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Focus on Italian Woodworking Technology
The Italian Trade Commission (ITC), and ACIMALL (the Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tools Manufacturers Association), recently offered the students of the B.SC. Wood Products Processing (WPP) program at the University of British Columbia an opportunity to experience face to face the vanguard technologies and marketing strategies, which have made Italian manufacturers recognized world leaders. From July 6th to 12th 2009, Christopher Mihalcheon, Richard Hewitt, Andrew Pershin, Alex Pearson, four top graduates from the WPP program, accompanied by Professor Stavros Avramidis, James Johnson, from the Italian Trade Commission in Toronto and Carlo Alberto Strada from ACIMALL, traveled throughout Italy to tour factories and meet with selected Italian woodworking machinery and tools manufacturers and end users. The companies visited included: Balestrini and Pade, Greda, specialized in 5 axis CNC machining centers, and Griggio, a manufacturer of panel saws, boring, planing and mortising machines. Several wood processors were also visited for a total of 12 facility visits. These included Galimberti Lino, a high-end chair and sofa manufacturer currently supplying furniture to the Kremlin. According to Chris Mihalcheon “the trip was extremely interesting and educational, especially for those students interested in secondary manufacturing with CNC equipment. We had the opportunity to see companies concerned with high labour costs improve efficiency by installing these highly customized CNC work centres”. Richard Hewitt enthusiastically commented “Awesome trip! I think I can speak for everyone when I say that none of us will forget this trip and ACIMALL's generosity”. Iain Macdonald, Managing Director of UBC’s Centre for Advanced Wood Processing, expressed appreciation and satisfaction with the initiative and looks forward to continuing the collaboration between CAWP, the Italian Trade Commission and ACIMALL. Upon their return, students will be asked to submit a summary of the program and its impact on their education. The papers will focus on topics such as CNC technology, 3D scanning, lean & green manufacturing, and professional training in light of rapidly changing manufacturing processes. The papers will be made available on the Machines Italia and ACIMALL web sites as well as on the CAWP site. Throughout the years the ITC and ACIMALL have paid particular attention to the development of educational activities in Italy, which have promoted an understanding and awareness among university students of the history as well as current activities within the woodworking machinery industry
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