LB Group grows

LB Group of Fiorano has revealed excellent full-year forecasts for 2015, including 20% growth in consolidated turnover with respect to 2014 to around 38 million euros.

The parent company LB, a leading manufacturer of plants for the production of technical and glazed porcelain and for dry grinding with microgranulation, is similarly anticipating 20% year-on-year turnover growth to around 28 million euros.

These results follow a radical company restructure process and three years in which the company has invested 10% of its turnover in human resources and R&D projects.

"We've reached this point thanks to three years of intense technological research that has led to a number of genuine revolutions in our sector: the Divario press feeding system (2013), Easy Color Boost for dry colouring of raw materials (2014) and Freestile (2015), a solution which combines the two previous systems for creating unique ceramic products and cuts costs by rationalising production layouts," explained LB's CEO Emilio Benedetti.  "In 2016 we will begin moving towards a lean manufacturing approach. We plan to cut delivery times by 30%, eliminate pockets of inefficiency, reduce general costs and improve the overall quality of processes and products."

The group, which also includes the subsidiaries Sitec and Sermat, currently has around 115 employees (plus 180 workers for outsourced operations) and an R&D team made up of 9 professionals including chemists, geologists, technologists and product managers with many years of experience in the ceramic industry.

Numerous projects are in the pipeline for 2016 including the opening of a new branch in India, one of LB's most profitable markets which together with China and Brazil makes up 25% of export turnover.

Exports account for 75% of the group's total turnover and are one of its key growth drivers, partly thanks to major supply contracts to countries such as the USA. 

Left, Matteo Bigi, right, LB's CEO Emilio Benedetti