Vimodrone, March 2020 – Ing. Enea Mattei SpA, a company specialising in the design and construction of rotary vane compressors distributed around the world, is increasingly becoming a benchmark within the railway industry. In fact, the Milanese company enters the list of major players in the sector having recently been awarded an excellent score under the IRIS certification (International Railway Industry Standard). A standard specifically defined by the Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes (UNIFE) or the Association of the European Railway Industry, to ensure there is an international quality assessment system for suppliers of rolling stock and related equipment.
The aim is to map and certify the quality of the entire production chain: “Obtaining this result was a fundamental step for us”, explains Cesare Porta, Quality Manager at Mattei Group. “We wanted to fully enter the rail market, where our rotary vane compressors themselves are already a guarantee of excellence, compactness and reliability”.
The various applications of Mattei products include braking systems, suspension, pantographs, to the opening and closing of train door system. “The players in this sector are the same”, recalls Cesare Porta. “That showed us the potential of this market; we already knew our compressors were often recommended for refurbishment of older rail vehicles, but it took some time to break through the stranglehold of the big brands. We understand this is a very demanding sector when it comes to safety, and that meant large manufacturers tending to rely on a consolidated list of suppliers with years of testing behind them, rather than looking towards products that can be much more innovative and efficient, but with less specific experience in the sector”.
This was the main reason Mattei identified with the IRIS certification which defines the sector’s excellence requirements. Mattei, was awarded full certification for both the Vimodrone headquarters, in the Milanese and at the Zingonia manufacturing facility, in the Bergamo area.
Rather than a goal scored, this recognition marks a new milestone for the company in its quest for continuous growth. As the Quality Manager identifies: “In fact, we decided to focus in this direction, not only for the commercial benefits, but also because many of the requirements imposed by the IRIS certification are similar to those of the automotive sector, which is another area of opportunity and market of interest for our business. In reality, by implementing the IRIS protocols, we can also increase our competitiveness in this market sector too”.
The evaluation process is based on a rating system that can be varied over time: “For now we have achieved the bronze medal”, explains Porta. “That’s the maximum result for an entry company being assessed for the first time at this standard. We will continue in this direction, further improving our methodologies and processes to maintain the highest quality standards and to ensure we have the most competitive offer”.
