IMA Automation

What IMA Automation does

IMA Automation is the automation and assembly segment of Italian industrial conglomerate IMA Group (I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. Unipersonale, managed under Alps Holding S.p.A.). Headquartered in Zola Predosa (Bologna), Italy, the division builds on more than 60 years of automation experience and operates approximately 1,300 employees across nine to ten production facilities in Italy, Switzerland, the United States, China, and Malaysia. Following a February 2025 reorganization, the business is structured into three dedicated units — IMA MED-TECH (drug-delivery injectors, inhalers, in-vitro diagnostics, point-of-care, wearables, and contact-lens processing), IMA EV-TECH (battery cells, fuel cells, e-motors, e-axles, stators, and rotors), and IMA AUTOMATION SYSTEMS (e-motors, caps & closures, electro-mechanics, and watchmaking) — and serves pharmaceutical multinationals, contract manufacturers, EV OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers, and industrial customers.

The technology portfolio rests on specialized winding and assembly capabilities — including hairpin forming and inserting, flyer, needle, and cylindrical winding — alongside laser welding, precision assembly, and modular platforms. Flagship products include the X-PEN and ASSEMBLA platforms for pen and autoinjector assembly (outputs up to 500 ppm), the DPS1 dynamic process system (over 85% OEE), and the SENTINEL digital platform for real-time production monitoring and data-driven services. The intellectual property estate comprises nearly 600 patents, supported by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications at the Florence (ATOP) facility and an ISO 8 clean room at the Swiss operations for micro-assembly of medical devices and watch components. Recent platform additions include the Continuous Formed Winding (CFW) technology for next-generation stator manufacturing, the IMA AUTOMATION Digital Twin showcased at SPS Italia 2025, and the IMA AI LAB initiative launched in June 2025.

Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time capital-equipment sales — custom machines and full turnkey production lines — supplemented by technical services, spare parts, and digital-platform offerings. IMA Automation goes to market through a direct enterprise field-sales motion rather than distributors, with local technical support teams in each region and an active presence at industry exhibitions including CPHI Worldwide, Pack Expo, The Battery Show, and EPHJ, plus academic collaborations such as the Politecnico di Milano laser-welding research and EU-funded consortia (BIOTOOL-CHF, CliMAFlux, MATRIX).

Name

IMA Automation

Legal name

I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.p.A. Unipersonale

Website

https://imautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

IMA Automation is the automation segment of Italy's IMA Group, designing custom assembly lines and turnkey production systems for medical devices, electric vehicles, e-motors, caps & closures, and watchmaking across nine to ten global facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Machinery

NAICS

Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (3332), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Misc Industrial & Commercial Machinery & Equipment (3590), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK), End-of-Line Integration & Packaging Line Systems (IMAHAOAN), Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ)

Keywords

• Automated assembly lines
• Medical device assembly
• EV battery manufacturing
• Stator winding technology
• Turnkey automation solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Zola Predosa

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Automation Equipment Sales: Design and manufacture of advanced technology lines for handling and assembling parts across various application fields including medical devices, EV components, caps & closures, electro-mechanics, and watchmaking. Revenue generated from capital equipment sales of custom machines and production lines.
2. Turnkey Solutions: Complete turnkey automation solutions from assembly to filling and packaging, providing integrated systems rather than standalone machines. Positions the company as a strategic partner rather than just a machine manufacturer.
3. Robotic Systems and Digital Platforms: Sale of robotic systems, digital platforms, and virtual resources for production optimization alongside traditional assembly equipment.
4. Technical Services and Spare Parts: Technical support, local language assistance, spare parts supply, preventive maintenance, and personnel training services primarily through regional facilities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IMA Automation designs, manufactures, and integrates advanced automation and assembly lines for handling and assembling parts across medical devices, electric vehicle components, e-motors, caps & closures, electro-mechanical devices, and watchmaking. The company delivers turnkey production lines as well as standalone modular platforms (such as X-PEN and ASSEMBLA), integrating proprietary winding, laser welding, robotic, vision inspection, and digital monitoring technologies, supported by regional engineering and after-sales services worldwide.

Product overview

IMA Automation is the automation and assembly segment of IMA Group, offering a comprehensive portfolio of advanced technology lines for handling and assembling parts across multiple sectors. The portfolio is organized into three main business units: IMA MED-TECH (medical assembly technologies including drug delivery, diagnostics, wearables, and contact lenses), IMA EV-TECH (electric vehicle assembly for batteries, fuel cells, and e-motors), and IMA AUTOMATION SYSTEMS (e-motors, caps & closures, electro-mechanics, and watchmaking). Key products include X-PEN (pen and autoinjector assembly platform), ASSEMBLA (customizable medical device assembly), and various winding technologies (cylindrical, hairpin, flyer, needle, notching) for battery and motor manufacturing. The offerings span from standard modular platforms to fully customized turnkey production lines, integrating robotics, vision inspection, and digital platforms for Industry 4.0 compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMA MED-TECH: Business unit of IMA AUTOMATION specializing in innovative medical Assembly Technologies, offering turnkey solutions for medical devices including drug delivery injectors, inhalers, in vitro diagnostics, point-of-care, wearables, and contact lens processing.
• IMA EV-TECH
• IMA AUTOMATION SYSTEMS
• IMA AI LAB
• IMA SENTINEL
• X-PEN
• IMA Digital
• IMA Sustain Ability
• ASSEMBLA

Products and services

• X-PEN Assembly Platform Standard modular platform for pen and autoinjector final assembly featuring Linear Magnetic Transport System (LMTS), integrated labelling, and vision inspection, with outputs up to 160 ppm for pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• ASSEMBLA Medical Device Assembly Platform Custom platform for medical device assembly supporting all phases from functional builds to full-scale production, ranging from compact semi-automatic units for clinical batches to fully automated systems reaching up to 500 ppm, integrating advanced handling, force-distance monitored insertion, and CCD vision inspection for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers.
• Cylindrical Winding Technology High-speed winder for cylindrical jelly roll manufacturing combining precision, speed, and advanced automation with modular structure, laser notching, intelligent reel loading, seamless splicing, and AGV integration; linear speed up to 3 m/s.
• Hairpin Technology Advanced automatic machines for hairpin stator manufacturing including slot insulation, hairpin forming and inserting, widening and twisting, wire cutting, and laser welding, with laser wire decoating and NC-controlled robot shaping for automotive/EV motor manufacturers.
• Flyer Winding Technology Fully programmable wire stratification with flyer winding for high slot fill and accurate coil wire positioning, used for single pole stators, outer slot stators, and winding rotor production for motor manufacturers.
• Needle Winding Technology High-speed needle winding with single or multiple stations for single pole stators, outer slot stators, inner slot stators, and two pole stators, featuring rotating head for wire routing and maximum productivity.
• Notching Technology Prismatic anode and cathode notching system combining precision laser notching, intelligent reel loading, material tensioning, cleaning, and AGV integration for battery manufacturers.
• Cell Assembly Solutions for Lithium-ion Batteries Automated assembly solutions for cylindrical lithium-ion batteries including precision welding (cathode/rivet, anode/can), grooving, gasket and lid assembly, crimping, sizing, and X-ray inspection for battery manufacturers.
• Cell Filling Technology Advanced production line for filling, degassing, and final sealing of battery cells featuring precision filling modules, degassing stations, laser welding, and contamination control for battery manufacturers.
• EOL Packaging Cleaning System End-of-line system for battery cell production providing comprehensive inspection, cleaning, and packaging including cell ID inspection, electrical inspection (ACIR/OCV), dimension checks, compression test, Hi-Pot insulation test, and automated non-conforming cell handling for battery manufacturers.
• Inserting Coil Winding Technology with DPS1 Dynamic Process System Semi-automatic and fully automatic process cells for wound stator manufacturing including DPS1 dynamic process system, stator assembly, slot insulation, coil winding, forming, leads connection, and electrical testing, achieving over 85% OEE production efficiency for motor manufacturers.
• CONTINUA Continuous Motion Assembly Platform Continuous high-speed assembly platform for complex caps and closures achieving up to 80,000 pcs/h, handling up to five components with pressing, oriented pressing, and screwing operations for caps & closures manufacturers.
• EVO FLEX Indexing Motion Assembly Platform Indexing motion platform for assembling large numbers of closures with torque driven turntable and servo-controlled pick & place for vertical, horizontal and tilting movements for caps & closures manufacturers.
• Contact Lens Manufacturing Solutions Turnkey solutions for contact lens manufacturing including demolding, monomer dosing and curing, lens manipulation, hydration, blister filling, sealing, and laser marking for contact lens producers.
• Multicarrier Transport Systems Patented multicarrier transport system optimizing machine design with enhanced accuracy, increased payload, and minimum wear for heavy-duty assembly applications across industrial automation customers.
• Feeding Solutions Complete range of feeding systems including centrifugal disc feeders, pocket disc feeders, double disc feeders, vibratory bowl feeders, syringe feeders, and cartridge feeders for production speeds from 20 to 400 ppm across assembly applications.
• Robotized Handling Solutions Tailor-made robotized handling systems integrating standard Delta, SCARA, and anthropomorphic robots for demolding, assembly, inspection, and packaging operations including in-line demolding and customized robotized cells.
• Surgical Suture Crimping Technology Automated assembly and crimping of multivariant surgical sutures handling a wide range of needles and threads with pull testing for quality assurance for medical device manufacturers.
• Can Riveting Technology Advanced solution for assembling cylindrical components of lithium-ion batteries including rivet and gasket assembly, insulator insertion, and cleaning at 30 products per minute for battery manufacturers.
• Assembly of Injectables Solution Complete assembly solutions for pens and auto-injectors covering automatic denesting, dosing mechanisms, power-pack assembly, drug manipulation, cartridge/PFS handling, labelling, functional testing, and 2D matrix code printing for pharmaceutical manufacturers.
• Electro-Mechanics Assembly Solutions Assembly solutions for electro-mechanic devices including printing heads, sensors, actuators, inkjet cartridges with processes such as adhesive dispensing, active alignment, winding, leak testing, vision inspection, and welding for electronics/electro-mechanical manufacturers.
• Watchmaking Micro Technology High-precision assembly solutions for watchmaking including garnissage, watch movement assembly, watch head processing (laser engraving and testing), and bracelet handling (screwing, laser welding), delivered through Micro Linear and Micro Pilot platforms in ISO 8 clean rooms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 400 parts per minute throughput for medical device assembly
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CliMAFlux ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IMA AUTOMATION joined CliMAFlux project to shape the future of electric mobility. Project focused on advancing technologies and solutions for electric vehicle sector.
• MATRIX Project / BI-REX Competence CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IMA AUTOMATION showcased MATRIX Project results at BI-REX Competence Center Event. Project focused on advanced automation and manufacturing technologies.
• Politecnico di Milano - Department of Mechanical EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2023Academic research collaboration on laser welding techniques for Cu spiral windings in electric drives. Joint publication 'Comprehensive benchmarking of laser welding technologies including novel beam shapes and wavelengths for e-drive copper hairpins' comparing six distinct laser welding systems for automotive traction applications.
• BIOTOOL-CHF Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023EU-funded research project with 23 organizations across Europe focused on biomarker-based diagnostic toolkit to personalize pharmacological approaches in congestive heart failure. IMA AUTOMATION responsible for drafting detailed business plan and indicating regulatory steps to bring prototype to commercial market. Project duration 2023-2026 (4 years).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ABB Ltd: ABB is a broad incumbent in industrial automation, robotics, and electrification serving manufacturing, process, and mobility customers. ABB competes with IMA at the automation equipment layer across EV battery, motor, and pharmaceutical applications, but operates at much larger scale and broader portfolio scope.
• KUKA AG: KUKA is a broad incumbent in industrial robotics and automation systems serving automotive, electronics, healthcare, and consumer industries. While IMA specializes in custom assembly lines, KUKA offers a broader robotics platform that competes in the upstream robotization layer and increasingly in medical and EV applications.
• Dürr AG: Dürr AG is a broad incumbent in mechanical and plant engineering with significant exposure to automotive e-mobility and battery cell manufacturing equipment. Dürr's HOMAG and environmental technology divisions overlap with IMA's caps & closures and EV battery assembly product lines, though Dürr operates at larger corporate scale.

Direct peers

• Stevanato Group: Stevanato Group is a direct peer providing drug containment solutions and assembly equipment for the pharmaceutical industry, including drug delivery devices. Both companies compete in medical device and drug delivery assembly platforms, serving pharmaceutical manufacturers with turnkey equipment offerings.
• Bausch + Strobel: Bausch + Strobel is a direct peer specializing in filling, closing, and processing machines for the pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries. Both companies serve overlapping pharmaceutical and medical device customers with custom-engineered assembly lines requiring regulatory-grade precision and validation.
• Optima Packaging Group: Optima Packaging Group is a direct peer specializing in filling, sealing, and packaging machinery for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and consumer goods. Both companies compete in custom turnkey assembly and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical multinationals and CMOs across multiple regions.
• Marchesini Group: Marchesini Group is a direct peer and Italian-headquartered packaging machinery specialist serving pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food. Both companies compete in turnkey packaging and assembly lines for pharmaceutical multinationals, with overlapping geographic reach across Europe and North America.
• ATS Corporation: ATS Corporation is a direct peer designing and manufacturing custom automation solutions for life sciences, transportation, and industrial customers. Both companies provide turnkey custom automation lines for regulated and high-precision industries, with comparable business models and enterprise sales motions.
• Syntegon Technology: Syntegon (formerly Bosch Packaging Technology) is a direct peer offering processing and packaging machinery for the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries. Both companies compete head-to-head in turnkey assembly and packaging lines for pharmaceutical multinationals and CMOs, with comparable global manufacturing footprints.
• Harro Höfliger: Harro Höfliger is a direct peer specializing in custom assembly and packaging machines for pharmaceutical, medical device, and consumer industries. Both companies compete directly in medical device assembly platforms such as inhalers, injectors, and diagnostic devices, serving similar pharmaceutical and CMO customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/imaautomation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imautomation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IMA Automation