Orlando, Fla. — Universal Dynamics Inc. has started its ambitious 35-mile move in Virginia to Fredericksburg from Woodbridge.
In modular steps, the subsidiary of diversified auxiliary equipment firm Piovan SpA is relocating its assembly lines now and, starting in late July, will move its fabrication equipment. Una-Dyn will vacate Woodbridge by September.
Una-Dyn President Bill Goldfarb and his team created an extensive master schedule for relocating aspects of the project, including premade components, loaders and blenders.
The dryer and hopper lines will move in August.
"Everything is designed on the basis of lean manufacturing," Giorgio Santella, Una-Dyn vice president of service and sales, said in an interview.
Piovan started its first kaizen project in 2005, and the Una-Dyn business began adopting the principles in 2013.
Goldfarb noted, "Una-Dyn is its own supplier of fabricated parts, controls and painted assemblies" so it has the capability to transition to its newly refurbished highly automated location with minimal disruptions.
A trolley system in Fredericksburg will deliver parts and components to drop zones for each department.
In 2019, Una-Dyn will begin manufacturing process water-cooling equipment that it has imported for about three years from Piovan subsidiary Aquatech srl in Italy. Aquatech production also occurs in China and Brazil.
"We will become the first manufacturer of liquid coolers in the U.S.," Goldfarb said.
During NPE2018, several customers in the Bottle Zone and in other show areas utilized Aquatech chillers. Tom Stone is Aquatech's U.S. sales manager.
Goldfarb said he anticipates that, within three years, Una-Dyn will fully integrate its production, parts stocking, service providing and technical expertise for size reduction technology.
The current transfer from Italy involves size reduction supply controls and electrical components. Work on feed chutes, associated assemblies, foundations, bases and sound enclosures will occur under a set schedule.
Recently, Una-Dyn hired Bob Harrison as size reduction sales manager.
The technology transition for gravimetric blenders was completed in December.
"We started two years ago and began production in January," Goldfarb said during an interview at the Una-Dyn exhibit. Previously, Piovan was the principal supplier.
Una-Dyn employs about 140, is moving to 91,000 square feet that it owns in Fredericksburg and had 2017 sales of about $57 million.