A Leader In Power Transmission Systems

Megadyne products have a wide variety of applications, ranging from packaging to household appliances, and also including automotive, industrial machinery, lifts, grass cutters, sliding doors and even fitness equipment. Barbara Rossi speaks to the company's marketing and communication director, Ms Chiara Tadolini.

"WE manufacture thermoplastic and thermo set polyurethane belts, rubber belts and pulleys. Very recently, thanks to the acquisition of Turkey-based Rultrans (a leading company in its country and renowned at international level) we have also included a wide range of conveyor belts in our offer. Our range includes vacuum, special covering and sealing belts, as well as other special applications, for the packaging sector. Our large variety of products is such that we are able to fulfil most of the needs linked to power transmission and transport systems. We provide both standard and custom-made products and are always open to new challenges" explains Ms Tadolini who, as the granddaughter of the company's founder, is part of the third generation of the founding family now active in the company.

The success of Megadyne, which currently employs 1600 people worldwide and achieved a turnover of €197m in 2012 (it will be larger this year) is typical of an Italian family company. It was established in 1957 by Mr Corrado Tadolini and at first manufactured flat rubber belts. Over the years it grew and developed, reaching a series of milestones. In the eighties polyurethane belts became part of the range, while the nineties saw the beginning of worldwide expansion. The new millennium brought further changes. First of all the company evolved from providing a product to supplying a full service, including design and assistance as well as manufacturing. It then it acquired a former Pirelli company in Barcelona, which allowed it to extend its range to the production of rubber transmission belts. Soon it also took over Milan based facilities for the production of pulleys and in 2005 opened its first plant in China. In 2006 there was the takeover of Jason Industrial in the USA and in 2007 the setting up of a second Chinese production plant near Shanghai.

Today the company still operates from its long-standing site near Turin (Mathi), northern Italy, which occupies a 10,000 m2 area. Here production of polyurethane belts for the European market takes place. The Mathi facility also serves as the logistics centre for Europe. The Milan plant specialises in pulley manufacturing and the Barcelona plant in rubber belts. There is also a facility in Poland, which is also active in pulley manufacturing. Furthermore, there is a commercial-logistic site in Germany, which manufactures some flat belts, as well as finishing and customising some of the standard products supplied by the head office. On the other side of the ocean, the US now houses two plants, respectively specialising in rubber and polyurethane belts manufacturing.

"Alongside our production facilities, we have a network of 26 commercial branches, located all over the world in order to be close to our customers and offer them the best possible service. As we work a lot with custom-made products, these facilities usually perform workshop duties, so as to customise the products supplied from the main production centres to the needs of the customers."

As well as having expanded into conveyor belts, in the last few years Megadyne has initiated production of belts for the food sector, for which it is FDA certified. The company had already gained other certifications for several of its production sites, namely ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, as well as certifications as preferential suppliers for global key accounts. The company is a member of EPTDA (The European Power Transmission Distributors Association).

Keeping things moving
"Our product innovation mainly derives from the needs of our customers. In fact, as most of the products that we provide are custom-made, we are continuously researching new solutions in order to respond to new clients'. We have internal R & D facilities here in Mathi, divided into two teams, respectively dedicated to new product applications and to product customisation so as to find new solutions to customers' needs. There are also R & D teams based in China, Spain and the USA, but we work in a coordinated way. If the need arises, we can supply products from a different production sites, as close as possible to a particular market."

The Megadyne brand is renowned all over the world. The company is strongly established in Europe, the Americas and most of Asia. "We work with both large distributors and direct clients. We are planning to conduct our future growth on two levels: organic expansion and acquisitions. The latter option has been included in our strategy especially because we are trying to offer our clients the most comprehensive service possible; therefore we are interested in including new products, linked to our current offer. We are going to carry on with innovation of our belts, offering a reliable service and keeping an eye on other products relevant to our market.

"Our suppliers have an important role to play in our future, as we have worked with them for several decades, developing new solutions. We will carry on participating in many trade fairs all over the world, for all the different sectors that we supply, as we do now. Last, but not least, we will remain committed to our philosophy of being a friendly, fast and flexible company with a lean and horizontal organisation which enables us us to take quick decisions and to communicate in a speedy and direct way."