Our history
Leggeri in volo
It was 1969 when Stefano Poggipolini raced on the hills
of Bologna with his motocross bike.
It was the determination, the passion for
mechanics and speed that allowed the Poggipolini SpA company to become today a reference point
of Italian excellence in the aeronautical and sports industry.
A long and exciting
journey:
Malpensa, 1971
The beginnings in racing
Stefano Poggipolini in one of his first races in Monte delle Formiche, in the province of Bologna.
A Gerosa motorbike, a famous 1960s brand, adapted for motocross and prepared down to the smallest detail, in the garage of his father, Calisto.
The first projects for the lightening of mechanical components are born, an excellent know-how soon develops, which will be handed down from generation to generation and based in particular on one material: titanium.
First orders for the Poggipolini "workshop"
In years of great motorcycling ferment, Bologna was preparing to become the home of racing, together with the Via Emilia the reference for a new industrial chain.
Ducati, Moto Morini, Mondial and other historic brands took the spotlight, unleashing engineering talent on tracks around the world. The need for special parts and specialised labour exploded.
Calisto Poggipolini began to deal with it by employing great innovation, starting to produce the first titanium bolts; alloys of which he soon became an expert, starting with work on prestigious watch cases.
Races, victories, the beginning of a new professional career
Stefano grew up as a motorcyclist, participating in important international races and obtaining prestigious call-ups from the Italian national rider team.
But the retreats in Coverciano and the comparisons on the track, with the great Czechoslovakian riders, would soon give way to a commercial activity that ran through his veins. With his future wife Rosanna, they began to follow the motocross world championships with a tent and trunk full of bolts.
In a short time, the riders themselves asked Poggipolini for super-performance fixings, and important supplies began to Montesa, Maico and large motorcycle manufacturers.
The first unforgettable Motor Show, 1976
A 4 square metre stand, titanium bolts and titanium pins displayed in a simple display case, a lot of determination in building one's future.
Brembo and Ducati began commercial partnerships that year, which are still renewed and enhanced today.
While the greatest drivers on the circuit confirmed themselves as excellent customers, the Poggipolini fixings, innovative and super light, became increasingly famous.
The company grows with motorsport products
The first product catalog was born and a solid warehouse of m6,m8,m10 bolts was created. The complexity of titanium treatments represented a major barrier to entry for potential competitors.
Some riders continued to come to the company to dismantle their bikes and reassemble them with titanium parts.
A tailoring job. Raising the quality bar provided the first supplies to the speed world championships. A growing market, a pivotal moment for the company, which began to serve Aprilia, Cagiva and Ducati.
Entry into Formula 1 with Porsche
The new headquarters in San Lazzaro di Savena on the Via Emilia, new German production machines, the first Index, and hot moulding processes contributed to positioning Poggipolini as an innovative player in racing.
And so at the beginning of the 1980s, we entered the automotive sector, with our first prestigious client, Porsche.
The German car manufacturer requested a forged titanium engine valve retainer, for a Tag Turbo McLaren Formula 1 engine, the same one used by the great Senna.
…and finally, the Ferrari dream
Porsche led the way into Formula 1 in 1984, and in 1988 Poggipolini managed to join Ferrari as a supplier to the F1 team.
The great Maranello team involved the company in some lightening projects, not just the engine. The applications involved various special alloys, not simply titanium.
An important and ambitious commitment, which accelerated growth in the product and technological processes.
From 200 kg to 135 kg. Keyword: lightness
Between 1990 and 1992 the consumption of titanium increased exponentially and the company had to undertake its first international trips to procure raw material.
Russia and the United States were the world's largest producers. Stefano Poggipolini closed the first supply contract with Russia, in one of the major Siberian titanium factories.
The company increasingly established itself as a specialist in lightweighting.
The first steps in aeronautics: Agusta Westland
During the years of production of the H101, one of Agusta Westland's most important helicopters, Poggipolini entered the aeronautical market, studying and designing the titanium hydraulic system.
Once the order was completed, the company decided to dedicate itself to Formula One, believing it was there it could make the most of its know-how.
In just a few years however, aeronautics and defense became the real target markets, perfect for unleashing the innovative capabilities acquired in F1.
A great investment
Entry into the aeronautical market required the company to develop its processes and obtain the necessary certifications.
The large players in the sector needed technological partners and Poggipolini decided to push on its innovative talent. A rapid and demanding commercial and production explosion followed.
Special fixings and precision components became the basis for company successes, made possible by employing the latest generation machinery and bringing chemicals, coatings and heat treatments in house. The quality control on the products was 100% guaranteed.
NCR ran, Michele takes his first entrepreneurial steps
The NCR brand projected Poggipolini into racing. A famous brand founded in 1969 right next to Ducati, which also managed to win world titles in the series derivative motorcycle category. Stefano Poggipolini decided to acquire the brand in 2001, with the aim of developing a super light motorcycle, combining noble materials adopted in Formula 1 with a 2-valve Ducati engine.
The management of this ambitious project brought out the professionalism of Michele Poggipolini, Stefano's son. The boy, an engine expert and former Go Kart driver, consolidated the team's results in a few months, winning 90% of the races.
The successes on the track drove sales: more than 150 NCR motorcycles were produced in the San Lazzaro di Savena Factory, all by hand and tailor-made for each customer.
Hypercars and Supercars
The first major approach to Hypercars was on the Ferrari Enzo, but with McLaren the company managed to go beyond the supply of bolts to lighten the car and created the first structural titanium bonnet for a road car.
Michele Poggipolini entered the family business with perseverance, the beginning of a path already charted.
Large investments for a new positioning
In 2010 the Formula 1 regulations changed.
Poggipolini produced 90% of its turnover, thanks to supplies to Ferrari, for their engines used in F1, a turnover that could no longer be guaranteed and which led to a 60% drop in turnover.
A complicated situation, that pushed the family to invest forcefully in aeronautics, believing in a vision of repositioning in the most innovative market. The research and development division was strengthened and the entire value chain redeveloped.
The first Nadcap certification
The investments did not only concern commercial development, but focused on production processes, starting from special processes.
Certifications became essential to be able to propose to the large aeronautics players.
The first Nadcap obtained in heat treatments represented a great achievement and, at the same time, a starting point for new challenging objectives.
Headquarters expansion and new engineering department
The company's positioning, increasingly linked to innovation, made further investment necessary.
The production site in Via Emilia was expanded, to keep pace with a continuously growing production. A new engineering excellence department allowed Poggipolini to propose increasingly complex solutions, that responded to market needs.
In 2020, the first 5,000 m2 factory belonging to the Factory of the Future was inaugurated, located in San Lazzaro di Savena on a site where over 20,000 m2 can be developed. This innovative campus was created to support the growth and vision of the Group.
NDT and new Nadcap certifications
Back in Agusta Westland the company had to continue investing in processes and certifications.
Nadcap certification was also extended to non-destructive testing and penetrating liquids, as well as galvanic processes. Galvanic specifically, became a key process to 100% internalise production.
An important competitive advantage, which allowed the company to reduce supply times and enable efficient production for low and medium volumes. In effect, Poggipolini became one of the main suppliers of Agusta Westland helicopters, now Leonardo Helicopters.
New work centres and robotic islands 4.0
We did not want to limit ourselves to the production of fasteners. Investments linked to the world of mechanical manufacturing began.
New production plants and new machinery were installed, for the production of complex critical parts.
At the same time, the company developed the automotive market and weight reduction solutions for Hyper Cars, consolidated the company's innovative positioning
High Speed Manufacturing
In 2015 the company decided to enter GT Cars, road sports cars.
An ambitious project that had to deal with the costs of titanium, decidedly out of reach, for a mass market product.
The idea of innovating the production process was born. High speed hot forging was born. A patented process, completely invented and developed internally, which allowed us to increase production capacity a hundredfold, drastically reducing costs. High Speed, proved strategic to our advance on the commercial aircraft market.
The first projects with Boeing began. A courageous investment, which laid the foundations for solid growth.
Purchase of 24,000 square metres
The project for the new campus was born in 2019.
The investment in a green field in the Cicogna industrial area of San Lazzaro di Savena has allowed the company to establish a modern production plant, an open innovation laboratory, the Speed Up lab, and a new management centre.
Sens-in®
The startup Sens In® was established in 2020. A disruptive project for Poggipolini: sensors and electronics applied to fasteners, to extrapolate data in real time, where it had never been possible.
The company's specialisation in critical fasteners has allowed it to patent the technology, enabling smart screws to measure forces, accelerations and temperatures.
Not only in aeronautics and racing, but also enabled the targeting of oil, gas and wind power markets.
Acquisition of Aviomec Mornago
The first M&A operation of the company, 100% of the share capital of Aviomec acquired.
This historic SME from Mornago, Varese, in the heart of the Lombardy aerospace cluster, specialises in critical processing for helicopters.
This acquisition has allowed Poggipolini to integrate yet another production process into the aerospace market, continuing its innovative roadmap of developing systems and solutions.
Acquisition of HPF USA
Poggipolini arrives in the USA, acquiring HPF, Houston Precision Fasteners.
Based in Houston, Texas, HPF has established itself as a supplier of reference in the production of critical and special fasteners, for major players in the US aerospace and defense market, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Bombardier Aerospace, Axiom, Northrop Grumman and Bell .
The transatlantic positioning is born, fundamental for our growth in a strategic market that represents the company's core business and ready to set new industry standards.
