Its business revolves around the design and manufacture of fixed and tipping truck bodies, as well as aluminum van kits, either shipped as components or installed directly on vehicles. Everything is developed and produced in a single production site located in the industrial zone of Latina, where nearly all operations are handled internally. Apart from a few outsourced processes, the company has always aimed to keep full control over quality, cost and delivery times.
The decision to implement Lantek’s software solutions came as the company sought to strengthen its technical capabilities, streamline production management and optimize material usage. It became clear that efficiency could no longer depend solely on experience or manual coordination, especially with a growing order volume.
“Before Lantek, our production wasn’t digitally connected. We lacked a system that could coordinate planning, technical office tasks and shop floor activity in real time,” explains Alessandro Valletta, Head of Planning.
“Now that connection is in place, and it allows us to work with more information, greater accuracy and fewer delays.”
The technical team, comprising three specialists, uses Lantek Expert to manage all machine programming. Their equipment includes plasma cutting machines, several press brakes, automated cutting saws for iron and aluminum bars, automatic sheet metal storage, and flattening and cutting lines. All these machines are now interconnected using Lantek’s systems, which has led to a clear increase in productivity compared to the previous setup. Just as important, it has brought visibility into what is being produced, what is discarded and how to better optimize each batch.
Customer projects are imported directly as CAD files and processed in Lantek Expert, which automatically creates optimal nesting layouts for each sheet. The team often combines parts from different clients or multiple kits in the same sheet, a strategy that helps reduce material waste and make better use of stock. Advanced features such as common-line cutting and cutting strategies in Expert Cut and automatic toolpath generation are used daily and adapted to suit the needs of each project.
Alongside Expert, the introduction of Lantek MES has bridged the gap between planning and execution. All production orders, including those with multiple steps or assemblies, can be tracked from a single platform. Data is captured directly on the shop floor with Lantek MES WOS and Lantek MES Capture, and production progress is updated in real time, component by component. This traceability proves essential when coordinating simultaneous workflows or prioritizing based on delivery deadlines.
“The clearest benefit of MES is that we can see, at any time, what part is finished, what is in progress and what is still pending. It helps us plan the next jobs with more clarity and less guesswork,” says Valletta.
All data generated by the system is integrated with the company’s ERP, ensuring full alignment between production, inventory, accounting and purchasing. This connection has also opened the door to a smarter manufacturing model, where decisions are made based on reliable data rather than assumptions. For inventory and remnant control linked to nests, the team uses Lantek Integra Inventory, integrated with the Lantek Integra ERP platform.
“We have been digitizing our production processes for several years now, and recently started looking into how to implement specific smart manufacturing systems. Lantek gives us the tools to move in that direction in a realistic, step-by-step way,” adds the planning manager.
The company also highlights the quality of the support and training provided during implementation. According to Valletta, the transition was handled effectively, allowing the team to quickly gain confidence in using the system.
“Lantek software is now essential to how we operate. We haven’t just gained efficiency, we’ve gained control. And that is vital when you manage an end-to-end production process.”