La Misolet is a family-owned company that was founded in 1983 in Milan as a mechanical workshop specialized in blanking electrical and thermal insulating materials. Over time, the company has further developed its expertise in mechanical processing using CNC work centers, providing customized components according to customer designs.
Interview with Andrea Bianchi, Project Manager at La Misolet.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Andrea Bianchi: Thanks to the strong reputation gained in the industry, in 1997 we moved our production site to a new 10,000sqm complex in Codogno, an Italian province that gained notoriety in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.
The well-established relationships with suppliers led La Misolet to explore new business opportunities, such as direct material sales and offering custom cutting services for a wide range of electrical insulating materials. Additionally, the company introduced bending and manufacturing of plastic materials such as ABS and Polycarbonate.
In 2020, production was moved to Somaglia, where a highly skilled team of over 40 employees operates in a total area of 32,000sqm. Today, with a turnover over €6 million, we are active in various sectors in the European and Extra-European markets, exporting the Made in Italy.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
A.B: La Misolet is involved in various sectors, including thermo-electric, electro-mechanical, thermo-mechanical, automotive, vending, packaging, energy, railways, aerospace, and naval industries. This diversity is possible thanks to the manufacture of components according to the customer’s drawings and the unique characteristics of the treated materials, which are suitable not only for electrical and thermal insulation applications but also for mechanical and design purposes. Among the various components supplied are press tables, insulators for transformers, sliding guides, insulated screws, washers, and much more.
Concerning the manufacturing processes we can perform, we have Punching, Blanking and Die-Cutting up to 5mm thickness for batches of thousands and millions of units; our in-house toolshop is able to produce step and block shearing irons, drilling jigs, deep-drawing dies and punches for the production.
For smaller quantities, we offer Mechanical Processing using CNC work centers such as milling and turning machines. We are equipped for cutting sheets to create custom panels and strips, and we also provide calibration and thickness grinding services, ensuring precise tolerances up to few hundredths.
Additionally, we offer Assembly and Bonding services for various products, using both insulating and metallic components, such as inserts, screws, and pins.
For materials like ABS and Polycarbonate, we also provide Bending services up to 4mm.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
A.B: As we manufacture components for third parties, we are involved in new projects across various sectors. For example, the increasing demand for photovoltaic panels has led to numerous requests for inverter components. Similarly, the expanding E-mobility market has driven us to produce several insulating and covering components for charging stations and wall-boxes.
We have a long-standing collaboration with our customers, offering suggestions and creating samples for new projects. This collaboration spans various sectors, such as the vending industry and machine tools.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
A.B: We offer blanking of custom shapes, as well as components like washers, wedges, clamps, gaskets and spacers. Moreover, we are specialized in CNC processing of components based on technical drawings provided by the customers; we also offer custom cutting services for sheets, rounds, and angles.
We work and market a wide range of composite materials, ideal for creating dielectric and thermal insulating components, as well as various mechanical applications, among which we have:
- Bakelites (Bakelite fabric, Bakelite paper, Canvassed Bakelite, etc.)
- Epoxy glass laminates (FR4, FR5, G10, G11)
- Melamine and silicone glass laminates (G5, G7)
- Glass-polyester (GPO3)
- Thermal insulating materials (Mica, Misotherm, Misoglass1, Deltherm)
- Plastic and technical materials such as Vulcanized Fiber, Formex, Nomex, Polycarbonate, and ABS.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
A.B: As we are present in various sectors, we have a diversified client portfolio, which allows us to cope with the variations in the global market more effectively. Overall, the backlash of the last few years is being felt, the demand is to return to pre-pandemic and pre-war prices to recover lost margins. This request is not easy to meet, especially in light of a market for the raw materials we commercialize that is still on the rise, in contrast to plastics and ferrous materials.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
A.B: The market is increasingly sensitive to sustainability and certification issues; in addition to quality-related certifications, which have now become a Must Have, more and more certifications and documentation are being requested that attest to the company’s commitment to sustainability issues. Also increasingly important are certifications related to the safety and healthiness of materials, which must follow the strict European regulations.
These issues are very much felt in the company; in fact, we are committed to collaborate with suppliers to ensure high-quality and certified materials, as well as a continuous effort towards environmental responsibility. Our new production headquarters has been designed with a green perspective, featuring thermal insulation, heat pumps, and a 450KW photovoltaic park.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
A.B: Since we manufacture items according to the customer’s technical drawing, we do not have our own articles, but we are actively engaged in researching new and more performant materials suitable for the technical specifications of our customers’ projects. In response to market needs, we have expanded our range of materials to include antistatic solutions, such as FR4AS, and CFM (unifilo) composite materials ideal for manufacturing of leaf springs for industrial vibrators.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2023?
A.B: The estimates for 2023 are good despite the forecasted recession for this year. During this period, we have experienced a discrete revenue growth and anticipate closing the year with positive results. In 2023, we acquired several new clients, expanded our machinery inventory, and hired new employees, showcasing solid growth. Looking to the future, we aim to keep growing and improving, optimizing our operations to enhance efficiency and competitiveness.
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