2013 edition The gear technology magazine of GearUp what is power? Contents Product news: G 250 / G 450: Samputensili Platfrom for Vertical Grinders .........4 HR 350: Profile grinding machine for hobs ..................................8 Customer profiles: RSP: Pursuing Excellence ..........................................................10 AvtoVAZ: From Russia with Love ...............................................12 ENGEL: Be the First ...................................................................14 Regional features: Samputensili and Star Cutter: Tooled for Success!....................16 Sampingranaggi Shanghai: When East Meets West. .................18 Special feature: Welcome to our new website .....................................................20 Organisation news: The German Team of Samputensili GmbH .................................22 Samputensili Team .....................................................................24 Out of curiosity: Bentivoglio, a small-town with age-old roots ............................26 2 GearUp What is power? Dear reader, I am sure you will notice the new logo on the letterhead of our magazine, which puts together the Samputensili and Star-SU brands. This refers to the title and the image we have chosen for this GearUp issue. Samputensili is a very well-known brand both in the gear cutting tools and the machine tools business, with operations and representatives in the most important markets all over the world. Since early 2002, Star Cutter and Samputensili have started working successfully together in the NorthAmerican market sharing the same sale channels, whereas the manufacturing operations in the Americas were independent. Today, all of the Star Cutter gear related factories and Samputensili factories in the Americas are joined together under one single US legal entity: the production of gear tools in Tawas and in Hoffmann Estates, IL, the service center in Querétaro (Mexico) and the Samputensili manufacturing plant in Jundiai (Sao Paolo, Brazil). This means that a global network has been created which shares technology manufacturing resources, sales and after-sales staff, not only in the Americas but across the world, thus guaranteeing customer proximity like no other manufacturer can do. Samputensili and Star SU together are market leaders in the cutting tool technology with a global worldwide turnover of about 130 million USD, whereas, if we also consider the machine tool business, the global turnover exceeds 200 million USD. So, what is power? Our answer is very simple. Power means satisfaction of our customers’ needs with high professional skills, capacity and quick actions driven by our will to constantly improve. At our booth during the EMO Show in Hannover you will be able to see our gear tools range which is so far unparalleled. You will also have the opportunity to see our machine range, in particular the new G 450 vertical gear grinder, based on the same platform as the G 250, the G 500 H horizontal grinder and the Star PTG-1 hob sharpening machine. Our staff will be happy to show you our products and the new applications which are illustrated in this magazine. Enjoy the read! SAMP S.p.A. Artemio Affaticati Chief Executive Officer GearUp 3 Product news: G 250 / G 450 Samputensili Platform for Vertical Grinders 4 GearUp Product news: G 250 / G 450 Efficient grinding from 40 to 450 mm gear diameter Nowadays everyone seems to be talking about solutions, though the reality of things is often a very different matter. Standalone machines which are unproductive; linked solutions which lack adequate tooling concepts; tools which do not fulfill their full potential or whole lines comprising so many different products that operation and maintenance are almost impossible, are all to be found in abundance. But this need not be the case. At Samputensili you will find solutions which really meet your needs, which are reasonably priced and which run efficiently in the long-term without becoming a weight on your shoulders. The best and most recent example is the Samputensili G 250. Presented two years ago at EMO Hannover 2011, the machine has rapidly become a big hit especially in the automotive market. The G 250 is a generating and profile grinding machine, designed for gears with a maximum outside diameter of 250 mm and shafts with lengths up to 550 mm. The G 250: Dual work spindles concept for maximum productivity and flexibility The G 250 is based on the dual work spindle concept, which eliminates non-productive times almost completely. By means of this feature, the loading/ unloading process of a workpiece is carried out in masked time, while simultaneously the manufacturing process proceeds on another workpiece. Therefore the G 250 represents the ideal solution for those customers who need very Double and triple pinions with very small distances can be easily ground without any additional devices low cycle times and efficient mass production of gears. Our idea was to develop a whole machine series starting from the G 250. Indeed, our latest development is the G 450, which will be presented at EMO Hannover 2013. The machine main characteristic is the enlargement of the workarea capacity up to 450 mm. The G 450 can equally grind shafts with lengths up to 550 mm. The G 450 is synonymous with maximum flexibility and high ergonomics, and has been especially engineered for small-medium production lots. GearUp 5 Product news: G 250 / G 450 As a result, the G 450 works using a single worktable, which – as in the case of the G 250 – is mounted on the rotating column. This feature simplifies the loading/unloading as well as the tooling operations. During the workpiece changeover, the grinding wheel keeps rotating and the oil jet is constant. The G 450: high ergonomics and maximum process flexibility Keeping the machine at operating speed gives advantages in terms of thermal and mechanical stability of the machine parts. On the same rotating table, but diametrically opposite the work spindle, an innovative and patent-pending dressing system ensures a very high process flexibility. Both in the G 250 and in the G 450, the minimum axis distance between worktable and grinding wheel is 40 mm, and its grinding spindle can achieve 12.000 rpm. Due to the combination of these two unique features, the grinding process is also possible using profile/threaded grinding wheels with very small outside diameter, mounted The G 250 / G 450 can be easily equipped with various automation solutions on the main spindle. Workpieces with tool diameter limitations, for example shoulder-type gears, can be ground without any additional devices. Similarly, double and triple pinions with very small distances can be ground with the proper tooth-totooth alignment. An add-on optional spindle multiplier up to 24.000 rpm, with quick connection system to the main spindle, allows the use of electroplated CBN profile grinding Technical data at a glance Workpiece diameter, max. mm 250 / 450 Module mn 0.5 - 7.0 Workpiece length, max. mm 550 Face width, max. mm 380 Helix angle degree Grinding wheel dia. mm 250 / 170 or 120 / 90 Grinding wheel width, max. mm 180 Grinding speed, max. m/s 80 Dressing tool dia. mm 120 Machine overall dimensions L x W x H mm 4,120 x 2,200 x 2,700 Controls Technical data subject to change. 6 GearUp +45° / -45° Siemens 840 D Solution Line Product news: G 250 / G 450 On the rotating table, diametrically opposite the work spindle, an innovative and patent-pending dressing system ensures a very high process flexibility wheels with outside diameter down to 25 mm. The Samputensili menu-guided operator interface with simulation capability, simple design concepts in terms of tooling and dressing technology, fast automation and amazing userfriendliness are the strengths behind this unique machine series. ❚ The Samputensili menu-guided operator interface with simulation capability ensures fast data validation and immediate error correction GearUp 7 Product news: HRG 350 HRG 350 Profile grinding machine for hobs 8 GearUp Product news: HRG 350 The Samputensili HRG 350 is the new, innovative solution for the profile grinding of solid hobs and gear milling cutters. It is especially suited for the manufacturing of all kinds of different solid hobs, including those with small diameters and high helix angles like the shank hobs to cut crown gears. In its standard configuration, the machine can grind profiles up to module 12, whereas, with a specific option package, the workable module can be up to 25. In addition, the opportunity to also grind threads allows customers to produce the tools directly from solid after heat treatment. Some of the innovative technical manufacturing solutions adopted are: and + 7 CNC axes managed by a SINUMERIK 840D SL control unit + interpolating axes with high performance, directly driven by digital linear or torque motors without mechanical transmission and backlash + linear motors, without mechanical trans mission and backlash, used also to dress the grinding wheel + relief oscillation performed by linear motors that reproduce the movements of the mechanical cam + automatic checking of the tool profile, workpiece and grinding wheel synchronization managed by software and performed by a digital touch probe + high-level geometric programming for the simple generation of profiles + Samputensili dialogue software for the flexible generation of all type of different hob profiles ❚ Technical data at a glance Hob diameter max. mm Module range (option) mn Helix angle, max. deg 300 0.6 - 10 (25) +/- 45 Distance between centers, max. mm 870 Length to be ground, max. mm 450 Grinding wheel diameter range (relief and profile) mm 35 - 100 Grinding wheel diameter (threads) mm 200 Grinding spindle speed range m/s 0 - 45 Work spindle speed, max. rev/min 100 300 Stroke speed, max. str/min Connected power, max kVA Overall machine dimensions (without filter unit) m 83 5.28 x 3.28 x 2.89 GearUp 9 Regional feature: RSP Pursuing Excellence With annual sales revenue of 105 million RMB, 18 national patents and a worldwide customer base, RSP has reached a leading position among Chinese screw pump manufacturers Founded in 1996, Huangshan RSP Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise specialized in R&D, manufacturing, sales and service of screw pumps, which are widely applied in the fields of steel plant, power plant, oil & gas, petrochemical, shipbuilding and heavy machinery. With advanced manufacturing and inspection equipments such as horizontal machining centers, CNC screw milling machines, CNC boring machines, coordinate-measuring machine, ion-nitrification furnaces etc, RSP invested a large sum of capital in research and development, and has built a top class testing center of screw pumps in China for performance testing of screw pumps before delivery. An ISO 9001, CE and API Certified screw pump manufacturer, their products are exported to 10 GearUp Europe, Middle East, and South-East Asia. Some of their most important and satisfied customers are SNF (France), Petroland (Turkey), BOSCH Rexroth (Germany), Voith GmbH (Germany) and SINOPEC (China), to name just a few. Key Data: Business Type: Manufacturer, Trading Company Turnover (2012): 105 Million RMB Employees (2012): over 210 Business Scope: Manufacturing & Processing Machinery, Metallurgy, Mineral & Energy, Industrial Equipment & Components: CNC horizontal machining center, CNC vertical machining center, coordinatemeasuring machine, CNC grinding machine. Regional feature: RSP level European screw pump suppliers are also employing machinery and equipment from Samputensili. We take this as a strong evidence of Samputensili’s strength, which can explain why we selected Samputensili.” We interviewed Cheng Aihua, Technical Center Manager of the Huangshan RSP Manufacturing Co., Ltd, about their recent purchase of a Samputensili GR 500 HL, grinding machine for rotors and screw-type workpieces. When and how did you get in touch with Samputensili? “We strongly believe that high-tech manufacturing and machining equipment can make a vital contribution to product performance and quality. For the purpose of consolidating and expanding our competitiveness in the Chinese screw pump industry, we decided to introduce a rotor grinding machine which would represent the highest technical and technological level available in screw profile machining, and contacted the Samputensili (Beijing) office in December 2011.” The machine you have chosen is the GR 500 HL, specifically designed for efficient high precision grinding of screw-type profiles including hydraulic pump screws. How do you believe your production will benefit from this machine? “With the employment of this grinding machine, our screw pump rotors’ machining precision and process efficiency will be greatly improved. In addition, our screw pumps will make new breakthroughs in terms of pressure, flow rate, etc. This indicates RSP has reached a leading position among Chinese screw pump manufacturers.” ❚ Your Company has very high standards of reliability. To maintain these levels, as well as keeping up improvement, you must also use the appropriate equipment. Do you think that this is one of the reasons why you chose Samputensili? “Yes, Samputensili is a very qualified and wellknown manufacturer of grinding machines among customers worldwide, and some world- Cheng Aihua Technical Center Manager GearUp 11 Customer profiles: AvtoVAZ From Russia with Love AvtoVAZ is a Russian automobile manufacturer, better known to the world under the trade name Lada. As the largest passenger carmaker in Russia and Eastern Europe, AvtoVAZ controls around 70% of the domestic car production. The company was established in 1966 in collaboration with Fiat and built on the banks of the Volga River in 1966. A new town, Tolyatti, named after the Italian Communist Party leader Palmiro Togliatti, was built around the factory. The company is currently 25% owned by the French carmaker Renault and produces nearly one million cars a year with over 130,000 employees. In Slavic mythology, Lada is the goddess of beauty, love and marriage The AvtoVAZ factory is one of the biggest in the world, with over 140 km of production lines, and is unique in that most of the components for the cars, including the gears and everything involved in their production, are manufactured in-house. This is the reason why the company has recently purchased a Samputensili HRG 350, profile grinding machine for hobs, for their subsidiary LADATOOLS. Administration AvtoVAZ in Tolyatti 12 GearUp Customer profiles: AvtoVAZ We have interviewed Elena Balabanovich (Head of the Marketing and Technology Department). Being the leader company in Russia in the automotive sector requires the observance of very high standards. Do you think this is one of the reasons that has led you to choose Samputensili? “«The quality of the car», said Ford once, «lies on the edge of the tool.» In the same way I would say that the quality of gears, which in a car represent almost 90% of the total final quality, depends on the quality of the gear cutting tools. This is the reason why AvtoVAZ has decided to purchase its own equipment for the profile grinding of hobs.” From left to right: Pavel Zaikin, Production Manager; Elena Balabanovich, Head of the Marketing and Technology Department; Nikolay Glazkov, Shop Floor Manager “Compared to some years ago, today we have new standards as for the quality and productivity of our machinery. With Samputensili we have found a solution which really meets our needs. The HRG 350 is reasonably priced and has proven to run efficiently and reliably in the long-term. We trust that the purchase of our own tool grinding machines will significantly increase the quality of the final product, not only for AvtoVAZ, but also for other companies in Russia.” ❚ “We have organized a tender and it was won by Samputensili, a brand that LADATOOLS knows very well. In fact, since the end of the 60s we have always relied on Samputensili for the supply of technology and equipment for the production of hobs, shaping cutters, shaving cutters and chamfering tools.” The product you have chosen is the HRG 350, profile grinding machine for hobs. How do you believe your production will benefit from this machine? © dnkkolyan - Fotolia.com “The quality of the car lies on the edge of the tool” GearUp 13 Customer profiles: ENGEL – be the first Traditionally associated with classical music, art and culture, Austria is also home to other kinds of jewels ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH, founded by Ludwig Engel in 1945 in Schwertberg, is one of the global leaders in the manufacturing of plastics processing machines. Today, the ENGEL group offers a full range of technology modules for plastics processing as a single source supplier: injection moulding machines for thermoplastics and elastomers, and automation, with the assurance that individual components are also competitive and successful in the world markets. With eight production plants in Europe, North America and Asia (China, Korea), subsidiaries and representatives in over 85 countries, ENGEL offers its customers the optimal global support they need to compete and succeed with new technologies and leading-edge production systems. The Austrian company has recently purchased a Samputensili GW 3600 H, special machine for the high precision grinding of long screw-type profiles, such as extruder screws for plastic injection moulding or ball screws. Equipped with a powerful grinding spindle for large grinding wheels and workpiece supports adapted to each application, the machine is ideal for the manufacturing of screws up to a length of 3,600 mm. With its optional dressing units for ceramic bonded grinding wheels, the machine is perfectly equipped for flexible mass production requirements. “Fast, easy tooling operations play a fundamental role” We have interviewed Max Maier, Plant Manager of the manufacturing site in St. Valentin, Austria. Mr. Maier, why did you choose Samputensili? “We already had an old Samputensili grinding machine in our plant and have always been very happy with it. Therefore, when evaluating a new possible investment, we contacted Samputensili. The new machine we were presented, the GW 3600 H, is indeed very flexible and, what is more, can be tailored-made according to our needs. Samputensili was ready and very fast in meeting all of our challenges and we are extremely satisfied with the final result.” 14 GearUp Customer profiles: ENGEL Headquarters in Schwertberg, Austria How important is flexibility in your daily production? “In our manufacturing site there are production lots ranging from 1 to a maximum of 40 pieces. Therefore flexibility is of outmost importance to us. As a consequence, fast and easy tooling operations play a fundamental role and are an essential feature when considering a new investment.” What are your future plans? “When manufacturing plastics processing machines, the creation of new materials represents a constant challenge for our production. Our aim is to anticipate the market developments and further increase our in-house production depth and technical know-how.” ❚ Key Data: Foundation: 1945 by Ludwig Engel Headquarters: Schwertberg, Austria Legal position concerning property: The enterprise is to 100% in family ownership Turnover (business year 2012/2013): ENGEL worldwide: 950 Mio. Euro Employees (business year 2012/2013): ENGEL worldwide: 4,200 Export rate: approx. 95 % GearUp 15 © [email protected] - Fotolia.com Regional feature: Star-SU Partnership Samputensili and Star Cutter – Tooled for Success! 2012 marked the 10th anniversary of Star SU, the joint-venture between Samputensili and Star Cutter that helped the companies realize a sole go-to-market organization responsible for sales and distribution of cutting tools and machine tool technology for the North American market. Taking a look back on the success the companies achieved in its first ten years together, it should come as no surprise the companies would map out an even more aggressive growth strategy for years to come. Star Cutter entered 2013 with an extended agreement to include the production of gear tools in Tawas and in Hoffmann Estates, IL (USA), the service center in Querétaro (Mexico) and the Samputensili manufacturing plant in Jundiai (Sao Paolo, Brazil). With the sales organization firmly entrenched, the partnership between Samputensili and Nowhere is the new partnership expansion more apparent than in Brazil. Conveniently located 16 GearUp “We combine business consulting, tailor-made solutions and technological proficiency” Regional feature: Star-SU Partnership between Sao Paulo and Campinas, some of the most important hubs for South America, the site is already reaping the benefits of joining the two powerful brands. “The strong presence of the Star and SU brands in the South American market helps to strengthen many of our product lines. We now have a complete tool and machine offering through the joint venture. The gear tool division is helping the round tool division and vice versa, and enhancing our tool profile benefits our machine tool sales,” says Antonio Cordone, Managing Director, Samputensili do Brasil. thanks to our team’s diverse range of expertise.” The advantages of the partnership are also having an extreme impact internally. “The intercompany technology transfer from company to company, together with in-plant access to our coatings partners at Oerlikon Balzers have given us a fully integrated solution in the Americas,” Cordone adds. “The expertise that exists within our company – combined with consolidations we have made in purchasing and manufacturing process - have helped to ensure we are keeping our competitiveness.” “Star SU is certainly ready for the next decade and beyond” With the right tools available and an improved structure in place, Star SU is certainly ready for the next decade and beyond. David W. Goodfellow, President of Star SU, agrees: “The joined resources benefit all chipmaking manufacturers by providing a single, competitive and efficient precision round tool and gear tool supply and support source. We combine business consulting, tailor-made solutions and technological proficiency – and we are able to bring all these services to customers Star SU and Samputensili together are market leaders in the cutting tool technology with a global worldwide turnover of about 130 million USD, whereas if we also consider the machine tool business the global turnover exceeds 200 ❚ million USD. David W. Goodfellow President of Star SU LLC Antonio Cordone Managing Director at Samputensili do Brasil GearUp 17 Regional feature: Sampingranaggi Shanghai When East Meets West SAMP is present in China with Samputensili since 1995 and now also with Sampingranaggi. The General Manager Angelo Pescari tells us all about it China today is a force to be reckoned with. Most businesses in commercial and industrial sectors alike work with Chinese partners, and the country is no longer considered a new frontier. But this has not always been the case: 20 years ago China was seen as a great challenge. Few were the economic operators willing to invest their resources in a potentially boundless, yet completely unknown, difficult and complex market. Today the company’s headquarters are in Shanghai, in the Jiading district – one of the most important economic, financial, commercial and telecommunication hubs of the People’s Republic of China. In a little over a decade Shanghai has built an economy based on financial and banking services, manufacturers and high-tech companies that have attracted significant investments from many foreign businesses, as Pescari tells us. 2012 saw the inauguration of Sampingranaggi’s new production plant next to the other two © chungking - Fotolia.com Samputensili, faithful to its innovative spirit and ready to explore markets that are both geographically and culturally very far, accepted this challenge and started venturing into the Chinese “continent” in 1995, upon initiative of Samputensili’s representative of the time. The General Manager of Samputensili Machine Tools Company Limited, Angelo Pescari, of Italian origins, tells us all about it. “The Chinese facility relies on the same equipment and technology used in Italy” 18 GearUp Regional feature: Sampingranaggi Shanghai divisions, Samputensili and Sampsistemi, with a surface of approximately 4,000 square metres hosting offices as well as the production plant. In addition to selling and providing post-sales assistance for gears and reduction units manufactured, the subsidiary manufactures its own gears and gear boxes, which are either sold on the local market or exported. Its main objective is to provide support to Asian customers, offering high-precision gear manufacturing solutions and helping them achieve longlasting success. As Pescari points out: “The key to reaching this objective is to focus on maintaining the quality of products. This is why the Chinese subsidiary relies on the same equipment and technology in use in the production plant in Bentivoglio, Italy.” Every person in this group, including all managers and operators, has been trained by the parent company. Moreover, all collaborators are required to report to the Italian management. This production plant will meet the demand of the Chinese market and of nearby Asian countries, avoiding time-consuming shipments from Europe while offering the same high-quality products. Sampingranaggi Shanghai will maintain a primary role in all sales activities in order to make the most of the opportunities offered by the market and offer its customers the best technical support available. ❚ “Every person working in Shanghai, including all managers and operators, has been trained by the parent company” High product quality standards can be achieved with technical expertise, professionalism and great teamwork – all elements that characterise work at Sampingranaggi’s Shanghai plant. Angelo Pescari General Manager of Samputensili Machine Tools Opened in 2012, the Sampingranaggi facility in Shanghai manufactures high-quality cylindrical spur and helical gears as well as gearboxes GearUp 19 Special feature: New website Welcome to our new website Fresh-looking, dynamic and easy-to-navigate 20 GearUp Special feature: New website In a world where information travels in an instant via web, where communication is an indispensable way to keep up with the times, SAMP could not be left behind. Always in fact, our company has been a pioneer not only with the technology of its products, but also in knowing how to handle the media in an effective and productive way. Bearing all this in mind, the latest communication project of SAMP has been the new design of the corporate website, as well as the website of its division Samputensili. Easy and interactive maps help you to quickly find the sales representative closer to you A fresh-looking, dynamic and simple style features the new websites, while the new layouts provide access to our products in an fast and intuitive way. For those who are already familiar with our technology, the menu “Products” gives the possibility of a quick navigation through our manufacturing programme. Mobile version and App For those who still do not know our product range, the menu “Solutions” offers an indispensable guide, following you in your area of production and suggesting all possible products applicable to your industry. The “Contact” section also allows you to instantly find the representative specific to your area, using a convenient and easy-to-use interactive map. At the same time we have not forgotten the most modern technologies, such as tablets and smartphones, which are essential for those who travel frequently or do not often have a computer at hand. The restyling project has involved the renovation of two other media available to our customers: the mobile version of the website and the App “SAMP Company Profile”, an interactive catalogue with pictures, videos, and technical specifications of our products. A new “dress” for SAMP, contents and ideas, which efficiency and reliability characterized us and made over the years. with new products, maintains the same that have always known to the world ❚ GearUp 21 Organisation news: Samputensili GmbH The German Team of Samputensili GmbH Our sales and distribution office for the Germanspeaking Countries is located in Chemnitz. Meet our motivated and highly-skilled staff! Samputensili GmbH is a legal entity of SAMP S.p.A., Samputensili Division, located in Chemnitz, the technological heart of Saxony and traditionally a cornerstone of German innovation. The Samputensili GmbH staff has a very high expertise in the gear cutting technology. Our Chemnitz: Castle Augustusburg, the New Town Hall, Opera House (clockwise) 22 GearUp © aotearoa - Fotolia.com © lmeinel - Fotolia.com © autofocus67 - Fotolia.com Since early 2000, Samputensili GmbH is the goto-market organisation of Samputensili, a market leader in the field of tools and machine tools for gear manufacturing. Samputensili together with Star SU, the brandname used in the Americas, has a turnover of over 200 mio. USD. Organisation news: Samputensili GmbH German colleagues are constantly involved in the design and manufacturing of our tools, which are manufactured in Italy or in our US facilities. Samputensili’s flexible, skilled and highprofessional sales team supports our customers in finding the best solution to fullfill their production needs. The sales organisation also includes a wide net of agents, active in all German-speaking Countries, who provide a professional support in supplying the highestquality equipment. We believe that the individuals in the Samputensili GmbH team really make the difference. We would like to briefly introduce them: Frank Lommertin Patrick Ernst Nadja Schroth Uwe Haarmann Sales Assistant Sales Area Manager for Tools (Southern Germany) Angela Marzullo Sales Area Manager dedicated to Machine Tools Application Engineer © VRD - Fotolia.com Sr. Sales Area Manager for Tools (Northern Germany) and coordinator of the Sales staff GearUp 23 Organisation news: Samputensili team Angela Marzullo Sales Area Manager Davide Garimoldi Sales Area Manager 24 GearUp Organisation news: Samputensili team Nicola Faccioli Sales Director Alessandro Trambaioli Product Manager GearUp 25 Out of curiosity: Bentivoglio Bentivoglio, a small town with age-old roots Discovering the territory Samputensili, a division of SAMP S.p.A. which in turn is part of the Maccaferri Industrial Group, has its headquarters in Bentivoglio, a small town situated about 20 km from the city of Bologna. The origins of Bentivoglio date back to Villanovan civilisation. In fact in the Saletto district, which lies about 4 km north-east of Bentivoglio centre, evidence of Villanovan cremations dating back to 930 BC have been found as well as a stone from the XI century BC. The arrival of the Romans saw the first reclamation of the swamp lands within the present-day territory of Bentivoglio. The nucleus of the area in the Medieval age was called the Poledrano bridge owing to the passage of foals (“poledri”) across the bridge over the Navile channel. Bentivoglio is heir to two great feats of architecture: the Navile channel, which crosses the whole area, and the castle which was built at the end of the 400’s by the noble Bentivoglio family of Bologna. The Navile channel has even more ancient origins. In fact it carried the Reno river from the sluice in Casalecchio to Malalbergo as far back as the 26 GearUp Out of curiosity: Bentivoglio XII century before flowing into the Po valley and Venice, acting as a route for communication and the transportation of goods - silk in particular along the way. As recently as 1930, rice from the paddy fields in Bentivoglio arrived in Bologna on barges along the Navile thanks to the hard work of ‘mondine,’ labourers who spent entire days bent over in cold water weeding the paddy fields of any infested grasses that disturbed growing rice plants. Sala del Pane (the bread room), where a series of ten frescos narrates the history of breadmaking with extraordinary elegance, as well as the castle chapel, also finely frescoed. Guests of Giovanni II and his wife Ginevra Sforza included Ercole I and Alfonso I d’Este, Lucrezia Borgia and other Renaissance personages who often arrived at the castle by boat. Stretching out along the Navile channel is Palazzo Rosso (Red Mansion). Commissioned by Carlo Alberto Pizzardi in 1897, the building boasts splendid decorations by Achille Casanova depicting typical scenes of the local marshy countryside. The Sala dello Zodiaco (the zodiac room) is a decorative masterpiece and one of the best expressions of Ars Æmilia. The castle, on the other hand, was commissioned as a hunting and holiday home by Giovanni II Bentivoglio: ‘Domus Jucunditatis’ was in fact inscribed on one of the court paintings, and the castle is not the least bit military in style. On the contrary, it is an elegant building, purpose-built for leisure. Inside, it is possible to admire the splendid The solar panel installations on the roof of the Bentivoglio plant. They produce 785 kWp which is returned into the public electricity network. In the nearby district of San Marino di Bentivoglio the museum of peasant civilisation is well worth a visit; the wealth of documentation collected and the meticulous way in which it is displayed is truly unique. Here it is possible to relive the vicissitudes of the Bologna plain and see the tools and crop cycles used by labourers over the course of the centuries to make bread, corn, rice and hemp. Splendidly framed within the nineteenth century Villa Smeraldi, the museum is surrounded by a large park which offers more than one reason for a visit as, besides its particular environmental value, ❚ it also hosts leisure activities. GearUp 27 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Publisher & editor: Corporate Marketing SAMP S.p.A. - Samputensili Division Via Saliceto, 15 40010 Bentivoglio (BO) Italy Tel.: +39 (051) 6319 411 Fax: +39 (051) 37 08 60 [email protected] www.samputensili.com Please send your comments and suggestions to [email protected] Published by SAMP S.p.A.- Samputensili Division © contents copyrighted by SAMP S.p.A. - Samputensili Division, its partners and customers. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, whether electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
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