GIDUE expands plant due to increased sales.

An increase in sales during its 2008 fiscal year has prompted GIDUE, a manufacturer of narrow and midweb presses, to add 2,200 square meters of space to its head-quarters in Turate, Italy. The company is in the process of constructing an entire new facility, but could not wait for its completion.

"The year 2010, which will see the completion of the new building, seemed too distant for us," says Federico d'Annunzio, president. "Our need for an additional manufacturing and storage area was becoming crucial. This led to the decision to add a facility close to the existing plant. The total production surface now amounts to 4,500 square meters, plus the headquarters and sales offices, the Graphic Arts Centre and Showroom."

D'Annunzio says that GIDUE is facing "an extraordinary sales expansion" of its Xpannd offset/flexo press. "The number of Xpannd machines sold is starting to become significant. This press line is counting on six machines installed in Italy (and others on order) after Labelexpo 2007, mainly for the wine, cosmetics and food industries. The choice of the Italian market as the only and main target for initial sales has proven to be successful."

GIDUE's plant in Florence produces the Xpannd offset 1 heads. The enlarged plant in Turate will be equipped for the manufacturing, assembly and final testing of the hybrid machines.

"While the demand from Western countries will mainly be focused on the new generation of intelligent, servo driven machines--like the Xpannd, the sleeve gearless midweb Athena and the I-Combat--the emerging markets will concentrate on our mechanical or light servo models, such as E- and S-Combat or Quadra," he says.

The design of the building under construction, located two kilometers from the present headquarters, includes 8,220 square meters for manufacturing and incorporates the possibility to extend the total production surface up to 12,330 square meters.

Entering China's market

GIDUE has sold a 10-color E-Combat 370 press to Suzhou Jantan Packaging & Printing Co. Ltd., Wujiang City, China. The press is equipped with GIDUE's Flower flexo print stations, two screen printing units, two cold foil units, and other options.

Suzhou Jantan, founded in 1992, manufactures labels for worldwide brands in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food packaging, and electronics sectors. The company's turnover in 2006 was reported at more than [euro]5 million. It recently invested [euro]3 million in a new factory, which is expected to be operational in 2009.