Autin celebrates its 50th anniversary with new orders from Mapei and Xella

Autin (Castellarano, Reggio Emilia) is marking its 50th anniversary this year with a number of major orders from leading multinational producers of ready-mixed building products.

One of these is Mapei, which has commissioned a new tower for the production of ready-mixed powder products for its factory in Hungary, confirming the decade-long partnership between the two companies. The new plant, complete with solutions for storage, dosing and mixing of raw materials and additives, will operate alongside the existing line built in 2002.

Autin will also supply the first plant to be built in Italy by German multinational Xella. The new tower, currently undergoing installation, will be able to store, dose and mix raw materials even in microquantities. The turnkey plant includes automation, software and a bagging and packaging line.

These two major orders are the result of decades of innovation aimed at catering for a constantly-evolving and increasingly demanding globalised market. Also coinciding with the 50th anniversary is the launch of the new company website, complete with a modern graphic design and user-friendly interface for simple and rapid navigation.

Autin’s history dates back to well before 1968, the year it was founded by Secondino Benassi. As early as 1953, Secondino and his brother Raffaello set up Officine Meccaniche Fratelli Benassi which produced glazing machines and saggars for tiles. The two brothers were amongst the pioneers of the very first industrial automations in the burgeoning ceramic industry of the day. Together they set up Ceramica Valsecchia, while Secondino was one of the founding partners of Ceramica di Castellarano, later changing its name to Graniti Fiandre.

In 1957 Secondino Benassi founded his own engineering company, moving it in 1968 to a larger facility with the name of Autin S.p.A. Automazioni Industriali and establishing it as a leading player in the field of clay treatment and preparation and powder dosing and mixing. The company is now run by his daughters Alberta and Gianna and his grandson Matteo.