SIGN OF INNOVATION - Plastica Alfa: water, irrigation and thermo-hydraulics

 

Located in the ​​industrial area of Caltagirone, Plastica Alfa is one of the most dynamic productive reality in the island. Established between 1975 and 1983 from the experience of two technicians in the design of irrigation systems (initially as a design and development firm and later as a manufacturing company), the company soon specializes in the transformation of plastics by molding and extrusion and distribution of plastic products for irrigation and hydraulics

PlasticaAlfa’s  challenge since the very beginning  is to bring a quality Italian product in areas  largely dominated by foreign competitors andattack foreign markets with a philosophy in which competitiveness and quality are the distinctive and irreplaceable. This resulted in great visibility and good reputation for the company. Year after year, product after product, Plastica Alfa has grown to become the most important production company established in the territory, with 120 employees and a turnover of 80% coming from exports. The breakthrough is represented by the entry into the field of plumbing. Between 1989 and 1990 the company expanded its production with a range of Polypropylene Random, PPR, pipes and fittings: the system ALFAIDRO. It is then designed the first line of compression fittings, the BLULINE followed a few years later by BLULINE Plus, which enters the market becoming vital support in hydraulic and irrigation. Since that time the company enters in a great productive excitement, developing awide range of  filters and accessories for gardening. In 2006 the first PPR valve with metalball is developed and soon  theValvevolution range is enlarged  with threaded PPGF valves. In parallel with the productionof  valves, Plastica Alfa increases its production  with flanged and Victaulic grooved fittings . In 2009, the company enhances the range with MULTYPEXALFA, composite PEX-AL-PEX pipes joined by the PPR-AL-PPR pipe and NOFIRE flame resistant. Last born is ALFATURBO, entirely plastic sand separator, designed to enable a quick inspection and easy to install in series (size ø2 AND ø3 inches with multiple types of connections to the network).

"year by year - says Mario Pace, CEO - necessary facilities inside the company were set up: a well-equipped workshop for the construction of molds for more than 3500 items in our catalog, a Tests and Control Laboratory with each type of equipment for the tests on raw material and finished products, a Research & Development Department with five full-time employees engaged in the search for new applications to identify the most innovative materials and solutions in the aim of optimization of a precious resource like water. International markets - said Mario Pace - have always rewarded our commitment to improvement and innovation and they keep doing it even in this time of international crisis; our constant creative effort is thus intended to provide durable and certified products  for a variety of applications.

 

1975: Mario Pace (the current Chairman and Managing Director) and Francesco Nobile established “Studio Alfa Irrigazione”, a company dedicated to the design and implementation of localised irrigation systems. This venture soon evolved into Plastica Alfa S.r.l. (1983), a company that manufactures pipe fittings and other accesories with the support of the R&D department: operating with just two moulding presses, the production of Alfa Jo drippers and barbed fittings began;

1987: The first line of plastic cylinder valves and ball valves for irrigation began. With these items on board, the company was now able to enter foreign markets.

1989-1990: The company expanded production to a new area: thermo-hydraulics, and with a range of pipes and fittings made of random polypropylene random (RPP), the Alfaidro system was born.

1991-1992: The project for the first line of compression fittings began to take shape: the BluLine rapidly entered the market, becoming a fundamental means of support for the hydraulics and irrigation sectors.

1994: Plastica Alfa obtained Quality Management System (QMS) Certification, becoming one of the first companies in the sector to introduce a control system for all of its internal production processes.

1996-1998: The company progressed into the localised irrigation sector, producing fittings for drip lines and drip tapes, with both product lines maintaining the same high level of installation flexibility.

1999-2000 : This was a two-year period of intense activity: Venturi ALFA injectors, Valve Boxes and a line of Disk Filters; all aspects of these products were improved and completed in the course of the coming years, with a popular presence in foreign markets. The company obtained certification for its Environmental Management System, fulfilling the requirements of the UNI EN ISO 14001 standard.

2000-2001: The production department and workshop were moved to the new plant, which covers an area of 6.000 m2. The company invested in new technologies, introducing Computer Aided Design in 3D (CAD) and a Computer Aided Manufacturing system (V+CAM).

In the course of the following years, other computer numerical control tools were employed (CNC work-stations, milling machines, electro discharge lathes).

2001: The third ramge of compression fittings was introduced, Blu Line PLUS, with an innovative design, a rapid-coupling system and high performance flanges (PN16).The Quality System improved, fulfilling the requirements of the new UNI EN ISO  9000 standard, known as ““VISION 2000”.

2002: The company acquired a site for the production of PE, PP, RPP and spiral pipes.

2003: The administrative offices moved to new premises of 16.700 m2, making a total available area of 32.000 m2 , including the existing plants.

2004-2006: The first RPP and metal spherical ball valve was introduced: the Valvevolution range would soon be completed in a threaded version in PPFG (Polypropylene with Fiberglass), with flanged and Victaulic connections for the irrigation, hydraulics and food and beverage industries.

2007: Plastica Alfa, and its Valvevolution and Blu Line PLUS brands, the results of the company's creative philosophy, became registered trademarks. 

2008: The company expanded its product range in the thermohydraulic sector with the introduction of MULTYPEXALFA: the new Pex-Al-Pex multilayered pipe and a range of nickel-plated brass Press-connection Fittings. Work began on a new Push-fit range in Polyphenylsulfone (PPSF).

2009: This was ALFATURBO’s year; with the new sand separator filter, which enhances the Plastica Alfa offer in the field of irrigation.

2010: ALFAIDRO PLUS, a multilayered pipe based on an RPP 80 Alfaidro  pipe, using the metric system, with an inner layer of aluminum alloy and an outer layer of black PPR. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor installations, with a low thermal expansion coefficient.

2011: This was the year that the multilayer came into its own, with the addition to its range of the GAS line and the UV-resitant line.  The ALFATURBO range of sand separators was also completed with the introduction of the  1- and 3-inch versions.

2012: Yet another line came onto the market: the ALFAIDRO FASER, an RPP tube with fibre-glass reinfoced co-extrusion and the POZZETTI di SCARICHE SIFONATI from Alfa (sump unit), to be used in the construction industry for wastewater disposal.