Technical Member Profile: 2L Technoogies

2L Technologies is one of the newest members of the PMPA, having been founded in 2008. However, the company’s roots go back more than 30 years. In 1979, Pietro Cucchi S.p.A. was estab-lished in Bussero, Italy, located just outside Milan. That company manufactures automatic bar loaders for single- and multi-spindle applications.

In 1997, Pietro Cucchi hired Luca Lanzetta to represent the manufacturer in the United States. "I spent 9 months training at the factory in Italy," recounts Mr. Lanzetta. "First in assembly, then in installation and finally in the sales department." After arriving in Chicago in 1998, he started Pietro Cucchi America.

"The parent company manufac-tures more than 500 bar loaders a year," says Mr. Lanzetta. "These are custom machines, which we imported and sold to the North American market. There have been almost 1,000 installations of Pietro Cucchi equipment throughout the past 20 years."

In March 2008, Mr. Lanzetta began his own business to distribute Pietro Cucchi bar loaders. He called the new com-pany 2L Technologies. (The name "2L" stands for his initials.) "Basically, 2L Technologies replaced Pietro Cucchi
America," explains Mr. Lanzetta. "We still have the same office, employees and products. The only difference is that now I own the company."

2L Technologies is currently the exclusive importer and distributor of Pietro Cucchi equipment for the United States, Canada and Mexico. In addition to its headquarters in Chicago, the company has a facility in North Carolina to inventory OEM spare parts and rebuild bar feeders.

Mr. Lanzetta has been a member of the PMPA since 1999. "Joining PMPA was one of the first moves I made after Pietro Cucchi America opened," he says. "I was looking for ways to make people aware of our bar loaders. I shifted the membership to 2L Technologies last year."

As a PMPA member, Mr. Lanzetta regularly attends the Management Update Conference and the Technical Conference. "I like the networking and sharing of ideas," he states. "I like being up to speed with the latest trends. The meeting topics don’t only cover manufacturing; they cover the overall economy and everything that affects our work.

"I enjoy the training sessions and the different speakers," he continues. "I think the meetings are good opportunities to get everybody together. During the networking events, you really get a feeling for what’s going on in the industry."

Mr. Lanzetta also appreciates the Listserve online forum. "My service manager uses it too," he says. "It’s nice for us to see what people think about our products and about us. It’s nice to be right on top of things. That way, if there’s ever a problem, we can correct it.

"The exposure we get as a PMPA member is very valuable," says Mr. Lanzetta. "When I go to a Management Update meeting, I’m there with 100 different companies. I can’t imagine how long it would take to visit those 100 companies.

"We’re not supposed to do any sales during PMPA meetings," Mr. Lanzetta sums up. "But it’s still an opportunity for us to put our face and our brand in front of the other members. Being a PMPA member definitely brings us business."