Silvalac receives Nitto’s ‘Quality Winner’ award for surface protection film

Silvalac, a leading flexible packaging solutions company of the Armando Alvarez Group with more than 50 years in the market, has been awarded with the ‘Quality Winner’ recognition for the quality of its surface protection film, at the 2024 edition of the Nitto Business Summit, held in Turin, Italy on Thursday, November 14. 

This award highlights the joint effort of Silvalac’s commercial and technical team, which has worked tirelessly to develop an innovative solution for our customer, Nitto, one of the leading multinationals in the industrial materials sector. 

Ana Alvarez, Vice President of the Armando Alvarez Group, received the award on behalf of Silvalac, reflecting the company’s commitment of excellence and innovation. 

In this project, we developed a solution aimed at satisfying a specific demand of a strategic market for Nitto, oriented to the protection of large glass plates during a critical stage in their manufacturing process. The result was the design and production of a surface protection film, manufactured using advanced extrusion equipment acquired especially for this new market segment. 

This equipment allows the manufacture of highly demanding technical films with a maximum width of up to 3,500 mm, making it the widest technical film extrusion line installed to date in Europe. This significant increase in film width has made it possible to optimize the manufacturing process in the glass industry, eliminating several intermediate stages and considerably reducing the risk of surface damage during the coating phase. 

The theme of this year’s Nitto Business Summit was “Thrive,” focused on recognizing the growth and transformation of industries toward a more sustainable future. 

Nitto: a strategic, global customer 

Nitto is a multinational company recognized for its leadership in the manufacture of innovative industrial materials, with applications ranging from electronics and automotive to healthcare and the environment.  

With a global presence and a focus on advanced solutions for its customers, Nitto partners with high-performance suppliers to ensure superior quality products. This time, the collaboration with Silvalac has led to the development of a unique product that offers robust and reliable protection for delicate surfaces, a crucial aspect in the transfer of glass components for multiple industries. 

The choice of Silvalac as the supplier for this project reflects Nitto’s trust and recognition of the company’s technical capacity and flexibility to adapt to the needs of each customer, offering customized and high-quality solutions. 

Surface protection film: adaptability and high performance 

Silvalac’s surface protection films are a versatile solution designed to cover a wide range of surfaces and ensure optimal fixation during transportation, from glass and metal to plastics and wood.  

These films offer temporary protection, maintaining the integrity and aesthetic appearance of surfaces during handling, transportation and installation. Normally used in conjunction with adhesives, these plastics, which form a second skin for surfaces, must meet very demanding properties.  

In the case of the project developed for Nitto, extensive development work was carried out to ensure that the product offered effective protection against scratches, dirt and other potential damage during the transport and manufacturing process, without affecting the mechanical and optical properties of the glass. Thanks to this effort, Silvalac has been able to deliver a tailor-made solution, once again underlining its commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. 

Commitment to sustainability in each solution 

At Silvalac, innovation goes hand in hand with environmental responsibility. The company has implemented a strategy focused on offering sustainable solutions for the packaging sector, aligned with the principles of circular economy and reduction of environmental impact. Each year, Silvalac invests in research and development to improve the sustainability of its products, optimizing the use of resources and reducing waste. 

Part of this strategy includes the use of recycled and recyclable raw materials, as well as reducing the thickness of films without compromising their performance, which means reducing the volume of plastic placed on the market and cost savings for customers.  

In addition, production is carried out under strict quality controls, certified by different world-renowned brands, which ensure energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint. This commitment is part of the plastic environmental sustainability plan of our parent company, Armando Alvarez Group, called GoCircularPlastics.  

With GoCircularPlastics we seek to make a rational use of the plastic solutions we offer in the market accompanied by a correct management at the end of their useful life. We invite you to learn more about the Armando Alvarez Group’s environmental sustainability plan for plastics. 

Innovation and customization at the customer’s service 

One of Silvalac’s main strengths is its ability to adapt to the specific needs of each customer, developing tailor-made products that meet the most demanding market requirements. The recognition of Nitto is a clear example of this ability, highlighting the effort, tenacity and dedication of the Silvalac team to offer innovative and effective solutions. 

The development of the surface protection film for Nitto involved the design of a solution with very specific requirements, such as a surface width of 3.5m, which involved investment in advanced machinery and technology to ensure that the result exceeded the customer’s expectations. The experience and flexibility of the technical team enabled the challenges of the project to be overcome, delivering a product that combines high strength, controlled adhesion and exceptional optical and mechanical properties. 

(H3) Towards a more sustainable and responsible future 

Silvalac’s vision is firmly focused on sustainability and responsible innovation. The company constantly strives to minimize its environmental impact, not only by developing industry-leading polyethylene films for consumer and industrial flexible packaging, but also by protecting the environment.  

With initiatives such as reducing its carbon footprint, using resources efficiently and adopting a circular economy model for plastics, Silvalac demonstrates its commitment to a more sustainable future. 

In conclusion, the award received at the Nitto Business Summit 2024 is a recognition of these values that distinguish the Silvalac team. An achievement that reaffirms the company’s commitment to its customers and to sustainability.