Established in 1947, ECL is a world leader in the production of equipment for the primary aluminium sector. With 700 employees, 8 branches worldwide and 36,000 m² of production plants, it supplies 80% of the world’s factories. Strong point of the Company is the 25,000 hours per year, dedicated to Research and Development, to devise technologically advanced products.
This innovative solution is the result of a partnership, which began in the 80s between the two Companies, joined by a shared vocation for excellence. The turning point came when ECL, due to rapid expansion, delegated the assembly of the air compressor system of its machines to the Italian company.
On the basis of the needs expressed by ECL, the Mattei Team, lead by Giorgio Fumagalli, carried out a series of feasibility studies, simulating, in its own laboratories, the same hostile conditions found in the factories.
This specific sector is characterised by active round-the-clock, year-round production, with temperatures from - 40°C to + 65°C, elevated magnetic fields and an aggressive atmosphere, due to the presence of fluoride and aluminium particles.
The first example of the TWIN by Mattei, an integration of two compressors in a single unit, responds to all needs for reliability, safety and continuity of operation over time. Furthermore, the performance levels of this new Twin-compressor greatly exceed initial expectations, as they resist up to +75° C. A further advantage is the reduction in consumption, a factor of fundamental importance for this kind of production site, which requires an enormous energy provision.
The joint design has also revolutionised the cooling system and filters. The latter have been appropriately resized and equipped with an evacuation and automatic cleaning device, which needs to be serviced just twice a year. The reason to adapt the filtration system can be traced back to the presence of an elevated rate of polluting particles, which contaminate lubrication one thousand times more than average.
Olivier Saint-Michel, ECL Purchasing Manager, states: “We entrusted ourselves to Mattei for this project, following the trust gained over 30 years of working with its Team, which is highly qualified and distinguished by elevated technical skills. The result is the creation of a highly reliable tool which works in total safety, even in extreme operating conditions”.
Philippe Cluchague, Director of Mattei France, states: “The strength of Mattei is that, in addition to being a manufacturer, it is also a leader in the development of innovative and high performance solutions in the compressed air sector. A highly valuable partnership, which sees Mattei compressors play starring roles in 80% of the world’s aluminium factories. There are currently 50 Twin-compressors installed, which account for 4/5 of global aluminium production”.
Giorgio Fumagalli, Mattei Technical director, states: “Installed for the first time in Dubai, in the largest plant in the world, the Twin-compressor has become a standard in the aluminium sector. Thanks to the synergy with ECL, it is used worldwide, with totally positive feedback from Customers".
WHO IS MATTEI
Ing. Enea Mattei SpA designs, manufactures and sells rotary vane compressors on a worldwide scale. This exclusive and distinctive technology has made it one of the authorities in the market segment of compressed air. Every year the company makes 6,500 rotary vane compressors, exporting more than 50% of its production.
Mattei is based in Vimodrone, in the province of Milan, and has two plants in Vimodrone and Verdello-Zingonia (Bergamo). It has subsidiaries in France, Germany, Great Britain and the USA, representative offices in Russia, Spain and Singapore and numerous commercial partners in the rest of the world. In addition, to meet the growing demands of the South-East Asian market, since 2007 a Mattei production and assistance site has been operative in China.
Founded in 1919, Mattei is still a family-owned company today.
