Florim opens Industry 4.0 facility in Fiorano

The new Industry 4.0 facility will be devoted to end-of-line processing and logistics for Florim Magnum Oversize slabs produced in the Mordano factory.

Following the opening of its site in Mordano (Bologna) in 2017, Florim is starting up yet another Industry 4.0 factory as the latest step in an innovation process that has absorbed investments of more than 200 million euros over the last two years. At Cersaie 2018, the company inaugurated a brand new factory in Fiorano Modenese which sets new standards in the field of industrial innovation.

A concentration of technology and automation extending over a 48,000 square metre space alongside the corporate headquarters, the modern facility is devoted exclusively to end-of-line processing and logistics for large Florim Magnum Oversize slabs (with dimensions greater than 1600x3000 mm), a product segment in which the company stands out in terms of the breadth of the range and its market presence. The slabs will be transported to the Fiorano facility directly from the factory in Mordano and the two production sites will be interconnected to guarantee complete traceability from raw materials through to packaging. A sophisticated software will have the task of controlling and automatically managing the plant, anthropomorphic robots and LGVs (Laser Guided Vehicles).

It is a fully integrated communication system that serves to improve customer service quality while reducing delivery times. Given the complexity of the IT infrastructure and the number of interconnected machines, the company has planned a period of testing prior to full-scale operation.  

“Between 2013 and 2017 we invested around 300 million euros, making every effort to achieve increasingly ambitious results,” said Florim Group’s Chairman Claudio Lucchese. “For Florim this means striving for continuous improvement through innovation, digitalisation and adoption of cutting-edge technologies, with a constant focus on environmental impact and our renowned sensibility to art and beauty.”

In keeping with the group’s mission, the new Industry 4.0 facility in Fiorano was designed with scrupulous attention to the wellbeing of workers and a strong focus on detail, aesthetics and environmental impact. With more than 1,000 square metres of windows, the factory stands out for its large, bright and high-quality workspaces, while 26,000 square metres of photovoltaic panels are being installed over the entire roof of the building (48,000 sq.m), making it one of the largest rooftop photovoltaic systems in Italy. Together with the plants already in use within the group, this photovoltaic system will make Florim almost entirely energy self-sufficient.

There is also an artistic space consisting of an imposing bronze sculpture by artist Giuseppe Gallo entitled “Percorso Amoroso” (“Path of Love”) standing on the west side of the industrial complex.