How do you see the current economic situation? What are your predictions for the 2024 trend?
The prediction of a crisis and some hints have already been in the air since 2023. Despite this, however, the year 2023 was positive for Febametal, even if at two gears. In the first half of the year, we had good order intake, but the second half of the year was slower, prefiguring a not-so-rosy 2024.
January 2024 started well for us, but now orders are slowing, as expected. We know that this phenomenon affects not only us, but the entire manufacturing industry. In addition to the economic forecasts that are still weak for Europe in 2024, the expectations of stagnation in the sector of machinery production can also be seen worldwide. Estimates say that the economy will recover in the second half of 2024 and however, we remain optimistic.
We should also consider that, in Italy, we are coming from a period of very remarkable tax incentives, which have led to a purchase of a large amount of machines over the last 2-3 years. Now these incentives have decreased and so it is normal to have a slowdown in machinery orders. On the other hand, this is also the moment when to put the investments made to good use. In this framework of economic uncertainty, closely linked to geo-political scenarios that are far from encouraging, being competitive in the market becomes more and more crucial. The issues on which companies must work are many and all equally important: artificial intelligence, sustainability, automation, digitalisation, augmented reality, innovation.
You have confirmed that you will exhibit at 34.BI-MU. What does the exhibition represent for you? Do you have special expectations from the next edition of the trade show?
As previously said, we are optimistic about the second half of 2024 and therefore, we think that, being present at BI-MU can be a strong sign, as well as a positive and significant step. We would like to establish our presence in the market and we want to meet our customers and users in person. As Febametal, BI-MU offers us the chance to have a direct contact and exchange ideas with potential customers, existing commercial partners and stakeholders of the sector. We want to take advantage of the opportunity to establish new business relations and strengthen the existing ones. In addition, we intend to use the exhibition as an ideal platform to present our products for cutting tools and our novelties to visitors.
Moreover, a direct interaction with our users at BI-MU allows us to discuss specific applications and identity possible machining solutions. In direct conversations, we have the opportunity to respond individually to the needs and requirements of our users. These meetings offer a basis to go into details after the trade show and develop new customised solutions that can meet the specific requirements of each customer.
| “… currently the electric motor is at the centre of a profound change in the automotive sector and the medical sector presents new challenges for mechanical applications …” |
Could you give us some details about your exhibition presentation (stand, technologies, products…)?
As usual, we will exhibit the brands we represent. All these brands are leaders in their fields, such as the German company Horn, whose expertise is in the production of cutting tools for groove machining, but which, over the years, has developed a comprehensive catalogue with state-of-the-art solutions for turning, as well as for milling. As a completion for the Horn product range, the companies W&F and GRAF, also represented by Febametal, offer specific products, such as modular and motorised solutions for the world of sliding headstocks. The American company AMEC will be present at our stand with its main products that have become true trademarks: their drilling solutions with interchangeable inserts. Also in the field of drilling, we have the boring products by the company Wohlhaupter, synonymous with high precision and reliability. The product offerings by Febametal in the field of hole machining is completed by ALVAN-branded reamers and SCAMI roller burnishing tools. Rineck chucks and Fahrion precision collets will also be featured.
BI-MU will be an occasion to highlight our portfolio of high-quality cutting tools, thanks to which Febametal is recognized in Italy as a reliable partner for all machining operations with chip removal. In addition, BI-MU will make up a showcase of excellence to show our customers all the new products offered by each brand, the outcome of investments in research and development made by each company represented by Febametal, in order to keep on offering customers the best state-of-the-art solutions.
What are, in your opinion, the most dynamic fields of application at the moment and what trends will most influence your future production?
Currently, the electric motor is at the centre of a profound change in the automotive sector, but not only. In Europe, as known, a stop had been decreed for all cars with combustion engine starting in 2035. However, it appears that the “age of retirement” has not yet arrived for the combustion engine, as this decision has then been ratified, allowing the registration of vehicles with endothermic engine after 2035, provided they run on CO2-neutral fuels.
Moreover, we have to consider that combustion engines are still difficult to replace in certain sectors, such as aviation. Even in this field, the focus is mainly on the research into new types of fuel, but also on downsizing, which implies the production of smaller and lighter components. This is a phenomenon, which also concerns the automotive sector, will have an impact on manufacturing production as well, where we will see the use of new materials and the production of smaller parts.
A fast-growing industry is the medical sector, which presents new challenges for mechanical applications. Unlike traditional sectors, medical technology involves the use of materials that are difficult to process and parts that must meet very strict standards and specific requirements.
Indeed, modern medical implants in orthopedics, traumatology and dentistry have high requirements in terms of strength, biocompatibility and optimized geometry for bionics.
The implant geometry is adapted to the bone and tissue, with functional surfaces having increasingly sophisticated design to facilitate the implant fixation in the body and make it gentler for patients. These new designs increase production costs due to more complex shapes and multi-step production processes on different machines. The German company Horn, distributed in Italy by Febametal, has been able to find efficient solutions to such problems thanks to the “Zyklomed” project, co-financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The project also involved the companies INDEX, Beutter Präzisions-Komponenten GmbH and the research institute KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology). The cooperation of the company Horn with such partners has led to the development of innovative manufacturing processes of turning, jet whirling and polygonal turning that have enabled the efficient and cost-effective production of medical implants with multifunctional and polygonal bionic designs. Such processes are now being studied for other types of applications beyond the medical industry and show future possibilities in the field of mechanical machining.
Interview released in May 2024.
