Cappellotto
Cappellotto S.p.A., founded in 1953 in Gaiarine, Italy, is Europe's largest manufacturer of industrial vacuum trucks, hydro-excavation and drain-cleaning equipment. It serves municipal, construction and industrial customers in 80 countries via a network of exclusive distributors and 10,000+ cumulative installations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersGaiarine, Italy
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cappellotto does
Cappellotto S.p.A., headquartered in Gaiarine (Treviso), Italy, and founded in 1953 by Pietro Cappellotto, is Europe's largest manufacturer of industrial vacuum trucks, hydro-excavation equipment and drain-cleaning vehicles. The company designs and assembles specialized body fittings mounted on customer-supplied or proprietary chassis across six manufacturing facilities in Italy (Gaiarine, Fontanafredda, Villafranca di Verona, Porcia), France (Lyon) and Finland (Jyväskylä via the wholly-owned FI.CO. Oy subsidiary acquired in 2021), covering approximately 54,000 m² of production area. Its product portfolio comprises six hardware platforms — Capjet (high-pressure water jetting), Capvac (vacuum loading/transport), Capcombi (combined jetting and vacuum), Caprecy (recycling with continuous water reuse), Capbora (high-capacity pneumatic suction with Venturi discharge to 60m height) and Capgeo (excavation-grade vacuum with internationally patented three-side tipping) — each configurable in multiple tank arrangements (FI, FM, CL, CC) and certified for hazardous-materials handling (ADR) and explosive atmospheres (ATEX).
The company sells primarily through an indirect channel model, supported by 32+ exclusive or semi-exclusive distribution partners across 80 countries and a global authorized workshop service network. Named exclusive distributors include KOR (Australia/New Zealand, 14+ year relationship), TIP Group (Benelux, from January 2025), NOMEK.AS (Norway), RAMB Tech AB (Sweden), IMERCHILE (Chile) and FI.CO. Oy (Nordic/Russia). Revenue is generated from hardware sales of new equipment, prompt-delivery pre-configured units, original spare parts and accessories, after-sales technical assistance and revamping (reconditioning) services, and a used-equipment secondary channel. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is configuration-dependent, consistent with engineered-to-order industrial equipment.
Cappellotto's customer base is B2B and B2G, diversified across three primary verticals: municipal/civil (councils, water utilities, public works departments responsible for sewer maintenance, street cleaning, wastewater treatment), construction (building restoration, sensitive excavations near underground utilities, roof materials pumping), and industrial (metals processing, cement, paper, refineries, foundries, steel mills, thermal power stations, shipyards and waste management facilities). The company cites 10,000+ cumulative installations across 80 countries, ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 3834-2:2021 certifications, and 73 years of continuous product innovation as its primary competitive credentials. It remains privately held, family-founded, with no disclosed external institutional ownership.
Cappellotto firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cappellotto
- Legal name
- CAPPELLOTTO S.P.A.
- Website
- https://cappellotto.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Cappellotto S.p.A., founded in 1953 in Gaiarine, Italy, is Europe's largest manufacturer of industrial vacuum trucks, hydro-excavation and drain-cleaning equipment. It serves municipal, construction and industrial customers in 80 countries via a network of exclusive distributors and 10,000+ cumulative installations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cappellotto industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Vacuum Trucks and Sewer Cleaning Equipment
- NAICS
- Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)
- SIC
- Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561), Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Utility & Maintenance Vehicle Manufacturing (Street Sweepers/Vacuum Trucks) (IMACAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers) (IMAHAGAN), Pressure Washing & Jetting Equipment (IMAHALAB), Industrial Cleaning & Decontamination (Hydroblasting/Vacuum/Confined Space) (IMAIACAJ)
Keywords
Where Cappellotto is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gaiarine
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Cappellotto business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Industrial Vehicle Equipment Manufacturing: Design and manufacture of body fittings on chassis for vacuum trucks, hydro excavation, and drain-cleaning equipment. Products include Capjet (high-pressure washing), Capvac (vacuum loading), Capcombi (combined), Caprecy (recycling), Capbora (high-capacity suction), Capgeo (excavation).
- Spare Parts and Accessories: Original spare parts and accessories with rapid delivery from always well-stocked warehouse. Part of comprehensive after-sales service.
- Service, Maintenance, and Revamping: Technical assistance through authorized workshop network with over 65 years experience. Revamping (total reconditioning) services for extending equipment life. Training for customers on equipment operation.
- Prompt Delivery Equipment: Pre-configured equipment available for rapid delivery (Capjet, Capvac, Capcombi, Caprecy, Capbora, Capgeo models).
- Used Vehicle Equipment: Special offers section listing pre-owned equipment (vacuum trucks, combination cleaners, H.P. jetting tankers, recycling units, vacuum excavation units).
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels11 records
Cappellotto product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cappellotto manufactures industrial vacuum trucks and sewer/drain cleaning equipment for municipal, industrial, and construction use. The company's product lineup includes high-pressure jetting units (Capjet), vacuum loading vehicles (Capvac), combined jetting-vacuum units (Capcombi), recycling systems (Caprecy), high-capacity suction units (Capbora), and hydro-excavation vehicles (Capgeo). Founded in 1953, it is headquartered in Gaiarine, Italy, and distributes its equipment through a network of partners across 80+ countries.
Product overview
Cappellotto is Europe’s largest manufacturer of vacuum trucks, hydro excavation, and drain-cleaning equipment. The product portfolio consists of specialized industrial vehicle body fittings: Capjet provides high-pressure water jetting for pipe and sewer cleaning; Capvac handles vacuum loading and transport of liquids and sludges; Capcombi combines vacuum and jetting functions in multiple tank configurations (FI, FM, CL, CC) for versatile cleaning operations; Caprecy adds water recycling capability with its 5-stage CRS system for continuous operation; Capbora delivers high-capacity suction for dusts and heavy materials with Venturi offloading; and Capgeo offers the highest-capacity excavation-focused vacuum loading. All products can be customized with a comprehensive accessories range and are certified for various safety standards including ADR and ATEX.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Capjet: High-pressure water jetting equipment for cleaning roads, pipes, sewers, and ducts blocked by sediments and hardened impurities. Simple, agile, and fast solution.
- Capvac
- Capcombi
- Caprecy
- Capbora
- Capgeo
Products and services
- Capjet High-pressure water jetting unit designed to clean sewers, drains, and pipelines by blasting water at high pressure to dislodge debris and obstructions. Used by municipal sanitation departments and industrial cleaning contractors.
- Capvac Vacuum loading truck that uses powerful suction to remove liquids, sludge, solids, and hazardous materials from drains, sewers, industrial tanks, and spill sites. Targeted at municipal, industrial, and environmental service operators.
- Capcombi Combined jetting and vacuum unit that integrates high-pressure water jetting with vacuum suction in a single vehicle, enabling simultaneous cleaning and debris removal for sewer and drain maintenance crews.
- Caprecy Recycling sewer cleaning unit that filters and reuses water during jetting operations, reducing water consumption and waste volume during prolonged drain and sewer cleaning campaigns.
- Capbora High-capacity vacuum suction unit engineered for heavy-duty industrial applications such as emptying sludge lagoons, removing mining sediment, and handling large volumes of industrial waste.
- Capgeo Hydro-excavation vehicle that uses pressurized water and vacuum suction to safely excavate soil and expose buried utilities without mechanical digging, intended for construction and utility-locating crews.
Quantifiable outcome
- 93% pneumatic vacuum with 11,000-18,000 m3/h flow rate
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Cappellotto
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cappellotto technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Cappellotto partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cappellotto competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vactor Manufacturing: US-based leading manufacturer of sewer cleaners, hydro-excavation vehicles, and industrial vacuum trucks. Most direct global peer to Cappellotto, competing for the same municipal and industrial customers with overlapping combined jet/vacuum product lines.
- GapVax: North American manufacturer of industrial vacuum trucks, hydro-excavation units, and sewer cleaners. Closely comparable product portfolio to Cappellotto's Capvac/Capcombi/Capgeo lines, serving municipal and industrial end markets.
- Sewer Equipment Co. of America: US manufacturer of sewer and drain cleaning equipment, including combination vacuum/jet trucks and hydro-excavation vehicles. Direct competitor in the same municipal and industrial cleaning category as Cappellotto.
- Hvidtved Larsen: Danish manufacturer of high-performance sewer cleaning and industrial vacuum trucks. Closely comparable European peer with overlapping combined jet/vacuum and recycling unit offerings serving the same Nordic and municipal customer base that FICO/Cappellotto targets.
- KOKS Group: Dutch manufacturer of industrial vacuum trucks, hydro-excavation vehicles, and ADR-certified hazardous-materials transport units. Comparable to Cappellotto's Capbora and ADR-certified lines, especially relevant given Benelux distribution overlap via TIP Group.
- K.E.W. Cleaning: German-based manufacturer of high-pressure water jetting and industrial cleaning equipment, including sewer cleaning and tube cleaning systems. Comparable to Cappellotto's Capjet high-pressure water jetting product line and serves overlapping European industrial and municipal customers.
- Rioned: Netherlands-based manufacturer of high-pressure cleaning equipment, sewer jetting units, and vacuum vehicles. Closely comparable to Cappellotto's Capjet and combined jet/vacuum offerings, with overlapping Benelux municipal customer base.
Regional players
- KAISER Fahrzeugtechnik: Austrian manufacturer of municipal and utility vehicle bodies, including sewer cleaning and winter service equipment. Comparable to Cappellotto's specialty utility vehicle body-fitting business, though with stronger regional Austrian/DACH concentration.
- Morita Holdings (Sewer Cleaner Division): Japanese fire and specialty vehicle manufacturer with a sewer cleaning and vacuum truck product line. Comparable product category to Cappellotto (vacuum trucks for municipal and industrial cleaning) but focused primarily on the Japanese and broader Asian market.
Emerging players
- Sewer Robotics: Israel-based specialist in sewer and pipeline rehabilitation robotics and cleaning tools. Adjacent peer in the broader sewer cleaning ecosystem — complementary rather than directly competitive to Cappellotto's vacuum truck business, but addressing the same municipal customer set.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cappellotto social profiles
Digital presenceCappellotto compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Cappellotto financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cappellotto leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cappellotto subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Cappellotto funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cappellotto M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cappellotto
What does Cappellotto do?
Cappellotto manufactures industrial vacuum trucks and sewer/drain cleaning equipment for municipal, industrial, and construction use. The company's product lineup includes high-pressure jetting units (Capjet), vacuum loading vehicles (Capvac), combined jetting-vacuum units (Capcombi), recycling systems (Caprecy), high-capacity suction units (Capbora), and hydro-excavation vehicles (Capgeo). Founded in 1953, it is headquartered in Gaiarine, Italy, and distributes its equipment through a network of partners across 80+ countries.
Is Cappellotto a public or private company?
Cappellotto is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Cappellotto founded?
Cappellotto was founded in 1953. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Cappellotto based?
Cappellotto is headquartered in Gaiarine, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does Cappellotto make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Industrial Vehicle Equipment Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are spare Parts and Accessories, service, Maintenance, and Revamping, prompt Delivery Equipment and used Vehicle Equipment.
Who are Cappellotto's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vactor Manufacturing, GapVax, Sewer Equipment Co. of America, Hvidtved Larsen, KOKS Group, K.E.W. Cleaning and Rioned. Regional players are KAISER Fahrzeugtechnik and Morita Holdings (Sewer Cleaner Division). Sewer Robotics is listed as an emerging player.
Does Cappellotto have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cappellotto.
What industry is Cappellotto in?
Cappellotto's product category is Industrial Vacuum Trucks and Sewer Cleaning Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAFAI, Specialty Utility & Maintenance Vehicle Manufacturing (Street Sweepers/Vacuum Trucks), with a secondary code of IMAHAGAN, Vacuum Systems & Components (Vacuum Pumps, Ejectors, Cups, Grippers). Its NAICS code is 33391 and its SIC code is 3559.