by Laura Reggiani |
Manufacturing in Italy is possible, and it is confirmed by. TDK Foil, a company part of the TDK Group, the only Western manufacturer of aluminum foil for electrolytic capacitors based in Rozzano, in the Milanese hinterland. Founded in 1955 under the name Becromal by Ernest Charles Rosenthal with a business dedicated to early electrochemical etching, the company built its first production site and defined its headquarters in Rozzano in 1966, where in 1969 it began production of its first high-voltage foils, supported by Siemens know-how. It was in the early 1990s that it began production of new types of foils, A991 and later A992, A993 and A994, products with which the company consolidated its position as a leader in the high-voltage foil sector, which it confirmed by then making im- portant investments in the production of high-voltage foils in the early 2000s, going so far as to certify the plant to ISO 9001 and to build a new pilot plant based on a new high-voltage etching technology.
The company became part of the EPCOS Group in 2008, when the company acquired 100 percent of its shares in October, and then joined the TDK Group the following year. Since then, as Emanuele Saiu, who joined the company in 2011 and has been Managing Director and CEO since 2016, explains, TDK Foil's development path has never stopped: "The last decade has been very important for TDK Foil. In these years, the company has started new production at a plant in Iceland, installed new multiphase etching machines for the production of ultra-high-gain foil, built the first cogeneration plant, and expanded production capacity for this type of foil."
Experience and expertise
The company's strength, as Saiu explains, is the technological expertise that only a few factories in the East have, acquired over some 70 years of experience in the production of aluminum foil for electrolytic capacitors-a know-how that has made it a key player in terms of product and process innovation. "In TDK Foil, the raw aluminum foil undergoes a multiphase electrochemical process that changes the surface structure at the microscopic level in order to increase its electrical capacity and create a stable oxide layer on its surface. The characteristics of the material used, namely pure aluminum foil, imply effective inspection procedures and constant technology development," Saiu further explains. "Itmay sound like a trivial product, but the one made by TDK Foil is fundamental to the production of aluminum electrolytic capacitors, to which it provides excellent performance in terms of high capacitance, high mechanical strength, low ESR and high reliability, enabling the functionality of almost all electronic circuits and devices, while supporting trends in capacitor miniaturization and meeting the most advanced requirements from the automotive and industrial sectors." Saiu is proud of his plant and its people: "The TDK Foil plant is operational 365 days a year and operates in three shifts. About 100 people work in the company, with about 50 percent of them employed in production activities and the remaining 50 percent dedicated to research and development and commercial activities. The team is young and close-knit, although in recent years some problems have arisen with the generational change, and the company has found itself in constant search of skilled workers with expertise in electrochemical production and everything that takes place in a process industry." With this in mind and in order to create future generations of technicians, TDK Foil has entered into an agreement with the local Mount Amiata State Institute, to which it provides support in the form of funding and purchase of equipment for its educational laboratory.
A state-of-the-art plant
Other features of the Rozzano plant to note include a focus on worker health and safety, respect for the environment, reduced energy consumption and product quality. TDK Foil places paramount importance on achieving the highest standards of occupational health and safety, in every area of activity, and the commitment to health and well-being extends not only to employees, but also to suppliers and local communities. Respect for the environment is also part of TDK Foil's goals: reducing the impact on the environment and conserving natural resources have always been an important mission for TDK Foil's research and development activities.
"The energy and environmental management system introduced in our plants reflects our commitment to being environmentally responsible," Saiu explains. "Being environmentally conscious for us means: sustainable product development from the very beginning; production processes optimized for energy efficiency; adoption of an Energy Action Plan that promotes the application of environmentally sustainable solutions from reducing energy consumption to using renewable resources; recycling of our chemicals; maximizing water recycling and reuse; and reducing waste."
With this in mind, a cogenerator and a trigenerator were installed in 2013-2015 to meet the electrical and thermal energy demands of the entire plant. Finally, the quality of products and services is another essential part of TDK Foil's business strategy. Consistent application of a quality management system results in flawless products and a high level of benefit to the user of the components.
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