric tonnes of milk annually for the production of mozzarella Most of the facility’s output is for the domestic market while 35% goes abroad Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Company chairman Gianpiero Calzolari said: “New processes will be introduced to the Usmate Velate plant in Lombardy to ensure greater production efficiency and flexibility reduce the impact of activities while at the same time increasing output and allowing workforce expansion.” Just Food has asked Granarolo to confirm the expected completion date for the work Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Food Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Subscribe Italy-based label converter Pilot Italia has relocated to a new facility in Cornate d’Adda Production has been moved from Usmate Velate and Merate and will now be based in the new 7,500 square meter factory A new large format offset printing line has been installed at the new site which is based in a large green area and well-connected with nearby motorways ‘Investing in a time of depression means being brave and having faith in the future,’ said the company in a statement ‘But it also means getting ready for even fiercer competition and being ready to face it with the best weapons.’ Click here for more stories about Pilot Italia on L&L.com Gain knowledge with articles and videos collated from Label Academy books Transit of Venus as seen above Usmate Velate in the province of Brianza in the Italian region of Lombardy this morning This photo was uploaded to NASA Flickr photostream of the transit by user Abarze For those of us who weren’t able to have tea with Venus at sunset yesterday evening or breakfast with the terrestrial planet at sunrise as it traversed the face of the sun in an astronomical event that won’t happen again until 2117 here’s a snapshot of what people experienced during the transit Depending on where you were across the globe stargazers in North America got to witness the transit of Venus from sunset yesterday evening as the planet started its six-and-a-half hour transit across the face of the sun stargazers had to wait until sunrise this morning to see if they could spot the final hour of the transit The next transit of Venus is not due to happen again until 2117 so there was much anticipation about the astronomical event scientists have been studying such transits to make sense of the size of the solar system astronomer and philosopher Galileo started to make the first scientific observations of Venus as more than just a bright light in the sky he began to notice that the size and shape of the planet changed as each night passed This is what we now call the phases of Venus captured during over a decade of radar investigations peaking with the Magellan mission between 1990 and 1994 Such transits of Venus across the face of the sun occur roughly more than every 100 years in pairs separated by eight years The last such transit of Venus was in 2004 with the next one not set to be viewed from Earth until 2117 here’s what keen astronomers experienced between last night and this morning Flickr user Laures 73 from www.e-sphera.net uploaded this image of the Venus transit onto the NASA Flickr photostream this am The photo of the transit was captured in Rosheim in France this morning Photo from Michel Breitfellner and Miguel Perez Ayucar/ESAC Astronaut Don Pettit took images of the Transit of Venus from the Cupola module of the International Space Station In this one you can also see sunspots on the sun Transit of Venus as seen from the Arctic island of Spitsbergen editorial@siliconrepublic.com