Ing. Pavel Polomský (Piovan Group) on automation and energy efficiency for modern plastics processing

About Piovan Group and the Market

1. In your view, what sets Piovan Group apart from its competitors – whether in technology, approach or services?
Piovan Group stands out from its competitors through its presence in local markets, where it also has its own manufacturing plants. These are located not only in Europe, but also in the USA, Brazil, China and India. We are simply close to our customers wherever they manufacture. Especially in the current situation with various import tariffs around the world, our presence in a given location is a major advantage for our customers, both in terms of pricing and the speed and quality of services. Our customers' needs inspire us in how to innovate existing products and which new technologies to develop.

2. How do you think the plastics industry in Central Europe has changed in recent years? And what role does Piovan Group play in this?
In terms of the technology used, customers in our field are focusing much more on production automation to reduce the amount of manual work, and are using systems with monitoring and data storage to improve production processes and manage production quality. Production has also become significantly more demanding due to the wide range of new materials with better performance properties, which often require more demanding polymer preparation methods, meaning the use of new types of machinery and automation components. Production processes are then changing fundamentally as a result of the greater proportion of recycled materials used, driven by circular economy trends.

Ing. Pavel Polomský		Piovan office in Brno

Piovan recognised the trends in energy savings and the circular economy at their very beginning many years ago, and today we have many innovative systems with patented technology on the market. Naturally, all our standard technologies are continually being upgraded with the aim of reducing specific energy consumption.

Technology and Innovation

3. How are you managing to connect technology with sustainability?
I see the rise of “sustainability” as an impetus for us to develop new innovative technologies. In our portfolio, these include EasyPure technology for removing odours from plastic materials, Puretech carbon filtration, the CDF condensation unit for capturing contaminants contained in recycled material, Inspecta for measuring acetaldehyde and benzene content in food packaging materials, and Moisture Minder for measuring the residual moisture content of pellets.

4. What does the use of Industry 4.0 look like in practice in your solutions? Does it deliver measurable results for customers?
We offer WinFactory 4.0 software, a tool derived from its predecessor, which was launched back in 2008. The current 4.0 versions with OPC-UA are used by hundreds of our customers worldwide. The software monitors the functions of connected equipment and stores this data in its database to identify any abnormal events and provide evidence of the production process. Not only Piovan machines but also machines from other OEM manufacturers can be connected. With Winfactory 4.0, we can actually track material flows, provide remote assistance and optimise production. An Energy licence for monitoring the energy use of any machinery can also be included. Quite simply, if you want to manage something, you need data, and this tool provides it.

Recycling and New Challenges

5. Are you seeing demand for solutions for recycled or biodegradable plastics? How is Piovan Group responding?
As I have already mentioned, we have developed many innovative machines and solutions for recycling. We certainly need to distinguish between two areas. The first is recycling lines themselves for processing secondary waste. The second area of solutions concerns the use of recycled material in manufacturing plants. We have extensive experience and the appropriate solutions for both areas. The first area, namely sophisticated recycling lines, often involves advanced systems comprising many integrated technologies. These technologies are most advanced in PET processing. In the area of implementing the use of recycled materials in manufacturing plants, we expect more substantial requirements from customers in the coming years.

6. Do you feel that sustainability is increasingly more than a marketing phrase in the region – that the way products are manufactured is genuinely changing?
We can already clearly see that some manufacturers have begun to base their approach to the market on sustainability, presenting the percentage of recycled material contained in their new product. The pioneers in this field were manufacturers of food packaging and various household products. Other sectors gradually followed, including car manufacturing.

It is all about changing the way we think and correctly assessing what constitutes sustainable production and what is environmentally friendly. Of course, it is possible that being environmentally friendly may currently be somewhat more expensive for both the manufacturer and the consumer. But that is precisely a question of mindset and individual responsibility.

The Future and the Human Dimension

7. What are your key priorities for the coming years?
They are to increase turnover in industrial cooling technology in the Central European region and then to enter the food industry segment, where Piovan Group has been active for several years, primarily in Western European markets. Our potential customers here are larger chocolate factories and biscuit manufacturers.

8. What do you personally enjoy most about this work? And what gives you energy even after years in the industry?
I enjoy dealing with people, with customers, subordinates, colleagues, superiors and suppliers. I enjoy finding solutions where, ideally, both sides are satisfied. I need to achieve good and excellent results, and that has been true throughout my working career. A good result is one that your superior expects. If I manage to achieve positive results and resolve situations successfully, that is the best source of renewed energy. I think this applies not only to work. And the fact that I remain in the industry, and also with one company over the long term, comes down to having an appropriate number of challenges over time, so that there is always something to resolve and develop.

A Final Bonus

1. Your favourite technology from the Piovan portfolio?
Cooling technology. From my perspective, it is a subject encompassing several disciplines, which accounts for the complexity of individual solutions. A broader perspective is needed when assessing individual situations.

2. One word that describes a good technology supplier?
If I have to choose just one word, then “Reliability”. By this I mean not only the reliability of the product or service itself, but above all the reliability of the supplier's entire organisation. By purchasing a machine, the customer is essentially entering into a partnership with the supplier that could easily last 20 years, for the lifetime of the machine. And throughout that time, the customer needs to work with the supplier to resolve various situations relating to operation and servicing, often at the level of technological advice.

3. The most important advice you would give to a young engineer in the plastics industry?
Find what you enjoy and keep learning and improving in that area. If we enjoy an activity, we are willing to put effort into overcoming obstacles, and then we are able to achieve good results. And being good at something and useful to others is a prerequisite for a successful and fulfilling life.

The interview was prepared and published exclusively by PlasticPortal^®. Copying or further distribution without our consent is not permitted.