34 | Focus on Italy: IMAL PAL Group
concentrated in is North America,” said Mr Zanasi
The prevalence of older technologies
in many North American panel plants give opportunities for upgrading opportunities in the years ahead.
An area of significant success for IMAL PAL Group and which demonstrates it abilities to diversify and supply a wide range of projects is pallet block production. This market involves much of the same equipment as a panelboard line, just for a different end-use, with 80mm thick pallet blocks instead of panels. “We are now more concentrated in particleboard pallet blocks, which involve screening equipment, a belt dryer, gluing and an extrusion press. We are manufacturing two big projects now, giving the company a good source of income.”
Above: Belt dryer installation in Turkey
water, giving about 20% more capacity. So, the current dryer therefore represents a bottleneck.” Other belt dryer installations include
two units to Linex in France. The project also involved IMAL PAL Group supplying conveyers, cleaning systems for wood, silos and automation in a package. The dryers were commissioned earlier this year and are now running at full capacity, increasing the efficiency and capacity of the plant. The Linex plant itself is now regarded as one of the most efficient in Europe, thanks to an 18Mw energy plant. Two more belt dryers, the world’s first three-decks units, will be shipped to North America, a market of great interest to IMAL PAL Group currently. An earlier project involved 2 belt dryers being supplied to Kastamonu Entegre in Kastamonu City – a very successful project. The subject of the markets is never
very far away. With panel board makers’ profitability being poor over the last couple of years, investment levels – particularly in Europe – are reduced. “Markets all over the world are not so strong currently,” Mr Zanasi said. “The profits of the chipboard plants are not so interesting to consider investment projects at the moment.” Due to the natural saturation of the Chinese market, all machinery manufacturers are moving to offer and sell plants in Western markets, creating intense competition for Western producers. IMAL’s Dynasteam steam injection
system – designed to heat the wood mat prior to pressing, effectively speeding
One project is in the Baltic region, and the other is in Spain and the combined value is €80m. Wood recycling and gluing operations are the same as in panelboard lines, though the thickness of the blocks make it a more complicated process, with a cylinder in the extrusion press condensing the material. All components for one of the two projects will be shipped by the end of 2025, while the other one will see shipping start by the end of the year. “Whatever happens on the market, we are
able to do our best and supply projects with pleasure.”
The IMAL HI-JET resinations systems Above: IMAL OSB resination system
up production – has been an important piece of equipment for panel makers. With panel makers’ priorities not on increasing capacity, the IMAL PAL Group is emphasising Dynasteam’s capabilities to make production more efficient, reduce glue consumption and lower costs. The IMAL PAL Group also has been making presses for many years, and its reference list of continuous press projects currently extends to eight, with the most recent project being a 30 meters long press order for a 250,000m3
OSB project in Vietnam.
Commissioning was due in 2025, but delays at the customer end mean the project will be completed later. Some machinery has already been shipped, with other equipment completed and waiting to be shipped. “We think the area we can be more
WBPI | October/November 2025 |
www.wbpionline.com
have a huge international following around the world, with installations in Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, North America and Europe. “We have several good big projects.” In all, over 240 gluing systems have been installed, with a big reference list of HI-JET resination systems in MDF. A major current order is destined for a large OSB plant in North America with a capacity of over 1 million m³/year. IMAL is supplying three Hi- JET systems for the different layers of the OSB panel. PAL is providing all the screening machines. The equipment is currently waiting to be shipped. Replacing more drum blenders in US OSB plants is a big aim. Another OSB HI-JET resination system was supplied for Egger in Wismar two years ago to replace old American drum blenders. “We are working with all our strength
to develop new technologies,” Mr Zanasi summarised. “I believe that 2026 will be a good time
for recovery and for the industry to be more profitable. “If the war in Ukraine stops and rebuilding starts, it will also mean new homes with new furniture. Also, a rebuilding of Gaza will mean new wood-based panels - particularly from Turkey. Then we could supply new equipment and lines to many countries.” ●
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