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COMPANY NEWS
MIG Srl: & Million Euro Investment Puts MAE in Pole Position for Expansion
Alessandro Malatesta with the bladder press
In 2008 Italian envelope, curing tube and bladder manufacturer MAE restructured its business and relocated into new, purpose-built premises at Anagni, 50 km south of Rome. The company was renamed MIG srl (MAE Industria Gomma) and a 7 million Euro investment plan was put into place with a view to increasing, production capacity, optimising product quality and creating a platform to expand into new global markets. Now, three years later, this family run enterprise, whose MAE brand is known globally as one of the leading retread accessory brands, is ready to talk about its achievements and
lay down its strategy for future growth.
Alessandro Malatesta, who is responsible for R&D at MIG, revealed that the key investments made at the new factory, which is located on a 30,000 sq m area with 7000 sq m of covered space, have been in the extrusion line, where a new cold feed extruder has been added together with the refurbishment of the existing hot feed extruder line. The two lines, says Alessandro, work together and have resulted in not only an increase in quantity and in the range of products produced by the company, but also substantially improved consistency in quality as
well as a reduction in delivery times.
At the time of the relocation, MIG also refurbished its press line and has continued to invest with new presses for truck bladders being introduced last year as well as a currently ongoing operation to renew moulds for wicking pads. In addition Alessandro is proud to point out considerable investments in the company’s laboratory. This, he says has given the company the ability to test product more effectively as well as allowing for improvements in product quality and the development of new compounds. The achievement of ISO 14001 certification last year bears testament to this.
Of particular importance to MIG has been a number of range extensions that have been completed over the course of the last year or so. Firstly, the company’s envelope range has been extended for the North American, South African and Australian markets with the addition of three new extended skirt (ARC system)outer envelope sizes (48 x 45, 29 x 25 and 27 x 21).
Also new are significant developments in the area of curing tubes, an area in which MAE has been particularly well known. The company has been associated for a number of years with the reinforced Type R curing tube and the Super reinforced Type S tube. However, last year the company announced the launch of the new Ultra curing tube, designed to complement the existing range. The main benefits of the Ultra tube are that it is soft, light and easy to handle. It also features Push-In-Valve (PIV) technology, by which the valve is fully removable.
Other recent product developments include a new rubber wicking pad designed to last longer, a combined outer envelope, valve and wicking pad called “Hole-in-One” designed for the US market and an extended range of curing bladders. This includes the introduction of the C76 bladder (for 24” tyres) for the Middle East market as well as the extension of the company’s M 20/6 range to include two new sizes 385/65-22.5 and 315/80-
22.5.
Finally it is worth mentioning MIG’s special projects division, which designs products for a multitude of non-retreading applications such as inner tubes for dodgem cars, airbags for tyre repair machines and inflatable shaping moulds used in jeans manufacture. Says Alessandro; “We are open to any new enquiry or idea: we examine it and make all attempts to develop it. Our motivation to give birth to new special products is the desire and the need to have an increasing product differentiation”, he adds. MIGs investments in production capacity, quality and new products has enabled to company to develop new geographical markets. Giampaolo Malatesta, Alessandro’s nephew, who is
The MAE team outside the Anagni HQ
responsible for exports, explains; "We have recently started looking at developing the Indian market as well as that in the UAE. Tanzania is another new market for us, which we have also recently entered. On the other side of the world we are also developing quickly in Argentina with our new distributor Briomaq, whilst closer to home, we are also looking to expand in certain parts of Eastern Europe, in particular Russia, Hungar y, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania.
“Our ability to develop these new markets has been helped by strong, long-standing relationships in a number of global markets”, he adds. “We are fortunate enough to be currently celebrating multi-year partnership anniversaries with partners in some of the world’s largest markets”.
The MAE production line
14 Retreading Business