COMPANY NEWS
IMA AUTOMATION operates through an integrated network of companies with consolidated know-how gained in research and development. Over the years it has turned its attention to the Automotive segment, investing above all in vertical technologies on E-mobility. This strategy has allowed IMA Group to grow further and create a real pool of dedicated companies.
The companies now part of the IMA AUTOMATION Hub have developed high-level skills, positioning itself as a leader among the companies that offer specialized technological solutions. However, the emergence of new markets, such as those relating to the Automotive and electric mobility sectors, has led us to reorganize all the Group companies dedicated to the world of automation and advanced assembly under a single internal structure.
Alberto Vacchi, Chairman and CEO of IMA S.p.A.
Through the IMA AUTOMATION Division, in fact, the Group started the creation of a hub that gathers plants and technological skills. The goal is to offer partners and clients a global support, a better product engineering and even more advanced services in plant’s management and maintenance.
The current strategic choice sees us committed at creating a new organizational model. We started a process that is leading activities and plants towards a strong integration, increased synergies and power in the technological field. At the same time, the customer care service is strengthened and expanded thanks to a more widespread presence for a better management of activities in the field.
Lorenzo Maldarelli, IMA AUTOMATION Division Director
Nine production plants around the world
Not an easy challenge, as the new hub has multiple realities, different products and targets.
“In fact,” continues Lorenzo Maldarelli, “to date, nine production plants are part of the new IMA AUTOMATION hub, distributed in Italy (Bologna, Florence, Alessandria and Vicenza), Switzerland, USA, China and Malaysia. Especially, the IMA Group is investing in the widening of its productive capacity in the e-mobility and electric motors fields. ATOP’s acquisition took place two years ago, with headquarters in Barberino di Tavernelle (FI). It is a leading company in the production of automatic machines and lines for the production of wound stators and rotors. For a much stronger penetration in the market of electric motors, no longer than a few weeks ago, the Group has completed a 80% acquisition of FASP. This company develops lines for the production of electric motors with winding and insertion technology.”
Not only electric mobility
These strategic choices that point to an emerging market such as that of electric mobility. But they do not distract IMA from the remaining technologies linked to the world of advanced industrial automation. “Our plant in Alessandria produces installations dedicated to continuous and indexed assembly systems for small and medium plastic components to be used in the food, beverage, cosmetics and pharmaceutical closures sectors. In the two plants in Switzerland we design high-tech installations mainly dedicated to the medical devices and watchmaking sectors. Lines intended for the production of medical devices, automotive, electro mechanicals and ink-jet are also being made in the North America (LovesPark, IL), China (Shanghai) and Malesia (Penang) plants.”
The merger involving the different plants and technologies within IMA AUTOMATION is a delicate process. It will guarantee the division numerous short and long-term benefits. Under the technological profile, the integration will generate a better transversality of skills and know-how. Thus it will allow to diversify the solution’s offer and guarantee a minor plants’ lead time. The widest integration with the consolidated packaging experience of IMA will also allow synergies and will expand the offer of highly customized technical solutions.
Digital solutions
It is no coincidence that the contribution that cutting-edge technologies play within this new development plan is fundamental. Today, integrated robotic solutions find space within most of the productive processes. Digital platforms and personalized applications, products and services realized inside the Corporate IMA Digital project, allow – already now, but increasingly in the future – to virtualize factories and plants, accelerating the design and implementation phases of the various solutions. Important investments in the Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning fields have been made to guarantee a superior control of production, a more accurate quality control of the product and a much higher productive efficiency.
IMA AUTOMATION, as it is part of the IMA Group, lay on solid foundations. Among these there is a consolidated productive and commercial network – gained in over 70 years of experience – able to give it strong muscularity and a central role as main contractor in the supply of complete and turnkey installations. The new hub will be more than an equipment manufacturer. It will propose itself on the market as a solution provider for IMA partners. This is possible thanks to a new pool of companies dimensionally suitable for the magnitude of the potential projects that will see it involved, industrially prepared and with its own integrated supply chain on a global level.
Focus on sustainability: IMA Zero
“And we should not leave out another fundamental aspect related to this integration of companies and skills,” concludes Lorenzo Maldarelli. “The new IMA AUTOMATION HUB will be a real channel to concretize two great sustainability projects, part of the program named IMA Zero. IMA AUTOMATION will concentrate its efforts supporting the IMA LOW-Impact, a program dedicated at the reduction of energy consumptions of machines and productive processes, and IMA E-Mob, which promotes investments in the research and development of new solutions and technologies for sustainable mobility.”
IMA Zero embodies the commitment of the Group for the creation of products, productive processes and services, realized according to a logic of sustainability.
IMA AUTOMATION: some data
- IMA AUTOMATION, division of the IMA Group, designs and manufactures systems and complete lines for micro and macro-assembly. It operates within the Automotive, E-Mobility, Electric Motors, Medical Devices, Eye Care, Caps & Closures, Electro Mechanics and Watchmaking dedicated markets;
- With an annual revenue of over 220 million Euros, it produces more than 300 lines per year destined for the global market, in plants distributed in Italy, Switzerland, USA, China, Malaysia;
- With more than 800 resources employed, IMA AUTOMATION has registered and filed more than 580 patents. It also has been operating on the market for over 50 years.
