1973 - 1980
The early years: promotion of the technology
Intuition is the touchpaper that sets ideas alight, but the real detonator is determination. And that is how the adventure began for Vincenzo Lorenzin, the founder of the Simplast Group. Vincenzo brought the first advanced rotomoulding machine to Italy in 1973, after years of studying the market, first-and-foremost in America. He had understood the potential of this innovative process, and the advantages of a technological system capable of producing a hollow body with a uniform thickness in a single piece with no welding that offered excellent mechanical resistance and the most diverse uses. Years of experimentation and research followed, with modifications and innovation. Years which were far from easy, but full of challenges and opportunities, dedicated to a great extent to raising awareness of the advantages offered by rotational moulding. Right from the outset however, the company managed to win over the market with parts made of PVC, and to begin the first trials in the highly advanced automotive engineering sector..
1980 - 1990
PE-X tanks
1976 is a key year, a watershed moment giving the stamp of approval to Simplast’s leadership in the industry. Following painstaking research and demonstrations, the world leaders in the production of agricultural tractors Same decide to fit the first fuel tank made of PE-X.
Cross-linked polyethylene is a unique material: cheaper, lighter and stronger than metal, it is virtually indestructible and capable of providing outstanding mechanical and thermal resistance. The full potential of rotational moulding is still to be developed, however. New materials are researched, and the machines are improved. And finally, with the introduction of polyethylene the number of applications expands into increasingly diverse areas. Simplast begins to produce components for the nautical, building, environmental, toys, and motorhome and caravan sectors
1990 – 2000
Expansion of the group
In 1997 Simplast obtains ISO 9001 certification, the mark of a flexible structure providing cutting edge quality, ready to respond to the needs of its customers. The company’s growth and consolidation lead to the creation of a projects office, with a design team tasked with handling all of a product’s technical-design aspects. The manufacturing of tooling is also introduced, giving Simplast the ability to deliver unique, bespoke parts.
These are the years in which the Simplast Group expands and consolidates. New divisions are set up in Brignano (BG), Malo (VI) and Caldonazzo (TN), covering Northern Italy. The second generation of the family is ready to make its contribution, with Vincenzo Lorenzin’s children joining the company: first Massimiliano, general engineering and production manager, then Marcella, heading up administration, and finally Gioele, who specializes in logistics and marketing.
2000 – 2008
India, design, new machines
An Italian heart with an international spirit. Simplast crosses national borders and arrives in Greater Noida, a major industrial hub in the vicinity of New Delhi. Simplast India employs around 20 people and has two main goals: to conquer new markets with the product quality that is a feature of the Italian company; and to raise awareness and appreciation of the use of rotational moulding for the creation of cost-effective, high performance products.
The range of machinery also expands, with automatic numerically-controlled systems and anthropomorphic robots for cutting, deburring and other machining and assembly operations. In this way, the entire rotational moulding supply chain, from a part’s conception through to its mass production, is catered for by a single operator: a unique quality in the industry that makes Simplast one of the most reliable companies in Europe.
The second millennium brings with it a new challenge. The pursuit of perfection in the field of materials takes Simplast to a new level: design and furniture. Important customers such as Kartel, Magis, Driade and Gufram are added to Simplast’s portfolio. Montà d’Alba becomes the centre of operations where industry meets design, working with artists of the calibre of Philippe Stark, Fabio Novembre, Karim Rashid and Ron Arad.
2013
The first forty years
Simplast is a family firm and a group of families. I have the honour of carrying forward the former, founded by my father, while the latter is represented by the families of our employees, with whom we have established a strong understanding and friendship with a profound sense of responsibility»
Gioele Lorenzin, General manager
In 2013 Simplast celebrates 40 years in business and targets achieved. Despite the severe financial crisis which has hit the sector, the commitment and sacrifices of every member of the Group has meant that not a single employee has been made redundant or temporarily laid off. A source of pride which was celebrated with a big party dedicated to all the staff and the founder, Vincenzo Lorenzin. Now Simplast is looking to the future with renewed energy and the ambition to win over new markets: not only the emerging areas of Brazil, Russia and China, but also more established markets, such as Canada and the United States.
2014-2018
The return of growth
2014 marked the end of the financial crisis that globally affected the plastic goods manufacturing industry. Simplast began to grow again and to set the pace for the development of rotational moulding. The Group’s total turnover grew by 20%, driven by the Indian market, and more than 100 new employees were hired. 2016 saw expansion of the Indian subsidiary, with the acquisition of new warehouses in Greater Noida and the planning of a new industrial plant in Chennai, eastern India. In 2018, the Simplast UK venture took off: this high-tech hub has been designed to meet the demands of the British market and collaborate with India to serve the countries of the Commonwealth.
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