What Key Automation does

Key Automation S.r.l. is an Italian industrial automation software and robotics engineering firm founded in 2016 and headquartered in Fossano (Cuneo), operating as the software-focused entity within the three-company Olivero Group alongside Olivero Srl (mechanical and electrical engineering) and Olivero Marco (plant maintenance). The company develops custom SCADA, PLC, and HMI software; programs 2D/3D industrial vision systems; builds MES interface software for Industry 4.0 integration; performs offline simulation and virtual commissioning using Emulate 3D; and programs industrial robots across all major OEMs (Comau, GE Fanuc, Motoman, ABB, Yaskawa, Kuka, Fanuc). It serves multinational enterprise customers in six primary verticals — tire, oil & gas, food, glass, foundry, and paper — with disclosed deployments in more than 30 countries and claims of presence in over 50; a Mexico production facility under the parent group supports the Americas market.

The company's revenue model is professional services: B2B enterprise field sales of project-based, custom automation solutions priced individually by scope and complexity, combined with turn-key delivery made possible by its position inside the Olivero Group. It reaches customers through direct on-site engagement at client facilities internationally, supplemented by participation in industry events (Automation Fair Event 2023 in Boston, A&T Technology in Turin, Mecspe), LinkedIn, website case studies, and earned media such as Il Sole 24 Ore. Lead generation is concentrated on top-of-funnel event activity and long-cycle enterprise sales rather than volume or channel partnerships, and pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Customer concentration is intentionally diversified across six industrial verticals, each anchored by named multinational accounts (anonymized only by sector in public material). Recurring revenue streams are limited; the bulk of revenue is custom project work, with adjacent modules in preventive and predictive maintenance and traceability software providing a modest recurring layer tied to the installed base. The company is privately held (Key Automation S.r.l., P.IVA 03652350046, REA CN 306774), with no public funding, M&A, or revenue disclosures identified in the input data.

Name

Key Automation

Legal name

Key Automation S.r.l.

Website

https://keyautomationsrl.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Key Automation S.r.l. is an Italian industrial automation software and robotics engineering firm, founded in 2016 and part of the Olivero Group, that develops custom SCADA, PLC, HMI, vision, MES, and robot-programming solutions for multinational manufacturing clients across tire, oil & gas, food, glass, foundry, and paper sectors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Software and Robotics Engineering

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment, Nec (3569)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Automation Software (SCADA, HMI, MES, Historian) (IMAHAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH), SCADA/HMI Platforms (IMAGABAB), Motion Control Components (Servos, Drives, Motors, Encoders) (IMAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Industrial automation software
• Robot programming services
• SCADA systems development
• PLC programming services
• Turnkey robotics solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Fossano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Custom Software Development Services: B2B professional services revenue from developing custom SCADA, PLC, and HMI software solutions for industrial automation projects. Services include on-site commissioning, testing, and start-up support at client facilities globally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Key Automation develops custom industrial automation software (SCADA, PLC, HMI, MES interfaces, vision systems, offline simulation) and programs industrial robots for multinational manufacturing clients. The company delivers turn-key robotics solutions spanning pick & place, palletizing, deburring, bin picking, and end-of-line packaging, with on-site commissioning at client facilities in more than 30 countries across the Tire, Oil & Gas, Food, Glass, Foundry, and Paper sectors.

Product overview

Key Automation Srl is a software and robotics engineering company for industrial automation, founded in 2016 and part of the Olivero Group. Its offering is a portfolio of interconnected software products and services — covering SCADA systems for plant data collection and archiving, PLC programming for industrial process control, HMI (human-machine interface) software for operator visualization and control, 2D/3D vision systems programming for robotic guidance and quality control, MES interface software for digital factory integration, and offline simulation using Emulate 3D for digital twin and virtual commissioning. These are delivered alongside end-to-end turnkey robotics solutions (handling, palletizing, deburring, bin picking), and specialized logistics, intralogistics, and warehouse automation services. The company operates across six primary industry sectors (Tire, Oil & Gas, Food, Glass, Foundry, Paper) and provides its software and robotic solutions globally in more than 30 countries. The product portfolio functions as an integrated suite where SCADA, PLC, HMI, vision, and MES software layers work together on industrial automation platforms from Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Telemecanique/Schneider, and Progea, with Emulate 3D used for pre-implementation simulation and testing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Turnkey Robotics Solutions End-to-end industrial robotics solutions including software development and robot programming for pick & place, handling, palletizing/depalletizing, deburring, and bin picking applications, delivered as turn-key projects integrated with mechanical and electrical engineering from parent company Olivero Srl.
• SCADA Systems Development Custom SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) software for monitoring and controlling large-scale industrial plants and facilities, collecting and archiving operational data; delivered on platforms including Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Telemecanique, and Progea.
• PLC Programming Custom Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) software development using standardized languages per CEI EN 61131-3 and Grafcet methodology, deployed on Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley), Siemens, Mitsubishi, and Telemecanique platforms for industrial process control.
• HMI Software Development Custom Human-Machine Interface (HMI) software development enabling operators to visualize data and control industrial processes in real time, translating process data into immediately usable information for line management.
• 2D and 3D Vision Systems Programming Programming of 2D and 3D industrial vision systems (Keyence, Cognex, DeltaVision) for robotic guidance, quality control, measurement, and inspection in automated production lines.
• MES Interface Development Manufacturing Execution System (MES) interface software that creates interconnection between machine/plant software and MES platforms, enabling higher integration between systems, machines, and departments for production efficiency, optimization, and predictive maintenance.
• Offline Simulation (Emulate 3D) Offline robot and system simulation using Emulate 3D by Rockwell Automation for digital twin modeling, virtual commissioning, and testing of automation projects before physical implementation, reducing costs and development time.
• Logistics and Intralogistics Automation Automation solutions for logistics and intralogistics product movement within plants, including conveyor lines (roller and chain), stacker cranes, elevators, descendors, and AGVs for optimizing raw material, semi-finished, and finished product flows.
• Warehouse Automation Automation of internal material and goods movement through transport lines and robotic islands for manipulation, including palletizing/depalletizing, pick & place, and machine loading/unloading.
• Cobot Solutions Collaborative robot (cobot) solutions integrated into industrial processes, positioned as a key enabler for Industry 5.0 transformation alongside traditional industrial robotics.

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration24 records

AI capability6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Olivero Srl (Olivero Impianti)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Key Automation is part of Olivero Group and works with Olivero Srl to provide complete turn-key automation solutions. Olivero handles logistics, technical services, and metalworking while Key Automation develops software and robot programming, enabling integrated projects from design through production start-up.
• Olivero MarcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird company in Olivero Group that handles plant maintenance. Key Automation works with Olivero Marco to provide comprehensive automation lifecycle support including software development, programming, and ongoing maintenance services.
• Olivero GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent group consisting of three companies - Olivero (logistics, technical services, metalworking), Key Automation (software development), and Olivero Marco (plant maintenance). The group was built over 31 years and provides complete turn-key industrial automation solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Comau: Italian-headquartered industrial automation and robotics company with deep overlap in robot programming, line integration, and turnkey solutions. Comau is both a robot OEM Key Automation programs and a competitor for integrated automation projects in the same Italian/European base.
• IMA Group: Italian industrial automation specialist (formerly IMA S.p.A.) focused on packaging, processing, and turnkey manufacturing lines. Comparable in delivering integrated software, mechanical, and electrical solutions to multinational manufacturing clients, particularly in food and consumer goods.
• ATS Automation: Large pure-play industrial automation systems integrator with global delivery. Operates in similar verticals (food, life sciences, energy) and provides turnkey automation solutions, though at significantly larger scale.
• Bisiach & Carrucci: Italian industrial automation engineering firm providing turnkey automation, robotics, and software solutions to manufacturing clients. Comparable size and Italian base make it a close direct competitor for similar enterprise projects.

Broad incumbents

• Rockwell Automation: Global automation incumbent and one of Key Automation's primary technology platforms. Competes indirectly through its own system integrator network and FactoryTalk software suite, but operates as a broad incumbent across many verticals rather than a focused integrator.
• Siemens: Global automation and industrial software giant whose PLC, SCADA, and HMI platforms Key Automation programs. Competes through its Digital Industries division offering both products and integration services at massive scale.
• ABB: Global robotics and automation incumbent whose ABB industrial robots Key Automation programs. Operates broadly in industrial automation, motion control, and process automation—overlapping with Key Automation's service offerings but at a much larger scale.
• KUKA: Major German industrial robotics and automation company whose robots Key Automation programs. While KUKA is primarily a robot OEM, its systems division competes with Key Automation for integrated automation projects in automotive and industrial manufacturing.
• Schneider Electric: Global industrial automation and energy management company whose Telemecanique/Modicon PLC platforms Key Automation programs. Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure platform and AVEVA Industrial software compete indirectly in the MES/SCADA space.

Emerging players

• Invio Automation: Specialized industrial automation integrator focused on custom automation solutions for complex manufacturing environments. Comparable in delivering custom software and integrated solutions to enterprise manufacturers, though newer and U.S.-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keyautomationsrl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Key Automation