WE SHAPE INNOVATION
The modern footwear industry: automation and simplification of the production processes
Roberto Carlone
Newlast Group founder
Newlast group develops highly technological systems with the aim of achieving a fully integrated process that, starting from last design, extends to the marketing of the shoe itself, resulting in tangible results regarding product quality and consumer services.
With this in mind, Newlast, since the 1990s, has redesigned, automated, and optimized every phase of the shoe last production process, revolutionizing a sector long anchored to obsolete, manual processes, enabling it to effectively respond to the needs of an increasingly demanding, globalized, informed, and computerized market.
- Managing costs saving
- Time to market reduction
- Precision, repeatability and high quality production
- Real time data sharing
- Simplification of production processes
The 5 targets that, according to the founder Roberto Carlone, every step of Newlast innovation must aim for.
The latest technological developments are also moving in this direction:
- SDF systems for complete last processing – patented since the early 2000s
- The automatic marking machine SDMARK
- S.L.I.M. 4.0 software for the integrated management of all technical lasts production phases and laser marking steps
- Customer's feet digitizing machines
- Right Shoes platform, which helps the Brands to create and analyse a digital customers' feet database, in order to provide a qualified assistance to the Customer and finding the perfect shoe size during online or in store purchase.
The foundation: the origin of a revolution
Newlast srl is established in Tortona, Alessandria, Italy, in February 1996. After the first successful tests, in 1997 the Newlast CNC, Easylast2, comes true and the very first CNC Newlast machine, SF6, is immediately embraced by the historic Italian lasts producer Fioretti Group.
A persisting growth: significant acquisitions
At the end of the 90's the Newlast Board decides to undertake a policy of strong expansion: in a few years Supermatic and Donzelli join the Group. The technical knowledge together with the know-how will start the true revolution of the whole sector: the complete last turning in one working cycle. However, to the fulfilment of this technological process, some crucial points are still missing.
The technological developments: roots for the future
A new system for optical, contactless lasts and shoes scanning (NL-DIGISCAN) is born. Together with Inescop, Newlast develops an updated version of CAD/CAM Newlast software and all the machines are equipped with CNC Easylast2001. Newlast Group, which started as a small company in Piedmont, at the beginning of the new Millennium, has turned into an international enterprise. In 2001, the subsidiary Newlast International SA is established in Switzerland.
Digiscan2: the right introduction to the SDF project
In the early 2000s the turnover is around 17 Mio. Euros: V2 Elettronica, a famous company in Tortona specialized in the production of precision electronic systems, joins the Group. Thanks to investments in R&D, Newlast creates the new DIGISCAN2. Everything is now ready to make the idea born in 1998 a reality: the Board approves the research on SDF technology development.
The footwear industry deadlock: the offshoring
In the mid of the first decade of the XXI century, the 11th September 2001 attacks and the SARS emergency strongly damaged the global market. The Asian market, in particular, experiences a sudden and unexpected setback. To effectively react to the static economic situation, Newlast Group decides to open a production branch in Guang Dong, China.
The complete turning of the shoe last: a Newlast patent
In 2006, in spite of the difficulties, Newlast developed the SDF technology for complete last turning in a single cycle. The system, operational since 2007 with a new patented clamping system, eliminates manual imperfections. In addition to last factories, footwear manufacturers also began to benefit from the Pattern Making Kit.
A new chance: the cutting tables
Newlast Group launches a new series of automatic cutting machines for leather and technical materials: NL-T2400 and NL-TR1600. The high-level performances of the new machineries attract the attention of investors in the cutting sector, who decide to purchase both the technology and the related know-how.
Out of the crisis: the power of an idea
From 2011 to 2013 an internal beneficial rearrangement takes place. The CEO and Founder Roberto Carlone, wholeheartedly believing in the project of his Group, decides to invest again in the core business of the company, taking Newlast out of the deep international crisis.
New SDF High Speed line: perfection and performances
The Newlast Board focuses on the SDF machines development, in which high-quality manufacturing meets the highest production levels. The SDF HS series forthwith gains the trust of the markets, which are now ready to invest again.
S.L.I.M 4.0: The Footwear Industry of the Future
The dream of a footwear industry of the future is within reach. The new bet is the integrated S.L.I.M 4.0 platform, which simplifies the work of the shoe factory. The first module combines precise machines such as the SDMC with sophisticated software for manufacturers of technical lasts for automation.
A new support for modeling
Newlast develops the faster and more precise DIGISCAN.SL/evo, integrated into S.L.I.M. 4.0. With just 2 positionings, it offers a complete and rapid 3D scan, managed by the S.L.I.M. 4.0 DIGITIZING MODULE. For model making, the COMPARISON MODULE is available for checking turned models. Launch of the new DGS8MP digitizer, unique in the industry, with 8.5 Mpx cameras optimized for automatic 3D last detection.