A leading hydraulics company with a clear mission: to look to tomorrow without forgetting the past
After the war, Giuseppe Salami, a young graduate in technical disciplines and hydraulics, began studying the hydraulic circuits and components mounted on U.S. Army war vehicles. From this passion of his will be born Salami Spa, a leading company in hydraulics worldwide. Recounting this reality today are Managing Director Angelo Pucci and the founder’s grandson, Eng. Guido Leo, who coordinates Salami’s Engineering Department.
Eng. Leo, what products does Salami Spa offer today and what is its target customer base?
«There are mainly two lines: gear pumps and motors and modular and one-piece directional valves. Our products are used to deliver and regulate the hydraulic power of a hydraulic circuit in order to drive and control the various actuators of a machine: for example, the forks of a telescopic loader or the bucket of an excavator. Speed and torque of all actuators are mainly controlled by the flow and pressure regulation of the oil circulating in the circuit. Regulation and transformation from mechanical to hydraulic power (and vice versa) is possible by pumps, hydraulic motors and directional valves placed in the machine circuit. Such systems are still to this day high in power density and remain major players in the hydraulic systems of mobile and industrial machinery. The application sectors are many: from agriculture to construction and earthmoving, material handling and logistics to municipal applications and even the marine sector. The customer base is equally diverse: it is divided mainly between direct manufacturers and a distribution network established over the years».
Dr. Pucci, what are your strengths, what differentiates you from your competitors?
«The three pillars of our company are the quality of our products, our expertise and the flexibility of our offerings. The competition we measure ourselves against is often larger and more structured than we are, we distinguish ourselves by our ability to listen to customers’ needs, find the smartest solutions to their problems, and guarantee products and services at a high level of quality. In short, we have a “tailor made” approach; we can respond with high competence and in a targeted way to the multiple needs of an increasingly globalized market. Customers know that they can find customized solutions from us more easily than elsewhere. While we have created a wide range of products, in this we are willing to go a step further than our competitors. It is not an easy job, made up of passion, technique and attention to detail. If we combine all this with the seventy years of history and experience we have in our professional background, it is clear why to this day our company is considered one of the world leaders in hydraulics».
Eng. Leo, what is the future of the company?
«We are continually investing in production technologies to increase efficiency and effectiveness in manufacturing, but also in research and development and in the design of our products. Hydraulics, the offspring of thermofluid dynamics, is a mature field but one that still reserves areas to be explored or understood. Today, electronics are an integral part of hydraulics systems, especially in terms of control systems: they range from traditional manual systems to hydraulic and electric controls, to proportional electrohydraulic controls that allow remote control via, for example, software-configured joysticks. With the flanking of electric motors to the established endothermic motors, on mobile machinery quietness is becoming a very important aspect. Working pressures are also increasing because there is a need to make room for batteries and therefore, with the same hydraulic power output and footprint on the machine, there is less space for the hydraulic circuit tank. Finally, young people are our guarantee for tomorrow: it is important to develop a better bridge between companies and young people through synergies with technical institutes, academic institutions, universities, and research and specialization centers, which should guarantee the right number of new resources, the lifeblood of an important district like Mechanics in Emilia Romagna. This is a leading industry in Europe, so we intend to do our part; in fact, we are trying to create a Training Academy among companies of our own size, because we see our future in young people».
“Looking to the future through the eyes of one’s past” is the company’s motto: using the experience and knowledge handed down to continue to open the doors to its future. This is why Salami Spa has never stopped renewing itself and measuring itself daily against its competitors in world markets.
