informa July 2014 • Year XIII • Issue 35
Director: Simone Di Nasso • Editorial Staff: Irene Scala, Andrea Biasci • Authorized by the Court of Livorno n. 8/05 4th of May 2005
Here we are!
In this number: Page 2 IFEX 2014 Gandhidam by Tushar Walke
Pages 2 - 3 - 4
In order for our personal qualities to really represent an asset for the group, we have to develop a “sense of Us”. I often start meetings with “Here we are!”, as if to say “We’re all really here, can we start?”. I have frequently asked myself how important it is to have my colleagues’ attention, but also their participation and their curiosity. How to manage it? How to make them feel responsible for their choices? How to make them truly autonomous? How is it possible that resistance and formality disappear only in times of difÀculty? How come it is only in those circumstances that it is so easy to Ànd the necessary leadership? It is not easy to Ànd the answers. Can it be enough to delegate fully and unconditionally through the attribution of real autonomy and responsibility? Or should we look for the answer in our culture, and I’d say not just business culture?
I know that our company is the fantastic sum of much intelligence, sensitivity, weakness, curiosity, courage, fear, egoism and altruism. So let’s use the idea of the algebraic sum, where the positive serves the negative and vice versa. The Àrst guides the group, but only the latter has a vision of the whole. Perhaps the key lies precisely in a sense of belonging: we have to work to make it strong, stable and constant. Because only if we keep the sense of belonging alive are we really heading towards a participatory future. If there is a sense of belonging there is identiÀcation, commitment, involvement and the will to do better. Giovanni Sirtori Laviosa
All the successes of Laviosa MPC Page 4 Winds of change by Ozgur Ozsan
Page 5 The shipping Agency as seen by a young internist by Giorgio Lunardi
Page 6 A recurring story by Simone Baravalle
New LCM projects in Georgia and Denmark by Simone Di Nasso
Page 7 Interzoo 2014 by Elena Sensi
Mining strategy by Antonio Villalba
Page 8 Manrico Cinapri e Massimo Nicosia examine
Supply Chain
Pages 9 - 10 To each his own... plant by Gianluca Melis, Roberto Razzauti, Giorgio Refolo, Fabio Brando
Page 11 The new organizational structure has been launched by Elisabetta Resti
Laviosa’s I.T. systems overcome the threat of the worst bug ever discovered unscathed di Luca Martinelli
Page 12 By GunnarRichter
Succede in Laviosa
from the foreign
branches
First success for Laviosa-MPC in Hong Kong with Samsung for tunneling project
informa
IFEX 2014
Gandhidam Laviosa Team introduces our foundry products
samsung awards the bentonite supply contract to laviosa-mpc in hong kong for 2 tbm in slurry mode.
Laviosa MPC has been awarded by “Samsung - Hsin Chong Joint Venture” for the supply of 3 100 Tons of BENTOSUND 120 E Tunneling grade for Contract No.1109. An additional 1 000 Tons BENTOSUND 120 E could be attributed for back Àlling application. Analysis & evaluations are currently in progress by Customer This TBM contract is the Group’s Àrst contract for the Shatin to Central Link. The contract mainly comprises the construction of 1,600 metres railway twin tunnels and two railway stations. The works of excavation for the Àrst tunnel will start in October 2014, and should be achieved in June 2016. The project is part of the new Shatin to Central Link mass transit railway. A Àrst delivery of BENTOSUND 120 E Tunneling grade is in transit from Laviosa Trimex factory of Pundi to Hong Kong for the STP commissioning (Slurry Treatment Plant) Serge Resnikow
Contract n. 1109 Contract name: stations and tunnels of Kowloon city section Contractor: SAMSUNG - Hsin Chong Joint Venture Contract amount (in HK$): $ 4.569.503.000
Laviosa Chimica Mineraria has participated in IFEX 2014 held during 7-9 February, 2014 at Gandhinagar (Gujarat), India to promote our Bentonite products for Foundry. IFEX provides platform to create awareness about our company, our products and our services among various foundries across India. We were a part of Italian Trade Agency & displayed our GREEN TEC, VALUE TEC, REFRAC TEC & PRECOATED SANDS range of products, in Italian pavillion. Our Chief Commercial OfÀcer Mr. Piero Starita, was present at the Exhibition & interacted with speakers & other sponsors, participants. Mr. Denis Desouza, Mr Umberto Laviosa & Mr. Tushar Walke represented Laviosa Trimex Industries, India for this event. Tushar Walke
informa
from the foreign
branches
New patented product by Laviosa-MPC
for oil & gas drilling An innovative “dynamic” LCM (Loss Circulation Material) Laviosa MPC has obtained on May 2nd a Patent (N°FR2969168) for an innovative LCM product The invention relates to a product for sealing or plugging of fractured or cracked formation. The name of this Innovated Mud Additive is DYNAMIC RUBSEAL. DYNAMIC RUBSEAL is a water-swellable LCM, made of an EPDM-based Rubber, which confers high mechanical properties (elasticity, rupture). The rubber material has been modiÀed, by mean of an innovative and patented process,
to become porous, and, inside the induced porosity, a blend of copolymers able to swell in miscellaneous water solutions. DYNAMIC RUBSEAL is a dynamic LCM designed speciÀcally to seal highly fractured, vugular and or cavernous formations with a wide range of openings sizes. DYNAMIC RUBSEAL can be used in tunneling/mines drilling operations where high mud losses are experienced. The material is available in different particle size distributions (PSD), from Fine grade (hundreds of microns) to Coarse grade (up to a few millimeters). The selection of the grade, or the proprietary blend, is to be optimized according to
operating conditions (Lithology, Fractures) DYNAMIC RUBSEAL has to be injected / squeezed into the loss zones. The unique elasticity property of DYNAMIC RUBSEAL allows the particles to enter fractured formation, and when in contact with water from geological formation or from mud losses, swells up to 300%, entrapping the rubber inside the formation, thus reducing, then blocking Áuids losses, even though when swab and surge phenomena are occurring. Swelling capacity of DYNAMIC RUBSEAL depends and varies with the nature of the Áuid, its temperature and particle size distribution. Serge Resnikow
LOSSES MECHANISM
VIEW OF THE SWELLING
DYNAMIC RUBSEAL is an innovative technology, designed and already manufactured
3
from the foreign
branches
Winds of change Fatsa initiated to establish the conditions that will allow the company to move forward and setting the roots for a robust development. 2014 will be an important year for LST to prove its presence and contribute more at consolidated level. There have been deÀned speciÀc plans in several areas of the business to expand our market presence and to increase our efÀciency in order to consolidate our position. One of the important impact on capacity utilization tend to be the increased demand on paper product, which is more than double of what had been sold in 2013. Actual trend is conÀrming the sales budget where some negotiations with new customers are expected to close with positive result. Plant initiated to constitute the 3rd shift for milling unit. Positive trend in this market is expected to help to minimize the adverse effect of losing volume in detergent demand. Company has decided to strengthen the presence at cat litter market, different opinions and studies had been evaluated and a new project based on installation of a cat litter packing line to LST will be deÀned soon. Company had already initiated the investment of an extra 400 sqm of warehouse to be used for this purpose. Energy saving project to evaluate the use of more economic energy sources to process bentonite is initiated, project consist of two parallel studies, Improvement of the efÀciency of the existing system, and Feasibility of use of biomass (nutshell) at drying. An external engineering company is empowered to run the detailed studies. Outcome of the project is expected to be evaluated within June. One of the company’s core objectives was to establish long term bentonite reserves to secure sustainable growth and consistent product quality with the aim to comply with the
informa New succes for LAVIOSA-MPC in HONG KONG with VINCI for tunneling project laviosa-mpc has been awarded for supply bentonite and additives for tunneling boring machine in slurry mode.
market demand and the increasing market competitiveness. For the aim to reach that objective a project of acquiring a mining concession had been started long time ago and it is expected to Ànalize with success within a short period. Administrative procedures are currently being carried in the state ofÀces. For the aim to expand our market presence, we started to evaluate different opportunities along country based on evaluating collaboration options with other companies. By this way, we are aiming to reach domestic markets with qualiÀed bentonite reserves located outside Fatsa region. Visits to 2 potential companies in Ankara and Kutahya cities had taken place in May. Taking into account the development plans and in order to improve the managerial capabilities of our company it had been decided to reinforce the organizational structure. In this context, new recruitments to Administration & Logistic, Technical Sales positions will Ànalize soon where Quality Control position had already been covered with a new Chemist in March. Ozgur Ozsan
VINCI Construction Grands Projets is back in Hong Kong for realization of contract 1103 - Hin Keng to Diamond Hill tunnels - with MTR Corporation Limited The contract comprises the supply of 3000 tons of BENTOSUND 120E tunneling grade and 40 tons of various slurry additives: • LIQUIPAC A newly developed formulation of liquid additives has been launched with a redesigned industrial process. Technical assistance will be supplied to VINCI along the project. The project comprises 1,400 m twin tunnels to be excavated by means of slurry TBM with 7.4 m diameter. The works will start in June 2014, with contract duration of 16 months. The project is part of the new Shatin to Central Link mass transit railway. The new Shatin to Central Link is split into 10 main contracts and provides for the realization of a 12 km underground mass transit line and the reconÀguration of 2 interconnecting stations.
Contract n. 1103 Contract name: Gallerie da Hin Keng a Diamond Hill e interscambio per il trasporto pubblico Fung Tak Contractor: VINCI Construction Grands Projets Contract amount (in HK$): $ 2.727.891.805 Serge Resnikow
informa
from the logistical
The Shipping Agency as seen by a young internist A report by young Giorgio Lunardi, who completed a 3 month internship at Carlo Laviosa at the end of April. I carried out my internship in the Carlo Laviosa S.r.l. Shipping Agency’s operations area. Carlo Laviosa, which is located at Via Leonardo da Vinci 21, has been a shipping and forwarding agency in the port of Livorno since 1920, when these activities were added to the already existing business of importing coal and selling it throughout Italy. Over the years the agency has specialized in providing services to all kinds of ships, constantly striving to optimize its in-port services. These services can be divided into three categories – the Ferry Division, which serves as agency and representation for TIRRENIA Navigazione; the Bulk Goods Logistics Division, which handles a series of steps (systems integration, discharging, warehousing, and rail and road transport) in the process necessary to transport bulk goods from the source to the end user; the Coastal Chemical Depot Division, which handles the receipt, storage and re-loading of chemicals As far as the Carlo Laviosa Ferry Division is concerned, its main business is serving as agency and representation for Tirrenia di Navigazione. The partnership with Tirrenia became so close over time that it accepted the proposal by the Carlo Laviosa company to develop and manage the “TirreniaOK” call-center in 2004. Nowadays, TirreniaOK is a consolidated system for road haulage contractors to make transport reservations on-line and automatically receive information via email, texting or fax about the arrival and departure of their vehicles , so increasing the level of services provided to their customers. The ferry division operates from its own ofÀce situated at the Pisa quay in the port of Livorno. There it has a staff of four dedicated to the line’s sales and operations activities. During the time of my internship I was able to observe handling of arrival/departure and loading/unloading operations for the two Tirrenia vessels managed by the agency (the twin vessels Espresso Catania and Via Adriatico). These operations consist in loading and unloading semitrailers carrying various types of goods, embarking and disembarking crew working on board the vessel and presentation to the Harbourmaster of documentation regarding the arrival and berthing of ships in the port, bunkering requests and declarations of
hazardous goods in arrival. I was also able to learn about the structure and functions of the various Livorno Harbourmaster’s ofÀces Many years of proximity to and close collaboration with Laviosa Chimica Mineraria and other industrial companies have led to the accumulation of the experience and ability necessary in the bulk goods logistics sector. Systems integration, discharging, warehousing and road and rail transport are some steps in the process to take bulk goods from the source to the end user. Finally, the receipt, storage and reloading of chemicals began in 2000 with the construction of sulphuric acid storage tanks on the port of Livorno industrial canal. In 2010 new tanks for other industrial liquid products were completed and brought on line. As far as the agency’s bulk goods reception business is concerned, I was able to observe how the bulk carriers coming into port are managed. I was able to go on board these ships (mostly foreign) together with the agency’s employees to learn about the documentation needed for discharge of the goods and for everything relating to the ship during its time berthed at the quay. I also observed the ways in which various chemical products are discharged from the ship (the type of equipment used, for example) and how they are passed from one form of transport to another to reach the end consignee/user. In particular, the shipping agency handles the receipt and warehousing of bentonite, a natural clay mineral that expands on contact with water. As well as the activities carried out in the port during the discharge process, during ofÀce hours I also completed the delivery notes and bills of lading for transfer of the materials to the consignee. Given that the Carlo Laviosa shipping agency provides services not only to regular shipping lines but also to “occasional” foreign ships calling at the port of Livorno (often berthed at the Darsena Toscana terminal), I had both the chance to go on board these ships, and during ofÀce hours, to compile the documents necessary for embarkation/ disembarkation of crew members. On board these vessels (sometimes container ships) I met, personally in some cases, crew members working on board By Flunse and learned about their roles and relative
services
responsibilities. In the ofÀce, on the other hand, I learned how crew embarkation/ disembarkation documentation is completed using different forms. For example, I often used the “Schengen Visa Application Form” for disembarkation of foreign seamen, to be forwarded to the Maritime Border Police, which endorses it and grants permission to embark or disembark as the case may be. In April 2014, a new (completely electronic) method of compiling vessel arrival, unloading and departure documentation, known as PMIS, was introduced. The PMIS system is handled by Harbourmaster’s OfÀce staff and used both for carrying out administrative procedures connected with the arrival/departure of vessels and supervision of trafÀc in the harbour waters. This new system is designed to simplify and improve monitoring of maritime trafÀc. Another less frequent but very interesting activity carried out during my internship concerned “sanitization” on board vessels. This consisted in going on board the vessel (it happened both on regular line and occasional ships) together with an employee of the Livorno Maritime Border Health OfÀce to inspect certain parts of the vessel and issue a sanitization “completed” certiÀcate in the event of a positive inspection outcome. Inspection related to hygiene conditions in the cabins and galley, as well as crew work stations, and the proper storage of medicines and drugs on board. Fortunately all the inspections I witnessed had a positive outcome. My internship experience at Carlo Laviosa Shipping Agency involved numerous activities and gave me the opportunity to examine different aspects of the work carried out by personnel in the sector. I came into contact with very competent personnel who were extremely helpful to me. Indeed, everyone took time to explain what was the task to be done on each occasion, so allowing me to properly understand their roles and the work of the shipping agent in general. On board the vessels and in the Harbourmaster’s and Maritime Police ofÀces I also met helpful people willing to explain me their various jobs and how certain operations function. So I can afÀrm that overall the internship was a pleasant, useful experience for my education. Many of the subjects I studied at university, and so knew only in theory, were put into practice during this short period. I also got to know an environment about which I knew little and which aroused my curiosity to know more. This experience made me appreciate the work of the shipping agent, which I could willingly undertake in the future. Giorgio Lunardi
5
new products and markets
informa
A recurring story The LWT sector product range is updated with the introduction of granular bentonite for the production of bentonite barriers. The Italian philosopher and historian Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) referred to occurrences and recurrences to describe cycles which repeat themselves throughout history, not so much by chance but rather on the basis of a precise design of Providence. In February 1987 in Germany (in February 1988 in Europe and August 1989 in the United States) Naue Fasertechnik GmbH & Co. KG devised and registered a patent for a waterprooÀng product comprising two geotextile layers which encapsulated a bentonite core. The product, called BentoÀx, contained a uniform core of powdered bentonite; the innovation consisted in the system for bonding the two geotextiles by mechanical needle- punching. In 1999, as a result of an agreement with patent-holders Naue, the American Àrm Colloid Environmental Technologies Co., which had already signed an agreement with Claymax Co., for the sale of a granular bentonite-based bonded product, introduced Bentomat on the market, a needle-punched barrier comprising geotextiles and granular sodium bentonite. Granular bentonite quickly became their signature product and market strong point, allowing the Americans to become (and still be) undisputed market leaders. During an “expedition” to the USA at the beginning of the ‘Nineties, Laviosa personnel were so impressed by this innovative product that we began the process of developing and producing a bentonite barrier. First to be introduced on the market was the MODULO GEOBENT STANDARD, a glued product similar to the Claymax. The process did not stop at this stage, but continued to the registration in 1984 of a patent for a reinforced (sewn) product called MODULO GEOBENT HI-TEC. As had the Americans, Laviosa chose to make the product with granular bentonite. In early 2008, the original patent registered by Naue for a needlepunched product expired. Despite positive results achieved over the years with the Modulo Geobent Hi-Tec, the drive towards internationalization, together with a growing need for greater competitiveness, led us to invest in building a new production plant based on needle-punching technology.
The result was the MODULO GEOBENT XP, for which it was decided to use powdered bentonite, a choice dictated both by the existance in our range of the traditional granular bentonite-based product (due to be discontinued in 2009) and the diffusion in Europe by Naue of powder-based products. In the past Àve years, the number of producers of bentonite-based barriers has grown exponentially worldwide, also as a result of a constantly expanding market, estimated to exceed 100 million square metres in 2020. Although the original construction of the product remains unaltered, the direction taken by the world in bentonite barrier production hinges on the basic question - granular or powdered bentonite? While there is no unequivocal answer to the question, a current overview of the world bentonite barrier market shows a predominance of granular bentonite-based products, with an estimated share of over 70%. So, thanks not so much to Providence, but rather to a conscious choice aimed at ensuring continuity for the waterprooÀng sector, at the beginning of 2013 we also decided to re-introduce a granular bentonite-based barrier on the market. JustiÀcation for this decision was the predominance of this type of product in projects for environmental applications, the advantages identiÀed by users in the installation stage due to reduced dust levels and the lower risk of loss of bentonite, greater ease of production of added value products such as laminated products and those based on bentonite/polymer blends and opportunities in the building industry oriented almost totally towards granular bentonite products. The process of developing the product began with the installation a new screening plant at the beginning of 2014. Tests already carried out on the product have given positive results that will shortly allow us to revisit our product range in a “granular vein” and offer a type of product that will afford us new market opportunities, encouraged by the fact that in its recurrences, history has shown granular bentonite to be a successful solution. Simone Baravalle
New LCM projects in GEORGIA and DENMARK Perfectly balanced bentonite for a important geotechnical works. Laviosa succeeded with new ZESTAFONI - KUTAISI bypass. This project – coming from JV TodiniTakenaka - is related to construction of a new Zestaponi-Kutaisi Bypass Road and considers construction of 15.2 km section with parameters of 4 lane highway. Cement-concrete pavement will be arranged, 9 bridges, 1 overpass and 5 pedestrian overpasses,
28 underpasses and 20 reinforced-concrete culverts would be constructed within the scope of the project. Moreover in Denmark, Laviosa gained an important Contract for the construction of 2 single track tunnels of 14,594 km, excavation dia. 5,78 m, 17 subway stations, 3 crossover and 4 construction and ventilation shafts, ,30 m deep approx. Tunnel excavation will be performed by n. 4 (four) EPB TBM having an excavation diameter of 5,78 m - Supply of n. 4 EPB TBM complete with back-up and rolling stock . Simone Di Nasso
new products and markets
informa
Interzoo2014 The pet industry’s most successful meeting place. Our Company attended, as usual, at Interzoo’s 33rd edition, (Nuremberg, Germany), the biggest trade fair in the world for pet supplies. We were one of 1,720 companies from 63 countries, and we showed our litters, introducing the new reference LindoCat NaturalPaper, which intrigued many visitors at our stand. It was an opportunity to meet established customers and to explore for new potential business relationships.
Elena Sensi
from
mining research
Mining strategy Our future passes through long term mineral reserves
One of the company’s core objectives is to establish long term mineral reserves to secure sustainable growth and consistent product quality. A solid mining research policy will enhance our competitiveness and hence our capacity to develop the business proÀtability. Entering new geographical areas requires both enough reserves in the mid-long term and strategic positioning vis-a-vis the market.
As a result of the ongoing geological research program two new mining concessions for our cat litter business will be obtained in Sardinia in the coming months, a mining license has been acquired in Turkey in the Unye region with large high quality bentonite reserves and in India we are completing the acquisition of a new bentonite mine and in the process of transferring a newly acquired mine land into
non agricultural to then obtain the mining permission. Also, several new potential mine lands have been identiÀed to carry drillings in order to evaluate the quality and reserves of the mineral. All this will increase our long term mineral reserves and give us direct control of our resources. Antonio Villalba
7
from
supply chain
informa
Supply Chain A change of strategy to steer the creation of value towards the customer. The aim of the Supply Chain is customer satisfaction, whether end or internal: we achieve it by constantly monitoring the quality of raw materials and products, type of shipment and production costs. The strategy adopted up to now was based mainly on the Rapid Supply Chain model (see table): STRATEGY
EFFICIENT SUPPLY CHAIN
RAPID SUPPLY CHAIN
Primary objective
Minimum cost
Rapid response
Product project strategy
Minimum production cost
Modularity to allow product differentiation
Pricing strategy
Lower margins (the price is fundamental for the customer)
Higher margins
Production strategy
High use
Capacity flexibility
Stock strategy
Reduction of stock levels
Maintenance of stock levels to deal with uncertainty in demand
Lead time strategy
Reduction but not at the expense of greater cost
Aggressive reduction also in the case of high costs
• We choose the raw materials, we want the best. • We make the products, we want to produce the best.
Supplier selection strategy Cost and quality
Speed, flexibility, quality
Transport strategy
Greater focus on rapid models
Greater focus on low cost models
Our target for the second half will be to rely on a strategy more conducive to efÀciency and cost reduction.
• We deliver our products, we want to do so in the most efÀcient way possible. • We satisfy all our customers’ requirements, we want to collect compliments. Massimo Nicosia
Supply Chain = change of attitude Improve? We can!! Easy to say, but then? It has been 4 months since the new structure adventure began and the initial analysis period has allowed us to set some targets to be met by the end of the year.
LOGISTICS Did you know that we spend around €5 million a year for this service? And did you know that the quality of transport is an essential factor for our customers? Bearing this in mind, it seemed only right to concentrate our strengths on this sector, questioning everything that could seem a foregone conclusion and trying to devise new ways of purchasing in this very particular market. So, full steam ahead with ad hoc negotiations for both road and sea transport. No longer purchase proposals for single voyages, but offers to the supplier of customized packages. Selection in the search for reliable partners who can help us achieve our end goals with their professionalism. Let’s review the management of couriers: we want to work only with those who can provide us with a reliable, economic service. No longer shipment forms to be Àlled in by hand, but use of the net where our partners allow us to request shipments, make reports and have traceability in real time. Do we want to exaggerate? We enter the transport business: we want to deliver our products to our
customers with our own vehicles. We guarantee quality with the Laviosa brand. We purchase 2 tankers and customize them (Laviosa logo). We dedicate them (one for premixes and the other for bentonite) to our customers in Tuscany and the surrounding areas. For towage we rely on a trusted partner which puts itself at the complete disposal of our 2 tankers.Who knows if in future we could also expand this service to logistically more demanding customers. Utopia/dreams? No, we are working on it. Manrico Cipriani
informa
from
supply chain
Tons of enthusiasm Galvani Plant: When unexpected surprises create pleasant difÀculties. Changes and prospects do not always make for good humour among workers. To keep up with an increasingly complex and unstable market, the company is obliged to periodically change its organization and try to make the right decisions so as not to be caught unprepared. The Via Galvani factory suffers from the past years’ recession, deeply feeling the weight of the drop in volumes and alarmed by the news of a further downturn due to the detergent sector. Yet the situation after the Àrst quarter gives the lie to all negative forecasts, with a 10.5% increase over the budget allocated for 2014. As said previously, the market changes and becomes ever more exacting. It demands increasingly high performance products that are difÀcult to produce. But the demands do not catch the Via Galvani factory off-guard, it responds in the best possible way despite the difÀculties it is subjected to. The numbers are proof that demand for special products continues to increase. Those products, for which the company has changed its form, its plant, and which it now has the capacity to handle. Products which make the “production” sector ever less monotonous, that in fact oblige it to interface increasingly with other sectors and work at optimizing production
processes. Products that force production schedules into challenges against time at full production capacity. Those products that create difÀculties in the production departments but at the same time, enthusiasm among the workers for having reaped the rewards of the commitment shown by them every time they are called
upon to act against the difÀcult crisis. This Àrst quarter is proof that new organization of Laviosa1 is ready to face any situation, even though unexpected, can tackle the crisis and readily awaits a new challenge called Bleaching Earth. Fabio Brando
New challenges for the Villaspeciosa plants Improved engergy savings and increased production capacity.
Investments have been budgeted for this year to improve production capacity and energy saving at the Villspeciosa factory. Energy Saving will begin with the installation of low power consumption LED bulbs to replace the traditional high consumption bulbs. This will involve both the primary production plant and the packing department. To increase current production capacity, a new drying system will be installed, a new technology for Villaspeciosa but one already used in the Livorno factories. This will allow the primary plant production capacity to be in-
creased by 30%, taking granulate products from the present 60 thousand tons to 78 thousand tons. This improvement will be made possible “mainly” by reducing the challenges deriving from the current technology. Gianluca Melis
9
from
supply chain
A big investment in the Livorno plant Expanding production capacity for an everincreasing demand. As you have all seen – obviously I am referring to colleagues at the plants in our city – assembly of the new drying mill, for which over 1 million euro has been invested, is currently being completed. The aim of the investment is clear: to increase organic bentonite production capacity at the Livorno plant by at least 50% in order to be able to supply customers with an increasingly wide range of products without capacity problems. In recent years we have seen a constant increase in demand for Viscogel. In just a few years it increased by at least 5%, and this led us to reÁect on our Company’s position in the world in this market segment…well, we’re not doing too badly, but we want more! We want to be able to stay in this market with the full rights to be one of the world’s few producers of organic bentonite and with the development of new technologies that will bring us advantages in terms of quantities produced and proÀt margins All aspects of assembly of the new drying mill were coordinated by our Carlo Patricelli, who tried to coordinate the various Àrms involved in full compliance with current safety standards; we are all waiting for him to tell us that the work has been completed! We can’t wait to see this new part of the plant in operation! Assembly is almost complete, after which we will have to perform tests on the safety systems adopted for this type of delicate process that is carried out in ATEX environments, that is environments with formation of explosive atmospheres. You will be asking: “....but when will we see the new plant in operation?” Very soon! We expect to carry out the Àrst production test in June, and from then on we will be using it daily. Roberto Razzauti
Desire for granular Tests to improve product performance continue. Plant design tests are continuing for the passage of GCL production from powdered bentonite to granular bentonite. The recent investment in a screening plant at the Via Galvani factory has allowed us to carry out a Àrst industrial test. Analytical tests subsequently performed by Quality Control on the Ànished product have given results in line with expectations. Reassured by this, it is expected that a further test will soon be carried out, which this time should demonstrate both the potential of the Via Galvani screening plant in terms of tons/hours and the operating continuity of the XP plant in granular conditions. In the meantime, to reduce costs as much as possible given the persistence of a phase in which we are suffering from a scarcity of shipments, the quest for maximum personnel Áexibility continues. All of this in the hope that the long awaited recovery really is just round the corner. Giorgio Refolo
informa
informa
from
general services
The new organizational structure has been launched The 3 guidelines followed: overcome the coordination logic, reward those who work well, create close-knit work teams This time I have decided to take advantage of our Laviosa Informa to share the reasons that drove us to revise our company’s organizational structure with all our external interlocutors. Beforehand, we held numerous sessions with our collaborators to share the reasons, and we tried to answer all their questions and also, why not, dispel some doubts that legitimately emerged. Let us try to summarize the aims we pursued in 3 macro areas: *The need to ensure an operative approach at all levels of the organization to move past the coordination logic in favour of well-deÀned duties and clearly identiÀed responsibilities. *SimpliÀcation and optimization of direct reporting lines, looking at everyone’s effective knowledge of their sector and not only at seniority or status maybe “acquired”, as it were. Recognition and promotions for those who during recent years have shown themselves to have lived up to expectations by managing to achieve good results, but above all, putting their skills and the huge amount of expertise acquired in various sectors at the company’s service without fear of putting themselves to the test. To this end, 2 Teams in particular have been redesigned precisely from this perspective. I refer to the Supply Chain and Operations group
that has set itself the goal of strengthening some aspects of prevention (in the area of Maintenance for example), with particular focus on the management of raw materials purchases, which as we all know, have a signiÀcant bearing on our costs. The other group that has undergone the greatest changes is the commercial team. We have assigned Francesco Formichini, a Àgure with great technical experience and knowledge of the product, to the litter team, promoted Stefania Magagna to head of GCL and Paper, two sectors that are fundamental for us, and diversiÀed and assigned speciÀc, well-deÀned commercial responsibilities in the Additives sector, which deÀnitely constitutes one of the markets with the greatest potential for growth in the near future. We have also brought closer (also in a physical/logistical sense), and in some instances assigned to different sectors, those involved with our customers on a daily basis– the Customer Service staff. All those who have been assigned to new markets and customers have received thank-you letters from previous customers for the service, dedication, professionalism and helpfulness shown to them and this has conÀrmed, if it was ever necessary, the care we have always taken. The new personnel assigned to new market segments are sure to do their very best not to give their colleagues regrets, and we are sure that “old and new” will know how to
collaborate and Ànd the right motivation in their roles. Motivation and change are the true competitive leverage of our times: in an increasingly competitive and Áexible labour market such as that which has developed in recent years, motivation of one’s collaborators has become a strategic variable for companies, in that it can make a real difference between reaching or missing pre-set goals. Today more than ever, people can determine the success or failure of every organization and furthermore can be a notable source of competitive edge. Nowadays we are required to nurture our knowledge, particularly in the technical Àeld, offer services and industrial applications that provide a completive edge, meet customers’ ever new needs, seize opportunities, improve user experience and question our assumptions etc. As a consequence, also all our collaborators are now no longer asked just to perform simple, repetitive manual tasks, but on the contrary, to approach customers, suppliers and colleagues with proper training, intelligence, creativity, dedication and humility. These are the goals we set ourselves when we decided to carry out the reorganization that involved practically all levels, all the groups and all our branches, with the certainty that even more promising results will not be long in arriving. Elisabetta Resti
Laviosa’s I.T. systems overcome the threat of the worst bug ever discovered unscathed A month after its disclosure, Heartbleed, the bug that has terrorized the web, is still threatening 50% of internet servers around the world. The seriousness of the security bug known as Heartbleed was clear from the start since the internet services we use every day, from electronic mail to social networks, were involved in the Áaw that puts our personal information at risk. Robin Seggelmann, the German developer responsible for Heartbleed, claims that one of the most serious online communication security vulnerabilities in the history of the internet is the result of a banal oversight. Fortunately, at Laviosa we do not use the OpenSSL feature which activates Heartbleed, so our users have been protected for the two years of the bug’s latency. However, on the day of disclosure
itself, we updated all our web servers that currently use this cryptography. The problem has affected more than 600 thousand servers and 50 million mobile devices worldwide, but the most disquieting thing is that according to the recent report dated 8 May (drawn up by Errata Security), to this day more than 300,000 servers are still at risk and it is estimated that the cost of making them safe is around 13 million dollars. A “positive” note on the Heartbleed crisis is the fact that the vulnerability was (probably) not exploited before it was disclosed to the global community, but the fact remains that now it is well known and for this reason we join the world’s experts in advising changing the passwords for accounts in our
possession, whether they are for on line shops, social networks, personal emails or banking services….as long as the servers of the above mentioned services have been made secure. Luca Martinelli
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It happens in
The winning mix: determination, courage, constancy and talent Marco picked for the Valle d’Aosta Committee Junior Team. After a rocky start following an accident, his Àrst season in the Junior category (17 – 21 year olds) concluded with great satisfaction for Marco (17), and there was no lack of chances to demonstrate his talent and attract attention as one of Italian Alpine Skiing’s young elite. SigniÀcant results were being placed 9th in the Super-G and 13th in the Under-18 Italian Championships, as well as being selected for the Super-G and Downhill events in the Italian Absolute Championships, alongside top World Championship names. All invaluable experience for Marco in this difÀcult, fascinating sport where the winning mix is made up of determination, courage, constancy in training and physical and mental talent. The reward for all of this is selection for next year’s Valle d’Aosta Committee Junior Team, one of Italy’s strongest, which every year succeeds in including new recruits for the upper echelons of Italian skiing in its team. Andrea Biasci
A daughter born to Alessandro Firinu on 18/04/2014… name
Ambra.
ROUTE TO WORK Betti Margherita Beginning: 03/05/2014 Tutor: Elena Menicagli Department: Industrial Additives Product Management Margherita dedicates her time mainly to Beverages Sector (she has contributed to Ànalize the development of a new product with low sodium release), to Decorative Sector (for the improvement of high performances products in order to complete our offer), and to Animal Feed Sector ( preparation and analysis of bentonite samples to be tested by CNR Bari as mycotoxin binders ).
Andrea Giorgi Beginning: 02/02/14 Tutor: Marco bellezza Department: Raw Materials Product Management Andrea is fulÀlling a 6 months stage. Main focus is to support scouting activity of new raw materials. He is contributing considerably to the evaluation of the project for mobile extrusion in India, and to quality testing of bentonites coming from potential international partners (Russia, Brasil, China).
Ivan Viviani Beginning: 03/05/14 Tutor: Eleonora Sarno Department: Organoclays QC Laboratory
Our team gets bigger, with: Antonello Saba Employed in the Villaspeciosa Packing Department on 08/05.
Ivan has a fresh Chemicals degree. His curiosity and commitment will help us to complete research on the behaviour of the Viscogel range towards different solvents, and to identify possible changes to our products in order to improve performances. All this with the aim to shift our attention more and more to the Ànal application of our products, and to know better the requirements of a market every day more complex and demanding.
