What Somaschini does

Somaschini S.p.A. is an Italian precision gear manufacturer founded in 1922 in Milan and now headquartered in Trescore Balneario, Bergamo. The company produces a full portfolio of ground-tooth precision gears — cylindrical, beveloid, bevel (Gleason spiral lapped), scissor, and assemblies — as well as machine-tool spindles and electro-spindles, with DIN 5 quality class and tolerances in the order of microns. Manufacturing is supported by KLINGELNBERG and ZEISS metrology, CAD/CAM software, in-process measurement linked to machine tools, and a cleanliness-test laboratory; co-design and FMEA services are offered alongside production. The company operates through three entities: Somaschini S.p.A. (parent, Trescore Balneario), Somaschini Automotive S.r.l. (Entratico, dedicated to highly-automated medium and large-series automotive gears, founded 2007), and Somaschini North America LLC (South Bend, Indiana, established 2010).

Somaschini generates approximately €76 million in annual revenue with around 260 employees. The business model is direct B2B enterprise sales: technical sales engineers work alongside automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers (Bosch, Mercedes-Benz, ZF, Schaeffler, Volvo, Scania, MAN, DAF, WABCO, SHW) and industrial machinery manufacturers (Siemens, Liebherr, Voith, DMG Mori, Picanol, MTU, Renk, Miba, Stober) on co-design and validation through design-in, FMEA, and ongoing supply. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. All three entities hold IATF 16949:2016 automotive quality certification, with ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 held across the group.

Since September 2019 Somaschini has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Spanish industrial group CIE Automotive, integrated as a flagship of its Gears Division alongside Metalcastello. The division reports €2.5 billion in group revenue, 80 production facilities, and a presence in 16 countries across four continents, providing Somaschini with group-level scale in procurement, capital, and cross-plant capability sharing while the operating company retains its Italian precision-engineering identity.

Name

Somaschini

Legal name

Somaschini S.p.a

Website

https://www.somaschini.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Somaschini is a manufacturing company that provides gears and that services for the industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Trescore Balneario

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Gear Manufacturing: Design and production of precision gears sold directly to automotive and industrial customers. Revenue generated through component sales with customization and co-development services integrated into product delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Somaschini designs and manufactures precision gears — cylindrical gears, beveloid gears, bevel gears, scissor gears, assembled groups, and machine-tool spindles — at DIN 5 quality class for automotive and industrial power transmission customers. The company supplements its hardware offerings with engineering services including co-design, Process FMEA analysis, CAD/CAM-based industrialization, gear calculation software (developed with the University of Munich FZG), in-process quality control, and cleanliness testing. Products are sold B2B directly to OEMs and tier-1 suppliers, with technical sales engineers providing design partnership from prototype through high-volume series production.

Product overview

Somaschini is a precision gear manufacturing company and part of CIE Automotive Gears Division. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of gear products including Cylindrical Gears (diameters 30-400mm, module 1-6), Beveloid Gears, Scissor Gears for backlash elimination, Bevel Gears (diameters 20-300mm, module 1-8), Assemblies, and Spindles. These products are supported by complementary services including Co-Design and FMEA, Software Solutions (with University of Munich FZG collaboration), Integrated Management System, Cleanliness Test Laboratory, and Quality Control using KLINGELNBERG and ZEISS equipment. The company operates through three entities: Somaschini S.p.A. (parent company, established 1922), Somaschini Automotive S.r.l. (high-volume production, founded 2007), and Somaschini North America LLC (US facility, established 2010).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cylindrical Gears Precision cylindrical gears with ground teeth at DIN 5 quality class, diameters 30-400 mm and module 1-6, available in straight or helical toothing, for automotive and industrial power transmission applications.
• Beveloid Gears Gears with a slight taper used to transmit motion between two concurrent axles or to achieve zero backlash between two parallel axles, with ground teeth at DIN 5 quality class.
• Bevel Gears Spiral lapped bevel gear sets with Gleason toothing, diameters 20-300 mm and module 1-8, supplied as assembled wheel-and-pinion pairs with effective assembling centre distances.
• Scissor Gears Cylindrical gear pairs ground and assembled with torque or disc springs to remove backlash and vibrations in complex cinematic mechanisms, such as internal combustion engine applications.
• Assemblies Assembled groups of gears, flanges, clutch bells, and spring mounting with interference fits, with external diameter 30-400 mm and module 1-6, in straight or helical toothing.
• Spindles Precision spindles and electro-spindles that form the heart component of modern machine tools, manufactured to dimensional and shape tolerances in the order of microns.
• Co-Design and FMEA Engineering Services Engineering service providing design optimization for new products using modern technologies and Process FMEA analysis before industrialization to minimize defective parts.
• CAD/CAM and Gear Calculation Software Solutions CAD/CAM software solutions for rapid product industrialization and equipment design for prototypes and series production, including gear calculation software for project verification and kinematics simulation, developed in collaboration with the University of Munich (FZG).
• Cleanliness Test Laboratory In-house laboratory service for cleanliness testing of components, ensuring parts are free from impurities that could compromise correct operation, compliant with international standards and individual client requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Quality improvement from DIN 9 to DIN 7 through Metalcastello Gleason 600 Power Skiving machines
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Fondazione ANT Italia OnlusminorOthers · 1 March 2021CSR partnership for cancer prevention. Somaschini and Metalcastello collaborated with ANT Foundation to provide free breast cancer prevention screenings to employees and local community members (128 total visits). Mobile clinic visited company premises and local municipalities.
• CIE AutomotivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019CIE Automotive acquired Somaschini in September 2019 as part of the CIE Automotive Gears Division. Somaschini became a flagship company of this global group specializing in precision gear design and production. The group operates in 16 countries with 80 production facilities.
• MetalcastellocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetalcastello of Castel di Casio, Bologna is the sister company of Somaschini within CIE Automotive Gears Division. Both companies work together as the flagships of the division, combining expertise in precision gear manufacturing. Metalcastello specializes in larger diameter gears and recently acquired Gleason 600 Power Skiving machines.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Metalcastello: Sister company of Somaschini within CIE Automotive Gears Division, specializing in larger diameter precision gears including planetary gear sets. Direct peer in precision gear manufacturing, sharing group capabilities and FZG technical partnerships.
• Gleason Corporation: Global leader in gear manufacturing technology and producer of precision gears. Supplies gear-cutting machinery (including the Power Skiving machines used by Somaschini/Metalcastello) and also produces precision gears for automotive and industrial applications.
• Flender (Siemens): Industrial gear manufacturer within Siemens, producing gearboxes and gear sets for industrial power transmission. Somaschini supplies gears to Siemens, and Flender competes in the same industrial gear market.
• SEW-Eurodrive: German manufacturer of drive technology, gear motors, and power transmission systems. Direct peer in industrial gears and gearboxes, serving industrial automation customers comparable to Somaschini's industrial client base.
• Bonfiglioli: Italian manufacturer of gear motors, drive systems, and power transmission solutions. Direct geographic and product peer, also based in Italy, serving industrial and renewable energy customers with precision gearing.
• Renk Group: German manufacturer of special gear systems for defense, marine, and industrial applications. Listed as a Somaschini customer, but also competes in the high-precision special gear niche.

Broad incumbents

• ZF Friedrichshafen: Major automotive supplier producing transmissions, drivetrain components, and chassis systems. Large incumbent that sources precision gears from suppliers like Somaschini while also manufacturing gears internally at scale.
• Schaeffler Group: Global automotive and industrial supplier producing precision bearings, gear components, and drivetrain systems. Somaschini customer, but also a broad incumbent with significant in-house gear manufacturing capabilities.
• Voith Group: Power transmission and drive technology company with industrial gear and coupling products. Listed as Somaschini customer while operating a broader portfolio in hydro, paper, and industrial drivetrain.
• Liebherr: Heavy equipment manufacturer producing precision gears in-house for construction machinery, mining, and aerospace. Listed Somaschini customer, but also a large incumbent with internal gear production for industrial applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SomaschiniSpa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/somaschini-spa

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Somaschini