Gimatic is a leading global manufacturer of pneumatic and electric grippers for End Of Arm Tooling used in industrial automation. The company specialises in the production of vacuum cups (flat and bellow), pneumatic nippers, air hands, linear slides and sensors specifically for End of Arm Tooling (EOAT) assemblies. Its plastics range consists of components that create specialised gripper systems for robots that extract and handle components around plastic conversion machinery. Having operated in the field of automation for more than 30 years, Gimatic today boasts a vast range of products supplied worldwide in a wide variety of markets. The new challenge faced by Gimatic today is to enter the market of electrical actuators in the mechatronics arena and to expand its already established vacuum range of products.
The winning strategy adopted by Gimatic is to excel in flexibility, skill and technology and these attributes have made it a cutting-edge company. What makes it a competitive business is its ability to grow, as is shown by its ongoing investment, with 10% of its annual turnover being ploughed back into research and development to expand its business worldwide. Gimatic can rely on a well organised, highly reliable network of subsidiaries, distributors and sister companies, which together guarantee a continuous flow of new products and solutions developed in response to customers’ needs.
Gimatic is also synonymous with quality, which is achieved through the use of innovative, technologically advanced machining processes and close-knit quality control procedures monitoring both incoming components and finished products. As a key part of its social responsibility, the company has also adopted the strictest measures for safeguarding the environment.
Here are some of the highlights of Gimatic’s journey:
A vision is enacted
In 1985, three friends decided to combine their skills and experience to create a dynamic new business focusing on pneumatic grippers, that even through the era of globalisation would stay true to the values of a family business as it evolved.
First patent
In 1986 the first pneumatic gripper was developed and Gimatic registered its first patent. Many more products were to follow, such as two- and three-jaw parallel grippers, radial grippers, linear and rotary actuators, linear electric guides, linear motors and many more.
The advent of mechatronics
Gimatic always had an active interest in the electric actuator market and with an eye on the future, in 2012 the company introduced its first mechatronics products, which included two- and three-jaw electric parallel grippers and electric actuators. These were followed the following year by the design and launch of electric angular grippers, radial electric grippers, parallel electric grippers with long stroke, linear electric guides and electric motors.
New competence centres
2017 marked the opening of new branches, Gimatic Automation Engineering in Changshu, China and Gimatic Balkan in Belgrade. The creation of these new subsidiaries as competence centres aimed to centralise the company’s technical expertise and provide training in advanced technologies.
Taking on the world
In 2018, USA technology and industrial products supplier, Barnes Group, acquired Gimatic from its founder, Giuseppe Bellandi and the investment funds Agic Capital and Xenon Capital Partners. Barnes Group is a global supplier of highly engineered products, differentiated industrial technologies and innovative solutions. Its specialised products and services are used in applications ranging from aerospace to transportation, manufacturing, healthcare and packaging.
More expansion
In the same year, Gimatic took over its strategic supplier, the Italian company, M.T.M. Montini Tecnologie Meccaniche and also registered new patents in the mechatronics field. This acquisition enabled it to shorten manufacturing times and respond faster to customers. Gimatic M.T.M. specialises in the design and manufacture of parts for robotic handling, for automotive, pneumatic, medical and hydraulic components and for mechatronics in general. It also specialises in subcontracting for lathing and milling processes and in the manufacturing of mechanical parts to customers’ designs, all the way from concept to the finished piece. With an annual production capacity of 160 000 hours, the range of products and semi-processed parts is enough to meet the demands of any market. Thanks to this high productivity, the company M.T.M. Montini was able to expand its production area by 3000 square metres, reaching a total of 8000 square metres.
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