Presma

Presma origins date back before World War II. In 1927, when Twins Giannino and Luciano were born, Grandfather Giuseppe established Co. CANZIANI GIUSEPPE CARLO –riparazioni meccaniche.  Thanks to the inventiveness of Alberico, the first-born son, the first manual press for thermoplastic was built in 1937, and in this year Presma’s history began.

In August 1937 Alberico, 21 years old, visited the Exhibition in Leipzig (Germany) where he saw items produced in polystyrene (Trolitul). At this time, the Canziani’s family activities included the production of cutting machines, for the manufacture of combs, made of horn, imported from Africa.
Alberico’s idea was to “form” finished combs at which he succeeded. He designed a system, mounted on a wooden support, composed of a manual piston to inject the material he got from Germany, and of a manual toggle system used for the mould clamping.
With this invention the Canziani brothers started their comb production. The German material turned out to be too breakable, the comb teeth broke too easily.

By chance, Mazzucchelli, an historical group of the Varese area, started the production of Rhodoid, cellulose acetate. It was the first injectable plastic material. From then the production of combs increased considerably and brought to the development of water hydraulic presses.

After the World War II, the craft imprinting gradually changed and the first line presses made for combs and glasses were studied and realized . In 1949, thanks to the continual research commitment, Presma started the production of vertical and horizontal presses for the production of screwdrivers and knives. In 1945 the company entered the shoe market producing vertical machines for heels. This was the first important development that brought the production on to an industrial scale. A constant growth enabled Presma to get in touch with a wide variety of moulding sectors. Their experiences allowed them to follow their customers market requirements, and highlighted their skills to foresee new technologic solutions to better satisfy the moulding needs of that period. To obtain high productions, the Canziani’s brothers manufactured a vertical press with a rotating table on which they installed several moulds. The innovative idea of rotating clamping groups arose. These innovations are still representing PRESMA’s name.

The next fundamental step was the construction of the world’s first press for the injection moulding of semi-foamed thermoplastic materials realized in collaboration with the leading manufacturers of plastic raw materials. In November 1963, the producers of shoe parts finally had the possibility to use a machine with a rotating group equipped with 10 clamping units. Its name was “ROTOMIX B” which had a storage head and two independent injection units to process semi-foamed thermoplastics. Heels, wedges, clogs and soles of high quality started to be moulded using polystyrene, polypropylene, PVC and thermoplastic rubbers. After several trials, in 1968, semi-foamed EVA was also able to be processed.

The Shoe market was still the main business, but PRESMA did not ignore the technical aspects, which also lent itself to the semi-foamed injection process, for products such as brushes and furniture manufacturing. In 1975, in cooperation with a famous German machine manufacturer, Schloemann-Siemag, Presma developed a rotary injection moulding machine for co-injection (sandwich-structure), which gives a foamed core and compact surface.
The agreement with I.C.I. in 1977, as well as the further constructive improvements applied by PRESMA’s Engineers, helped establish the new generation of machines for co-injection on the market, the BIC series, : the results were well finished, thick and compact looking range of (moulded) parts.

Always striving for a constant and systematic research for technological improvements, the 10-station CROSSLINKING machine for cross-linked and foamed EVA co-polymers entered the market at the end of 1985, developing new and interesting applications
In the same year, Co. OMR Engineering Srl replaced the historical machine manufacturer for plastic and wodden shoe lasts, OMR INCOMA company. PRESMA, as the major shareholder, expanded their presence on the shoe market. In 1988, in New Jersey (U.S.A.), Co. Presma Corp. was founded; it was launched as a reference to this Italian brand on the U.S. market. The company ceased its activity in 2009 due to the economic crisis that hit the US market hard during that time.

On Dec. 10th/1992 Luciano died and in Dec. 1998, Alberico also passed away: PRESMA had lost two of their three founders and Giannino, together with the next generation, had now to continue their industrial tradition.

At the end of 1998, OMR Engineering Srl was taken over by PRESMA, this enabled three new divisions to be realised:

FOOTWEAR DIVISION, dedicated to the shoe market. Supplying not only Injection Moulding Machines for shoes parts, but also complete plants for the last manufacturing
INJECTION MOULDING MACHINES, still the predominant branch, developing modular and vertical machines for insert moulding, rotary injection moulding machines for compact and semi-foamed materials, as well as co-injection for small, middle-sized and large items, and occasionally traditional type horizontal Injection Moulding Machines.
SPECIAL APPLICATION & AUTOMATION niche applications, automation and multi-station production cells

In 2001 the growth program towards foreign countries continues with the opening of the Guangzhou office, PRESMA is back on the Chinese market. A short but profitable four-year cooperation with ROBOTECH AUTOMAZIONI Srl, established in 2004 and having their headquarter in PRESMA’s premises, contributed to increase their expertise in robotics and automation. Important and specific production cells have been realized in the following years, basically for the production in automatic of screwdrivers and pipes for household appliances.

In September 2009 PRESMA establish the RUBBER DIVISION, a new challenge addressed to the natural rubber and solid silicone market. In the following years, many large production units, never built before for solid silicone, are developed and supplied with customer’s top satisfaction.

Since 2015 the new proposal for rubber and silicone has been representing by multi-station presses, a valid alternative to traditional single-station ones.

On February 20th, 2019, Giannino Canziani, the last of the three Company’s founders, passed away.
His daughter, Lucia Canziani, took over as Sole Director, keeping the continuity and the family tradition that has always characterized Presma since the establishment.