Fedrigoni deploys ABB's L&W Lab Management System at its new R&D facility in Verona, Italy, to expedite paper testing, drive efficiency; automatic aggregation of data from lab instruments reduces testing time, enables faster analysis, decision-making

September 11, 2023 (press release) –

• ABB’s L&W Lab Management System deployed at new research development and innovation (RD&I) facility in Italy to expedite paper testing
• Automatic aggregation of data from lab instruments considerably reduces testing time, enabling faster, more intuitive analysis and decision-making via web-based application

Leading global manufacturer of premium papers and self-adhesive materials, Fedrigoni, has contracted ABB to install its L&W Lab Management System (LMS) at its new RD&I facility in Verona to optimize efficiency and reduce lab procedure time.

The Fedrigoni Innovation Center, a very important milestone in the Group’s growth journey, will officially open at the beginning of 2024. The 3,000 sqm space will consist of four closely complementary areas: the RD&I department, the FedLab (incubator of new ideas), the Customer Experience Centre and the Customer Academy (internal and external training).

ABB’s LMS has been purpose-built for paper testing labs, with automated lab reporting that is specifically tailored to workflow practices. This enables the operator to quickly and accurately complete measurements by sample or instrument and know which test is to be performed for every sample.

Data from the lab instruments is automatically aggregated and captured in the database, eliminating the risk of errors and significantly reducing data collection time. Results become immediately available to the user who can use the web-based application to view historic data, quality reports, product quality limits, trends, and key performance indicators (KPIs) in an intuitive dashboard.

“The Innovation Center aims to be the home of innovation for both our worlds of special papers for packaging and creative communication and premium self-adhesives,” said Marco Nespolo, CEO at Fedrigoni Group. “It will be a physical space where we can bring together the best talents, inside and outside Fedrigoni, and the most advanced technological solutions to develop projects, new products and applications that support our customers. ABB’s lab management system met all of our requirements and will be instrumental in helping us to roll out new developments more quickly in the future.”

“We are pleased to support Fedrigoni’s commitment to paper and self-adhesives quality and digital innovation and be a part of its RD&I facility in Italy, which will be key to its expansion plans,” said Erik Teunissen, Regional Sales Manager, ABB Italy. “ABB’s new, modern LMS will help increase Fedrigoni’s productivity and efficiency by streamlining workflows, reducing time and risk of manual errors, and expediting the overall quality testing process for product development.”

Part of ABB Ability™, the LMS is scalable and can connect different benchtop lab testing instruments, as well as automated paper testing systems such as the L&W Autoline, into one database and interface. This installation will connect Fedrigoni’s 10 different L&W instruments – ABB’s L&W Bending Tester, L&W Bendtsen Tester, L&W Air Permeance Tester, L&W Tearing Tester, L&W Tensile Tester, L&W Micrometer, L&W Bursting Strength Tester, L&W OptiTopo, L&W TSO Tester and L&W Fiber Tester as well as third-party instruments – directly to the LMS which then is accessed via a web-browser.

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. go.abb/processautomation

ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation.

Fedrigoni, founded in 1888, has become synonymous with excellence in the field of labels, self-adhesive materials and high value-added papers for luxury packaging and other creative solutions. The company has more than 5,000 employees in 28 countries and 25,000 products. The group sells and distributes its products in 132 countries and, with its recent acquisitions, has become the world's leading player in the wine label sector and in the field of specialty papers for luxury packaging, ranking second in papers for the art and design sectors and third in the area of premium self-adhesive materials. The Paper division includes the Cordenons Group, the historic Fabriano brand, Éclose (November 2021), Guarro Casas (October 2022) and Papeterie Zuber Rieder (November 2022). The Self-Adhesives division includes Arconvert, Manter, Ritrama (since February 2020), IP Venus (December 2020), Acucote and Rimark (June 2021), Divipa (February 2022), Tageos (April 2022) and Unifol (July 2022). The US-based distributor GPA is also part of the group. For more information: www.fedrigoni.com

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