What COMAS S.p.A. does

COMAS S.p.A. is an Italian industrial machinery supplier founded in 1971 and headquartered in Silea (Treviso), Italy, that designs, manufactures, and services primary processing equipment for the conventional tobacco, Next Generation Products (NGP), energy storage systems, and converting industries. The company's core technologies span cutting (A1M Series Mini Cutter, CUT-TOM Guillotine Cutter), drying (Tower Dryer, Roller Dryer for HNB with heat recovery), coating (CoatPrime, Electrode Coating Line, water-based Gravure and Curtain coating), reconstitution (patented reconstituted tobacco lines), nicotine extraction (99.7% purity, no volatile organic solvents), powder and oral product processing (modular oral line, patent pending), and a Comas MES software suite for batch, asset, warehouse, OEE, and IoT management. Self-described as the world-leading supplier of tobacco primary processing equipment and Heat Not Burn processing lines, COMAS also pursues adjacent verticals including battery electrode coating/drying lines for lithium-ion, solid-state, and fuel cell manufacturers, and — following the April 2025 acquisition of SAM Europe — roll-to-roll converting and printing machinery.

COMAS makes money primarily through capital equipment sales (turnkey processing lines and individual machines), supplemented by a recurring aftermarket stream covering parts and materials, long-term maintenance contracts, equipment modernization/upgrade projects, training and documentation, and ongoing production support services. Pricing is custom and contact-based, tied to capacity and specification requirements rather than standardized SKUs. The company sells direct to enterprise customers via a global field sales organization, with demand generation heavily concentrated in industry exhibitions (World Tobacco, InterSupply, Battery Show, Converters Expo, R2R Conference, AWA Global Release Liner Summit, TABEXPO, ICE Europe). Its largest named customer is Philip Morris International, with whom it has maintained a primary equipment and technology partnership for nearly 30 years; PMI awarded COMAS the 2020 Global Supplier Recognition Award for Value Creation and shortlisted it across Innovation, CPO, and Sustainability categories out of 450+ global suppliers. COMAS has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Coesia Group since 2018 and operates within Coesia's Tobacco Business Unit alongside sister companies G.D, Sasib, Molins, and Cerulean, which together offer an end-to-end tobacco processing portfolio.

Name

COMAS S.p.A.

Legal name

COMAS - COSTRUZIONI MACCHINE SPECIALI - S.P.A.

Website

https://comasitaly.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

COMAS S.p.A. is an Italian industrial machinery supplier, founded in 1971 and owned by Coesia Group, that designs and manufactures primary processing equipment for conventional tobacco, Next Generation Products (HNB, oral nicotine pouches), battery manufacturing, and the converting industry, serving global enterprise customers such as Philip Morris International.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Processing Machinery

NAICS

Tobacco Manufacturing (31223), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Tobacco Products (2100), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Tobacco & Nicotine Contract Manufacturing & Private Label (CRADAJAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Production Operations & Shop Floor Systems (MPS, MES basics) (EDAOAGAH)

Keywords

• Tobacco processing machinery
• NGP processing equipment
• Battery electrode coating
• Industrial drying systems
• Converting machinery

Headquarters

HQ city

Treviso

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Processing Machinery and Equipment Sales: Primary revenue stream from design, manufacturing, and sale of processing machinery and integrated solutions for tobacco, NGP, converting, and energy storage industries. Includes complete production lines, individual machines, and turnkey solutions.
2. Parts and Materials: Aftermarket parts supply for installed machinery, including consumables and replacement components.
3. Maintenance Services: Long-term after-sales maintenance services ensuring optimal productivity over time for installed equipment.
4. Equipment Modernization: Upgrades and modernization services for existing customer equipment to enhance performance and extend equipment life.
5. Training and Documentation: Customer training services and technical documentation provision for equipment operation and maintenance.
6. Production Support Services: Ongoing production support services for customers during manufacturing operations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

COMAS S.p.A. designs, manufactures, and supplies primary processing machinery and integrated production lines for the tobacco, Next Generation Products (NGP), converting, and energy storage/battery manufacturing industries. Its portfolio spans cutting, coating, drying, mixing, material handling, and automated control systems, complemented by proprietary Comas MES software and after-sales services including parts supply, maintenance, modernization, training, and production support.

Product overview

COMAS S.p.A. is a global leader in primary processing machinery for tobacco, converting, and energy storage systems industries. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of processing equipment organized across three main divisions: Tobacco Processing (including A1M Series Mini Cutters, CUT-TOM Guillotine Cutters, Recon Lines for Heat-not-Burn, Snus production equipment, Molasses processing, Nicotine extraction, and Tower/Roller Dryers), Energy Storage Systems (featuring the CoatPrime electrode coating and drying line, Coating Dryers, Heat Recovery Systems, and Electrode Coating Lines), and Converting (expanded through the acquisition of SAM Europe to include solution coating, extrusion coating, and laminating lines). Supporting these product lines, COMAS offers the Comas MES software suite for manufacturing execution, IoT platforms for Industry 4.0 connectivity, and AI-powered quality inspection systems. The portfolio includes both standardized equipment and custom modular solutions designed for specific industry requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CoatPrime: Electrode coating and drying line tailored for battery and fuel cell manufacturing, enabling high-precision slurry coating on aluminum and copper foils.

Products and services

• CUT-TOM Guillotine Cutter Precision guillotine cutting machine used in primary tobacco processing lines to slice lamina into uniform strips for downstream production.
• A1M Series Mini Cutter Compact cutting machine for primary processing of tobacco and similar materials, intended for smaller-footprint production lines.
• Tower Dryer Vertical industrial dryer engineered for primary tobacco processing with integrated steam/heat recovery for energy efficiency.
• Roller Dryer for HNB Roller drying equipment designed for reconstituted tobacco used in heat-not-burn (HNB) products.
• Coating Dryer Industrial drying equipment for cast/coating processes, featuring heat-recovery systems that reduce energy consumption.
• CoatPrime Coating Technology Proprietary coating technology enabling simultaneous double-side coating and sustainable, eco-friendly coating formulations for primary processing.
• Electrode Coating Line Turnkey production line for battery electrode coating, integrating coating, drying, and AI-based process control for lithium-ion cell manufacturers.
• Modular Line for Oral Products Modular processing line designed for the manufacture of oral tobacco and nicotine pouch products such as snus.
• Nicotine Extraction Process Patented process technology for extracting nicotine from tobacco, supporting NGP and pharmaceutical-related manufacturing applications.
• Snus Production Equipment Processing machinery for producing snus and similar oral tobacco products, integrated within modular oral product lines.
• Molasses Processing Equipment Specialized machinery for processing tobacco molasses, integrated into primary tobacco processing lines.
• Pneumatic Transport System Material handling system that pneumatically conveys tobacco and other raw materials through the production line.
• AI Bale Inspection System AI-driven visual inspection system for tobacco bales that identifies and segregates foreign bodies with expert-level precision.
• Comas MES Proprietary Manufacturing Execution System software that monitors, controls, and optimizes COMAS production lines in real time.
• Parts and Materials Supply After-sales supply of genuine spare parts and consumables for COMAS equipment to maintain uptime and performance.
• Maintenance Services Preventive and corrective maintenance services for COMAS processing lines, delivered by field service engineers.
• Equipment Modernization Retrofit and modernization services that upgrade existing primary processing lines with new capabilities and improved performance.
• Training Services Technical training and documentation programs for operators and maintenance personnel working on COMAS production lines.
• Production Support Services On-site and remote production support services to help customers optimize output and quality of COMAS processing lines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Heat recovery system reduces power consumption by up to 30% in coating dryers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• SAM EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2025COMAS acquired SAM Europe, a prominent player in design and manufacturing of machinery for converting and printing industry, including innovative solutions for energy storage systems. This acquisition strengthens COMAS's position as market leader in industrial plants and enhances ability to deliver advanced solutions globally, capitalizing on SAM Europe's established market presence in Europe and United States.
• Coesia GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018COMAS was acquired by Coesia Group in 2018 and joined the Tobacco business unit headed by G.D, composed by Sasib, Molins, and Cerulean. This merger created a complete portfolio of solutions able to meet wide range of customer needs. COMAS operates as part of Coesia's international industrial group structure.
• G.DflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Coesia Group. COMAS and G.D frequently exhibit together at trade shows presenting integrated solutions. G.D leads Coesia's tobacco business unit and provides complementary secondary processing equipment.
• SasibflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Coesia Group. Sasib, along with G.D, Molins, and Cerulean, forms Coesia's tobacco business portfolio. Frequently exhibits together with COMAS for comprehensive customer solutions.
• MolinsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Coesia Group. Part of the integrated tobacco business unit providing complementary technologies for tobacco and NGP processing alongside COMAS.
• CeruleanflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within Coesia Group. Part of the integrated tobacco business unit presenting combined solutions with COMAS at industry events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• G.D (G.D SpA): G.D is COMAS's sister company within Coesia Group's tobacco business unit and a global leader in secondary tobacco processing and cigarette making machinery. Directly comparable as a tobacco processing equipment supplier serving the same PMI/Altria/BAT customer base, often exhibiting jointly with COMAS.
• Hauni (Körber Business Area Tobacco): Hauni is the world-leading supplier of primary and secondary tobacco processing equipment, including make-pack machinery, and is the most direct global competitor to COMAS in tobacco primary processing. Both companies supply the same multinational tobacco OEMs and compete on HNB equipment roadmaps.
• Molins: Molins is a sister company within Coesia Group's tobacco business unit, specializing in cigarette making and packaging equipment. Closely comparable as a tobacco equipment OEM serving multinational tobacco customers with overlapping product portfolios to COMAS.
• Sasib: Sasib is a sister company within Coesia Group's tobacco business unit, focused on cigarette making, packing, and filter manufacturing equipment. Provides overlapping and complementary equipment solutions to COMAS for the same tobacco customer base.
• Cerulean: Cerulean is a sister company within Coesia Group's tobacco business unit, specializing in tobacco processing, packing, and quality-control equipment. Comparable to COMAS as a tobacco-focused machinery supplier presenting combined solutions at industry events.

Broad incumbents

• Dürr AG: Dürr is a major German industrial machinery group with leading positions in painting, sealing, and battery cell coating/drying technology through its HOMAG and Dürr Environmental divisions. Comparable as a broad incumbent in industrial coating and drying equipment that overlaps with COMAS's CoatPrime/ESS business.
• Andritz AG: Andritz is an Austrian industrial group supplying customized plants, systems, and services for hydromechanical, metal forming, and special drying/separating processes across multiple industries. Comparable to COMAS as a large-scale industrial drying and processing equipment supplier with global footprint.
• Bühler Group: Bühler is a Swiss global leader in processing technologies for food, feed, and advanced materials, including drying, mixing, and coating solutions. Comparable to COMAS in its portfolio of industrial drying/coating/mixing machinery serving diversified industries.
• IMA Group: IMA is an Italian global leader in the design and manufacture of automatic machines for processing and packaging in pharma, food, cosmetics, and tobacco. Comparable as an Italian-based industrial machinery group with strong tobacco packaging equipment heritage and diversified end-market exposure similar to COMAS within Coesia.

Emerging players

• Manz AG: Manz is a German equipment specialist focused on electronics manufacturing and battery cell production equipment, including electrode coating and assembly lines. Comparable to COMAS's energy storage systems business as a Western challenger in battery production equipment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 COMAS S.p.A.