If it were a marriage, this partnership would have already surpassed the Diamond anniversary, after 33 years of long-standing trust and collaboration.
On one side we have Lans Company, the main compressed air solutions distributor in Southern California with over 50 years’ experience in the sale and servicing of compressed air equipment; on the other side Mattei, and the rotary vane technology as a relationship that started back in 1987. Owner, Stu Silverman recalls: “Lans Company was founded by my father in 1958, originally selling saw blades and other general woodworking equipment”; products which are still core to the North American company’s business today. “We sell into many different industries, but the woodworking sector has always been in first place. Having said that, we have also been able to broaden our horizons, embracing new areas such as plastics or electronics manufacturers”.
The turning point that brought the two companies together came not long after the company was founded. “It was the mid-seventies when we started selling and repairing air compressors”, Silverman explains. After working initially with another manufacturer, in 1987 there was the first meeting with Mattei: “I had the opportunity to get to know this company and was particularly impressed by the meeting with Giovanni”, (referring to Giovanni Capra, the unforgettable head of the American branch at that time), “so much so that we decided to start working together immediately” continues Silverman. “Then in the 1990s we discovered how well Mattei machines could work for automotive workshops and together we were able to penetrate this new sector selling hundreds of compressors to not just bodyshops but all places involved in car repairs. Today we have grown even further as we supply Mattei compressors to an ever expanding range of differing industries; from food processing to packaging , to defence contractors and powder coating plants. Then more recently we’ve also added sectors such as printing and the supply of compressors to maintenance rooms in both hospitals and freight distribution centres”.
The rationale behind choosing Mattei was complete and immediate alignment of ambition and intent to become bigger and do it together. Stu Silverman explains: “There were many reasons for choosing Mattei, but first and foremost is because we believe it is so pleasant and easy to work with them. They have a fantastic warranty but also, as opposed to other producers in the sector, they always honour it in full”. Then he adds with a smile: “Perhaps, it’s because they know just how reliable their machines are even despite lots of wear and tear; many of them have exceeded over 100,000 hours of operations and they still work fantastically”. And as if that wasn’t enough the American distributor continues: “These machines, characterised by their compact dimensions and extreme quietness, are also incredibly simple and intuitive, easy to work with and deliver an excellent supply that you can always rely on”. Silverman concludes: “The strength of Mattei’s machines is down to this – once a client has one, they want to order more and more to continue growing and expanding”.
Best-selling products from Mattei include the Optima and Maxima ranges: “We’ve sold lots of the Optima variable speed units where the range from slow to full speed is exceptional, whilst ensuring the same qualities as the fixed speed units. The Maxima units in particular deliver fantastic performance, way above the competition, and then again the added value from Mattei lies in the incredible longevity of the compressors, which in numerous different situations have remained operative for more than twice as long as a traditional screw compressor”.
Quality, reliability over time and great performance. But what about pricing? “Even there Mattei proves to be extremely competitive” says the US distributor Lans Company immediately. “You add in the warranty and the low maintenance costs and you end up with years and years of very high performance at a much lower annualised cost than the competition can offer. That’s why today I feel so confident in saying that it was an easy decision to take 33 years ago when we became a Mattei distributor, and it’s now a decision that I would be even more sure of today than I was back then”.
From Issue 17, Vane Magazine, January 2021