Images_Digital_Edition_July_2019

IS BRAND PROFILE www.images-magazine.com 56 images JULY 2019 range of customised lines and machines for special applications. Simple machines might be ready in a very short time, while extremely long lines will take longer. For example, we supplied two lines in Sri Lanka and one in Serbia for a very big name in underwear, and each line is about 40m long. We are always very prepared to follow the customer’s suggestions and requirements.” A need for added value The main areas the company services with its heat presses and calenders include sublimation, lamination, (which includes the addition of foils I t’s fitting that in the year Monti Antonio turns 60, the number of different machines it now offers also totals 60, in 120 versions. The Italian calender and heat press manufacturer began life in 1959 when Antonio Monti set up a business manufacturing steam boilers and machines for pressing knitwear. By the 1970s, the company had expanded into the sublimation print industry, and by 1991 it had significantly increased its global sales network as it continued to grow in the print and finishing sectors. In 1999, there was another leap forward as it developed a hot-melt bonding line. Today, Monti Antonio employs more than 100 people across three production sites and has installed 15,000 machines in 75 countries. The difference between Monti Antonio and its competitors is the range of products the company offers, reports sales director Alessandro Silva. “There is nobody worldwide with such a wide range of machines.” Not only do customers have a choice of 60 different machines, but bespoke machines are also an option. “We specialise in custom- made solutions, which means any client can arrive at Monti and if they don’t find one that perfectly suits their business, they can opt for a custom- made solution,” explains Alex. “Through the years we’ve developed a very wide As Monti Antonio celebrates its 60th anniversary, Images talks to Alessandro Silva about its new entry-level hot-melt lamination machine and its reputation for custom-made solutions Pressing business and other effects to the surface of a textile or garment), and bonding. Monti Antonio supplies many machines that can apply breathable, waterproof membrane to garments, from sportswear to fashion. Other decorations – or laminations – that can be applied included barriers, protective finishes and breathable membranes. There are, reports Alessandro, many different effects that can be used to create special garments as well as technical textiles. “The key point is that – especially in let’s call them ‘rich countries’, so Europe and North America – there is an enormous need to create added value in order to compete with the Far East. The added value is decoration, and it’s also added value to be able to do lamination and bonding on the same equipment.” This year at Itma, the company launched its latest model, a hot-melt lamination machine. The 920’s stand- out feature is that it is a compact machine, opening up the market to smaller companies. “Traditionally, the hot-melt machines were extremely big and expensive equipment, while this is an entry-level unit, so we’ve created the possibility for any client to enter this added-value world,” explains Alessandro. As hot-melt lamination can be used across a variety of textiles, from technical substrates to garments, it can be offered to end users from a wide variety of markets, from footwear to garments via soft furnishings. “It has a very wide application,” he confirms. The company’s aim for the next few years is to continue investing in and looking for more applications in the lamination market. Popular hybrids According to Alessandro, some of the machines that are its bestsellers are a group of sublimation calenders that the team calls ‘hybrid machines’. “These are equipped with a front table, allowing the use of both rolls and cut pieces. This is extremely interesting today because there are special garments that need to be printed roll- to-roll, and others that really require The new 920 hot-melt laminating machine was launched at Itma in June The 180T calender with a table is an entry-level machine