A conversation with Gaetano Lo Guzzo, Mazak Europe

On the sidelines of the Tube fair in Düsseldorf, I interviewed Gaetano Lo Guzzo (left in the picture), Director of Laser Business Europe at Yamazaki Mazak. The company, founded in Japan in 1919, is a world-renowned player in the landscape of tube and sheet metal cutting machine manufacturers.

How important is the tube market to you?
As a specific weight, that of sheet metal is much larger; we are talking about 80 versus 20 percent. However, our customers in the tube industry are important to us, and it is fundamental for us to be here.

How was this Tube 2022?
First of all, we were happy to have an exhibition. Of course, we expected a little more, although a slight drop in attendance was already in the forecast; let's say that for our side, we tried to balance costs and benefits, also considering that five days are not a few; perhaps less was enough.

In the past few months, there was another very significant event for you, the opening of the European Laser Technology Center in Milan.
From May 18 to now, we have opened three new Mazak branches. In addition to the one in Cerro Maggiore (near Milan), we recently inaugurated one in Denmark and another in Romania. The aim is to be as close as possible to our target markets.

Speaking of which, what are the strongest markets for Mazak Europe?
Most of the customers come from Italy, Germany, and Eastern Europe.

And which ones would you bet on for the future?
There is a lot of potential in Eastern Europe, especially in Poland. A good chunk of the mechanical engineering world is moving to Eastern European soil, where labor costs, land costs, and EU funding are favoring the installation of new facilities for tube and sheet metal production and processing.

How is your order book?
Pretty full. The year 2021 has been defined by the management in Japan as the "best year ever", and we are still benefiting from this positive trend. Unfortunately, as you may have heard elsewhere, delivery times have been lengthened due to semiconductor shortages.

How does Mazak differ from its competitors?
We are not a company that produces very high numbers, but we focus on targeted machines with a peculiar design. Among our pluses, I would mention a high level of technical service, the lightning-fast availability– even 24 hours– of spare parts, and the reliability of our Technology Centers and technology solutions.

Did you present any novelty in Düsseldorf?
We brought for the first time an FT-150 FIBER, introduced at the end of 2021, a laser machine for cutting operations that can handle tube diameters up to 152.4 mm and a maximum of 4 tons. This model, designed for maximum productivity, can perform multiple processes in one: cutting, drilling, tapping, all with the same machine. Among the latest innovations, I would mention the OPTIPLEX 3015 NEO S for high-speed cutting of sheet metal, and the FG-220, for 3D fiber laser cutting on long tubes and structural material. At the upcoming Euroblech, we will present a European premiere of an even more advanced version, the FG-400 NEO.

Thus, if you want to experience Mazak's innovations firsthand, you are invited to come to Hanover in October. Alternatively, Mazak awaits you in Cerro Maggiore (Milan), in the spacious showroom of its brand new European Technology Center Laser - ETC Laser.

Daniela Di Maggio
Editor-in-chief
expometals.net