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Graphic industries and technology: trends to watch out for

The Oro della Stampa event are back. In November, the event to award the prestigious recognition to the excellence of the printing and converting industry in Italy, will return.

This year Logica will again be the sponsor of the special Oro Process Innovator award.

This award reflects the commitment of those who believe in future and innovation: in fact, it recognizes the company that not only demonstrates a willingness to adopt cutting-edge tools and strategies to remain competitive, but also stands at the forefront as a promoter of a new era in the industry.

In this article we will explore some of the most relevant trends that are driving this transformation and how softwares are becoming essential partners in this evolution.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is now a priority for the printing industries too, driven by growing consumer environmental awareness and increasingly strict regulations.

Eco-friendly technologies, such as low-impact printing and the use of recycled materials, are becoming market standards. At the same time, companies are looking for solutions to reduce energy consumption and minimize waste, focusing on processes that optimize the use of resources.

How can software be a key support to this issue?

These tools monitor production processes, track resources used and energy consumption, and, in general, offer a complete view of the flows on which to intervene to support a transition to more sustainable practices.

You can read the brief insight into our DP Energy module here.

Also with this in mind, the integration of Artificial Intelligence algorithms offers an additional level of optimization and sustainable interpretation. By intervening, in this sense, in specific processes, A.I. makes them faster, saving time, energy and resources and is able to suggest timely and targeted improvements.

In parallel, they can represent retrofit solutions that allow older machinery to be updated, bringing it in line with current technologies and potential, thus reducing obsolescence and environmental impact.

ADVANCED AUTOMATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Hyperautomation – as well as the use of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, process automation software and other advanced technologies to simplify operational procedures – will inevitably enable business leaders to bring about a virtuous revolution.

Through these technologies, companies can automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing professionals to focus on more value-added activities.

“The future belongs to those who are ready to innovate. In Logica, we not only strive to keep up with the times, we anticipate them.”

DATA CONTROL MONITOR

Logica sets the foundation for this near future with Data Control Monitor: a solution that can recognize and report time and quantity mismatches against the system’s expected range for each component and production process.

The result? A timely and reliable database on which to train A.I. algorithms to take full advantage of the potential offered by this technology.

In order to make this happen successfully, it is essential to start with one key element: the data and its reliability.

BLOCKCHAIN: SUPPLY CHAIN TRACKING AND TRUST

Although not yet widely used in the graphics industries, blockchain is becoming known as an emerging technology, especially in related fields such as logistics and manufacturing.

But what is a blockchain? Read an in-depth discussion of it: what it is, how it works and its applications.

This technology offers advanced data protection thanks to its decentralized and encrypted structure. It is perfect for those who focus on sustainability as their workhorse because it provides more transparency in the tracking of raw materials: in this way, every step in the life cycle of materials is immutably recorded, from production to assembly to delivery.

This inevitably translates into higher trust for customers, as well as an guarantee of conformity to environmental and quality regulations.

These trends represent only a small percentage of a bigger industrial and technological revolution that is leading the industry to evolve toward smarter and more responsible production models.

Logica is proud to support and work alongside our clients in tracing this new path, offering them advanced tools to help them make the most of the new possibilities and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.

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Interview with Francesco Santi, CFO – Longo

Logica solutions are designed considering all aspects,
offering its flexibility, scalability and adaptability to meet different types of production and their specifics, management and control.

The Suite embeds dedicated functionality, allowing companies to optimize processes by reducing inefficiencies, improving production and ensuring a smooth and reliable supply chain.

LONGO: PRINT, PACKAGING & CREATIVE. SINCE 1957.

A concrete example of how we were recently chosen to support a company specialized in packaging and publishing printing is Longo.

Based in Bolzano and Augsburg, this company fits into a market
that is half Italian and half foreign, with a strong presence in Germany and Austria.

Longo was born as a typography, it is in its DNA, and over time it has specialized in the production of complex and high-end print applications. In addition, its strengths include strong expertise in prepress.

For this reason, over the years, management has chosen to expand the company by adding two business units, including an in-house creative agency.

A strategy that considered the fact that transforming a digital elaborate into a physical product requires know-how that, often, is not found in most agencies focused on digital communication.

Longo’s benefit is being able to rely on two departments that communicate and work in synergy: the design department and the production one.

More than 70 people work at Longo in Bolzano and deal specifically with offset printing and converting, while the German office, based in Augsburg, is specialized in digital printing.

INTERVIEW WITH FRANCESCO SANTI, LONGO CFO

To learn more about the motivations and needs that led Longo to trust Logica Suite for its process management, we interviewed Francesco Santi, the company’s new CFO.

How did you get to know Logica and what reasons led you to choose it as your partner?

It was thanks to a referral that came from our previous CFO, through a contact from a company outside the graphics industry.

The product presentation was certainly another determining factor in the choice.
Andrea Sentimenti, Logica’s project manager, demonstrated great technical expertise that he was able to communicate very effectively: an important aspect when considering software designed to manage complex operations.

I would like to also thank Logica’s sales manager Pier Giorgio Boninsegna (in the photo, on the left with Francesco Santi) and Norberto Bucciarelli, founder, for their participation in the project.

Logica has been open and extremely prepared to welcome and meet our needs, keeping up to date with industry and market developments. This also means sharing an affinity of vision and operations considering constant modernization as fundamental.

These have been the main reasons.
So I would say that in addition to the product, it was the service and the people who interfaced with us.

What about the software, what features have met your needs?

Compared with other software, the Logica Suite was more suited to our needs for the part related to production and connection between machines.
Our printing systems are extremely productive: so, one of the critical success factors is being able to use them to their full potential.

One aspect that immediately convinced both me and Robert, Longo’s COO, is that, compared to other systems, Data Production seemed to us to be much more evolved; in addition, the preventive and scheduling part also seemed well structured.

What was the aspect that pushed you toward a SAAS solution?

This is an economic-contractual reason: from a strictly financial point of view, what motivates a company to choose the Software As A Service model is being able to defer the investment instead of facing an economic commitment all at once.

What features/aspects of the software do you find most beneficial to your daily and business management operations?

The more a software can facilitate information sharing, the more work within the company is clearly simplified.
Having control of this aspect, in day-to-day operations, makes all the difference in terms of efficiency.

Equally important are the management and decision-making aspects: the Logica Suite allows us to keep track of the company and what is happening within it, but it is also an incentive tool for setting prospective goals.

I expect the Logica software to support us in this aspect as well, helping us to remain competitive in the marketplace. In short, when you invent the button that will show us the most profitable market to follow at that point we will be safe.
Who knows, you may get there in the future… (Santi says, smiling).

Do you think artificial intelligence can help in the future in this respect?

Artificial Intelligence is efficient when it is fed with data, which someone must have, data that perhaps Logica already knows

How have operators perceived the news? We noticed high participation, finding it wonderful to see so many different professional figures being involved from the beginning...

Six months ago I came to Longo and did a simple thing: I listened.

The moment we spread the idea of investing in a new ERP, everyone welcomed this decision with optimism and positivity. The common goal was to work orderly, accurately and on time. What really stands out was the service and availability of Logica’s technicians to answer our questions.

At that point it was easy to make the decision, a choice supported by the whole team.

During the software selection process, you had the opportunity to compare yourself with a couple of our other customers. Was it helpful?

Both companies we dealt with were really enthusiastic about the adoption of the Logica software and what the journey was like.
I would like to personally thank their management because it is not expected that a competitor shows such openness in sharing their experience. I firmly believe in healthy competition.

What emerged was a confirmation of what we expected: control from A to Z to what happens in the company. They were clearly satisfied.

How do you rate the service and support?

Basically we used to mature our decisions from objective data, but customer service is more difficult to evaluate without experiencing it.

We took an approach based on a rigorous analytical method: evaluating the product first and customer service second. Having had the opportunity to hear reviews, in agreement, about customer service related to the software we were evaluating allowed us to concretize our positive feeling.
Getting in touch with companies that all expressed the same positive feedback confirmed our decision.

Of course, we expect a long-term partnership to emerge that will allow both of us to grow together, an ever-valid paradigm between customer and supplier. We do the same with our partners.

In the end, the technological innovation offered by Logica, with its ability to perfectly fit in with Longo’s versatile and complex reality, was a key factor in this company’s decision to trust our Suite.
In addition, the support and professionality of the team, with clear and competent communication, reinforced the trust in this solution.

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Logica again innovative, again countertrends.

An analysis conducted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce (Unioncamere and Infocamere) revealed that when considering management roles in the companies, the growing number of elder entrepreneurs, goes beside the decreasing of younger managers having decisional power, or important responsibilities.
Logica instead, once more goes for a different path, with its long period vision.
In the present dynamic working scenario, generational relationship tissue within companies needs to be significantly redesigned.

New generations do not only represent new pieces of the company staff,
but they also bring along a fresher and different vision. They are stimulus to explore new solutions, in coherence with new priorities, preferences and new way of living and creating wellness.

The concept of multigenerational workforce as strategic leverage...

Premise is in the aspiration of the younger to be recognized for their uniqueness to actively generate value.
It’s a new perspective overtaking the human resources traditional vision, to challenge the idea of the merely functional staff changeover condition.

At the same time more experienced workers, with their wealth of experience, own a precious know how to be transferred to the youngers, as experience is fundamental to face our time and the future, with the right strength.

We believe the key is the creation of diversified and heterogeneous teams.

This approach, synergic to intergenerational cooperation, further to preserve and exploit what previously built in the time, it also contribute to generate a dynamic and productive work environment.

In this framework, we undertaken and welcome with determination the generational transition within our team.

Logica’s company culture is shaped to encourage to innovation, creativity and collaboration.

We invested in the recognition of the unique skills of each team member, creating an inclusive environment in which everyone
is able to contribute to the maximum of their potential.

We are conscious the company future lies in the ability to keep stability and reliability with time, always continuing to evolve.
The generational change is not only a necessary step but a fundamental pillar for Logica’s growth path.

We are setting up what’s to come, building a young environment that will be the backbone
for innovation and long-term success.

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DP Energy: business & green

Achieving significant energy savings is one of the main goals of many companies today.

Energy savings come primarily from optimizing the use of facilities,
a central goal that can be pursued with Logica Suite.
Producing better means consuming less for the same quantities produced.
This improvement process is rendered thanks to a system that monitors and highlights critical issues and where to make possible improvements.

Along with the energy efficiency, which is a key point of Industry 5.0 and the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy launched
the new tax credit package of the Transition 5.0 plan, complementary to the incentives for the previous Transition.
Investments will be based on goods and activities aimed at saving energy, increasing energy efficiency, promoting
self-consumption and self-production of renewable energy
, within industrial processes thanks to the implementation of advanced technologies and management best practices.

Real time energy monitoring and consumption accounting, alongside with the identification of energy waste
and anomalies is realized by using intelligent sensors.

Our DataProduction helps you pursue the improvement of your business’ energy efficiency through the DP Energy module.

DP Energy allows to measure in real time the electricity consumption per single machine, helping energy managers
to identify areas for improvement. Measurement and reporting of cosfi, active / reactive / apparent energy
for each sectioned and measured area.

Integrated in the DataProduction system, it requires the addition of an industrial multimeter equipped with Ethernet port to connect to your Logica data collection system at one side and to the electrical cabinet of the machine, on the other one.

We monitor in real time any area of the company, from auxiliary units such as trimmings, air compressors, chillers,
to service systems such as lighting, air conditioning and production units.

Get in touch with us today, to learn more about how to install DataProduction and DP Energy.

Get ready for tomorrow, by facing in advance the points giving you a sure advantage in the future.

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Logica As a Service: a new opportunity in the field of graphics and industrial automation

Innovation is part of our vision since ever, our goal is to fully satisfy our clients needs, day by day more demanding.

Therefore, we decided to add a new business model, supporting the simplified access
to the most sophisticated and reliable MES in the Graphic sector.

“Logica As a Service”
is our renting solution, properly designed to be an alternative to the traditional, still available purchasing.

In an increasingly competitive environment, the optimization of investments is a crucial factor for the success of a company;
this new option offers many commercial and fiscal advantages:

• Reduction of initial costs: “Logica As a Service” will allow you to avoid purchase-related charges,
introducing the flexible monthly fee model
and allowing access to Logica Suite without large initial investments;

• Maximum flexibility: SAAS allows you to scale software resources according to your needs. This means that you can easily add or remove licenses based on your business;

• Tax benefit: the costs incurred will also be fully deductible in the current year.

Constant innovation is our absolute priority.

That’s why “Logica As a Service” grants the users, full access to the system and its updates with no additional costs.
Keeping up our clients with the ultimate technologies available, is an embedded part of our service philosophy.

We learned by the acquired experience, matured in so many years of systems implementation, that every company is unique,
in the sector it operates and with respect to its needs.

Our team dedicated to support is always available in order to grant every Customer
to get all the advantages given by Logica Suite.
This is the reason why service and support are included and fully covered by the monthly fees.

Contact us today, to discover how our Suite, thanks to the “Logica As a Service” model,
can perfectly fit to your company’s dynamics

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Interview with Matteo Petruzzi – Petruzzi Industria Grafica

Petruzzi Industria Grafica has deep roots in Città di Castello, Umbria. Founded by Corrado Petruzzi in the 1970s as an artisan company, it quickly grew as an industrial facility.

Over the years, the company has grown prosperous, expanding the plant to 8,000 square meters and incorporating state-of-the-art machinery, especially in large format and editorial printing.
Starting initially with five employees in the 1970s, it now has more than 50 professionals, testifying to steady growth through three generations, led now by the founder’s son.

THE REASONS

The increase in the size of the company, the type of clients and the complexity of the work required a deep review of information systems and management methodologies.
It was no longer enough to have final information when work was completed. It was necessary to have an information system that would allow continuous and constant monitoring of production and economic-financial indicators.

This led to the decision to marry Logica solutions, both in the MIS area with ProtoX (integrated information system from budget to final statement) and in the MES area with The Logica 4.0 Suite where 10 cost centers are connected in real time.

Let us now find out, in a brief interview with Matteo Petruzzi, the company’s viewpoint regarding this experience.

How important is it to have an MES system within your business reality?

The implementation of an MES system represents a crucial step for our company in terms of modernizing and improving manufacturing operations.

The MES system acts as the heartbeat of our manufacturing operations, providing unprecedented visibility into all aspects of the production process.
This visibility not only improves our ability to make informed and timely decisions but also allows us to quickly identify and resolve any inefficiencies or disruptions in the production chain.

It directly translates into reduced operating costs and increased overall productivity. It also facilitates more accurate inventory management, minimizing waste and ensuring that resources are optimally allocated.

We work hard to make our software as intuitive and functional as possible. Are your operators experiencing difficulties in using the systems? Is the training provided easily applicable?

We agree that it is important to ensure that our operators can take full advantage of the potential of the software without difficulty; although they are indeed very intuitive, we know that adapting to new technologies can present some challenges.

The training that Logica provides us with is structured to be easily applicable to work routines, with hands-on sessions that allow operators to acquire skills directly in the field.

However, we have also established an ongoing feedback system with Logica, which allows us to constantly adapt and improve our training programs as needs and challenges arise.

In conclusion, the common goal is always to ensure that the use of the system is not only efficient, but that operators feel confident and competent in applying the software’s features in their daily work.

How has your experience been regarding the timing required to implement the systems?

Overall, very positive. We worked closely with the implementation team to clearly define objectives and plan implementation steps.

Initially, we conducted a detailed analysis of our business processes and specific requirements, providing a solid basis for system design. During this phase, the team demonstrated expertise in analyzing our needs and adapting the system to our unique requirements.

The training process built into the implementation was well structured and provided our employees with a solid understanding of the new system. The documentation provided during this phase was clear and detailed, facilitating a smooth transition for our team.

Working with the Logica Suite, what are the most relevant benefits you have been able to achieve?

One of the most significant aspects was obtaining unprecedented real-time visibility into all stages of the production process. This level of transparency has enabled us to quickly identify and resolve inefficiencies, minimizing downtime and optimizing production.

The advanced traceability provided by the Logica Suite has been crucial to improving quality management.

We are now able to accurately track every single component along the production chain, facilitating regulatory compliance and ensuring high quality standards.

The partnership with Logica has proven to be a strategic investment that continues to contribute significantly to our company’s success and competitiveness.

Why choose, in conclusion, Logica?

First, the Logica Suite has demonstrated remarkable robustness and flexibility. The ability to adapt to our specific needs was key, allowing us to configure the system to perfectly reflect our unique business processes. This flexibility proved instrumental in ensuring that the system grew with our evolving needs.

The partnership with Logica has also been characterized by excellent customer support. The support team has always been ready to answer our questions and provide timely solutions when issues arise. This level of support has provided us with peace of mind in the adoption and continued use of the Logica Suite.

Finally, Logica’s reputation in the industry and positive feedback from other companies confirmed the solidity and reliability of their MES solution. The decision to choose Logica was, therefore, driven by a combination of proven performance, adaptability to our needs and a strong commitment to service excellence.

In conclusion, we chose Logica as our MES systems partner because their suite matched our expectations, offering a solid technology foundation and ongoing support.

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Sole24Ore: “Logica s.r.l: flexibility and competence”

Il Sole 24 Ore (Italy’s historic daily newspaper) – Edition of Wednesday, March 03, 2021

Italy often surprises all of us with excellence of the highest level, usually little known to the general public because they operate in very specific sectors.

This is the case of Bologna-based Logica s.r.l., which anticipated by years, with its MES dedicated to the graphic industries field, what would later become the guidelines of Industry 4.0,
a great opportunity to take to make your business organization more competitive and up-to-date.

A company that has always been able to innovate by allocating a large part of its investments on Research and Development. The project became a reality by managing to bring together brilliant minds from various backgrounds while recording steady growth, even in 2020.

With the acquisition in 2018 of the vertical ERP Proto, Logica now boasts the most complete and performing solution in the Italian market, and thanks to industry-leading customers and international collaborations it has been possible to gain continuous experience by successfully exporting its solutions abroad.

Logica believes in partnerships, and its recent deal with another Italian excellence, OMET s.r.l., a global leader in the production of label and flexible packaging machines, is proof of this. From this collaboration, OMET’s machines will be equipped with the 4.0 control and interconnection systems developed by Logica.
New horizons that will allow the Italian software house to further increase its expertise in the rest of the world.

“We don't believe in all-rounders and infallibles.”

Those who have never did a mistake
in trying to carry out their ideas have never made true innovation.

– Norberto Bucciarelli | Founder

“Innovation is a vision that can be open to error or change of course, and only with determination and will can goals be achieved. Fast response to change, which a globalized and interconnected market requires, is one of our strengths.”

The key words are competence and flexibility, from the team of collaborators to the choice of suppliers and the professionals who work alongside them. Despite having a medium-small size, there is no a single person in charge but a team capable of taking responsibility and wisely guided by Dr. Graziola, CEO of Logica. Experience alone risks not being renewed; youthful enthusiasm alone risks not surviving difficult times.

“Courage and vision are necessary to create a solid foundation because, as we always say, “The future does not wait.” A reality that does not pursue large numbers but rather pays attention to the solidity of the relationship with clients and their constant support.

And how to face tomorrow?
“With the same consciousness as always: the wisdom of experience combined with the vision and creativity of young people; keeping the level of the proposed solutions high without selling out its excellence by focusing on always giving high-value consulting. Developing and consolidating its solutions, training and seeking relationships with reliable partners because the union of intent and minds, develops and increases potential.”