Lucas

What Lucas does

Lucas Srl is an Italian, family-owned industrial machinery manufacturer headquartered in Chiuppano, in the province of Vicenza, Veneto. Operating for over 50 years, the company designs and builds a focused portfolio of sheet metal processing equipment: trimming and forming machines (the VBU 400 through VBU 1200 series), circular shears (models ranging from 3/1300 up to 10/6500), flanging machines (VBH, Rotor 4), the Tanko polycentric-head flanger, seaming machines, and tube end formers. The machines use PLC control with touch screen interfaces, brushless motors, hydraulic and electronic stroke control, and recirculating ball screw and ball rail systems for precision positioning, with reported tolerances as tight as ±0.02mm on automated models. Alongside standard machines, Lucas produces fully automated turnkey production lines - notably the VBU 400 SW gas cylinder line co-developed with Schuler-Hydrap and Copren (10 bottle bodies per minute), the fire extinguisher line (15-second cycle), and the VBU 400 ST line for liquid tank heads.

The business model is primarily one-time capital equipment sales distributed through direct inquiry (multi-language website, phone, email) and a network of authorized resellers, supplemented by worldwide aftermarket service, spare parts, and technical assistance. Target end markets are diversified across HVAC and ventilation manufacturers, road sign and traffic equipment producers, pressure vessel and gas cylinder manufacturers, fire extinguisher producers, food and beverage tank builders, truck and trailer tank manufacturers, and automotive component suppliers. With 11-50 employees, a €100,000 share capital, and no external equity funding, Lucas is a small, privately-held specialty manufacturer that competes on domain expertise, customization, and integrated automation rather than scale or software differentiation. The input contains no disclosed revenue, no AI/ML capability, and no digital platform or API surface.

Name

Lucas

Legal name

Lucas Srl

Website

https://lucas.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lucas Srl is an Italian, family-owned manufacturer of specialized sheet metal processing machinery - trimming, beading, flanging, and circular shearing machines plus turnkey production lines - serving HVAC, road sign, gas cylinder, fire extinguisher, tank, and automotive producers worldwide via direct sales and resellers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Sheet Metal Processing Machinery

NAICS

Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

Keywords

• Sheet metal machinery
• Trimming machines
• Circular shears
• Flanging equipment
• Beading machines

Headquarters

HQ city

Chiuppano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Machinery Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling sheet metal processing machinery including trimming machines, beading machines, flanging machines, circular shears, and special custom-designed machines for specific customer requirements.
2. Aftermarket Services: Revenue from worldwide customer service support, technical assistance, spare parts supply, and professional advice for existing machinery installations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lucas Srl designs and manufactures industrial sheet metal processing machinery, including trimming and forming machines (VBU series), circular shears, beading machines, flanging machines, tube end forming machines, and seaming machines. The company also builds fully-automated custom production lines for gas cylinders, fire extinguishers, and tank heads, providing worldwide service support and spare parts. Customers are primarily industrial manufacturers serving HVAC/ventilation, road signs, pressure vessels, tanks, and automotive component sectors.

Product overview

Lucas is an Italian industrial machinery manufacturer with over 50 years of experience supplying sheet metal processing equipment. The product portfolio consists primarily of standalone industrial machines for trimming, beading, flanging, circular shearing, and tube forming operations, along with custom-designed turnkey production lines. Core product families include the VBU trimming/forming series (VBU 400 through VBU 1200), circular shear machines (models 3/1300 through 10/6500), flanging machines (VBH, Rotor 4), and specialized equipment for road signs, fire extinguishers, gas cylinders, and tank heads. The company also produces automated production lines and special machines designed to customer specifications. Products operate as standalone industrial equipment controlled via PLC and HMI/touch screen systems, without software integrations or cloud connectivity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VBU 500 Trimming and Forming Machine Versatile trimming, flanging, turning, curling, beading, threading and seaming machine for circular and polygonal flat or drawn sheet metal parts with hydraulic or electronic stroke control.
• VBU 800 Trimming and Forming Machine Mid-size trimming and forming machine performing trimming, flanging, turning, curling, beading, threading for deformation and seaming operations on circular and polygonal sheet metal parts.
• VBU 1200 Trimming and Forming Machine Large format trimming and forming machine for circular and polygonal flat or drawn sheet metal processing including trimming, flanging, turning, curling and beading operations.
• Circular Shear Model 5/1800 Hydraulic circular shear machine for cutting and beading sheet metal discs with digital diameter display and high cutting speed. Features optional motorized tailstock movement with ±0.05mm positioning tolerance.
• Circular Shears Model 5/1800 TM Circular shear with movable cutting head on ball rail systems driven by brushless motor for automated/robot transfer integration with ±0.02mm diameter tolerance setting.
• Automatic Circular Shear Model 5/1000 Auto Fully automated circular shear with integrated transfer system, vacuum lifting device, and pneumatic scrap extraction. Production rate of 5 pieces per minute with automatic disc unloading and palletization.
• Circular Shear Model 10...3500 / 5000 / 6500 M Heavy-duty circular shear series in three models (10/3500 M, 10/5000 M, 10/6500 M) for cutting and beading large diameter workpieces with turret tailstock, ball rail system guiding, and automatic wrinkle-breaker device.
• Circular Shear Model 3/1300 Compact circular shear for smaller scale production targeting stamping, sheet metal spinning, and gasket manufacturers with high productivity and cutting speeds of 35-70 m/min.
• Circular Shear Machine Model 5/1000 Circular blade shear machine for cutting and beading circular parts with quick tool changeover (blades/rollers) via single screw, cutting capacity 0.5-5mm for R=400 N/mm2 steel.
• Tanko Polycentric Head Flanging Machine Machine for flanging polycentric or round heads dished, flat or conical without copying templates. Uses vacuum clamping, laser centering, and servo motor controlled rotating head with 3 hydraulic rollers for tank head manufacturing.
• Rotor 4 Flanging and Punching Machine Efficient machine for axial fan manufacturers executing flanging, punching, and stiffening re-flanging in a single piece positioning operation with radial unit positioning via handwheels.
• VBH Flanging Machine Roller flanging machine for axial fan manufacturers with two controlled axis units for flanges up to 150mm radius. Performs punching and beading operations in single positioning with flanging radius options from 4-300mm.
• Double Head Tube End Forming Machine Model 3/2000 Automatic flanging machine for circular tubes up to 2 meters long with simultaneous outward flanging and band turning. Can work both tube ends contemporaneously with optional beading, ribbing, curling, and automatic loading/unloading.
• Seaming Machines (EL Series) Machines for seaming steel and stainless steel ferrules on thicknesses 0.3-0.6mm, available in multiple models (EL 057-500, EL 094-625, EL 131-1000, EL 132-1250) for various diameter and length requirements. Can replace welding processes with fast seaming operations.
• Beading Machine for Road Signs (VBU 2200) Vbu 2200 beading machine for road sign production performs simple or double beading of circular and polygonal pieces (triangles, rectangles, octagons, arrows) using low-cost copying molds. Features hydraulic unit, brushless motor control, and automatic lubrication.
• Circular Shearing and Flanging Machine Model M3/1600 Combined circular shearing and beading machine that automatically cuts disk, beads and re-beads. Features cutting speed up to 70 m/min, hydraulically-controlled blade descent, and PLC control for road sign, table top, tank bottom, and metal seal manufacturers.
• VBU 400 SW Gas Cylinder Production Line Fully-automated gas cylinder body production line developed with Schuler-Hydrap and Copren for steel gas cylinder manufacturing. Outputs 10 complete bottle bodies per minute with robot loading/unloading and PLC-controlled scrap ejection.
• Fire Extinguisher Production Line Fully automated fire extinguisher production line with 4-pincers transferring device. Performs forming, punching, cutting and beading automatically with 15-second cycle time for complete extinguisher production.
• VBU 400 ST Tank Head Production Line Fully-automated line for trimming and beading heads of liquid tanks (water or petrol) and expansion vessels. PLC-controlled with three-arms rotary system for automatic loading/unloading and conveyor belt scrap removal.
• VBU 400 Fire Extinguisher Forming Machine Single-positioning machine forming lower side, punching upper side, and performing alternating cutting and beading for extinguisher welding coupling. Available in manual version.
• RD 3800 R Shear and Beading Machine Designed for cutting and beading flat, rounded and rolled multicentre stainless steel heads with vacuum clamping (no drilling required). Works from laser or plasma cut templates with excellent superficial finishing and absolute repeatability for tank vehicle manufacturers.
• Shear and Beading Machine Series .../2600 Hydraulic tailstock shear and beading machine available in 6/2600, 8/2600, and 10/2600 models for processing workpieces up to 2600mm diameter with optional recirculating ball screws and program storage.
• Circular Shear and Beading Machine Model 9/4200 Heavy-duty machine for stainless steel heads and tanks (flat, conic, rounded) with hydraulic drive, digital diameter display, and optional beading device, tailstock positioning with brushless motor, and dedicated loading/unloading systems.
• Shear and Beading Machines Series .../3500 and .../5000 Heavy shear and beading machines available in 6/3500, 8/3500, 6/5000, and 8/5000 models with turret tailstock, optional recirculating ball screws, and program storage for quick repositioning at 6 m/min.
• Circular Shear Machine Model 10/3900 (Used) Heavy circular shear for cutting discs or circular rings up to 3900mm diameter with 10mm cutting capacity at R.40 kg/mm2. Features 15.5 kW installed power and cutting speeds of 10-39 m/min.
• Parx Mod. KSM - sch 2 (Overhauled Circular Shear) Overhauled circular shear with 4mm max thickness capacity, 1000-1250mm diameter range, and 15 m/min cutting speed. Available at €7,500.00.
• M.S.M. Handles Forming Machine Handles forming machine for food and liquid storage tank manufacturing.
• MSSRT T-Extrusion Machine Machine for T-extrusion operations in chimney and flue manufacturing.
• Automatic Plant for Cutting Discs from Square Pieces Model 1800/10 Automated disc cutting system from square pieces for deep-drawing applications.
• Special Custom Machines Custom-designed special machines and automatic lines upon customer request. Lucas cooperates with other companies to integrate different workings into single production lines with automation levels from simple conveyor belts to sophisticated robots.
• Worldwide Aftermarket Service and Spare Parts Worldwide customer service support, technical assistance, spare parts supply, and professional advice for Lucas machinery installations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gas cylinder line output: 10 complete bottle bodies per minute
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Schuler-HydrapcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and manufacturing partner for developing the VBU 400 SW gas cylinder production line. Schuler-Hydrap contributed expertise in hydraulic forming technology for the fully-automated gas cylinder steel body production line capable of producing 10 complete bottle bodies per minute.
• CoprencoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner in the development of the VBU 400 SW gas cylinder production line for an American gas cylinder manufacturer. Copren contributed to the complete automated line for producing steel bodies used in gas cylinders.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• EHRT Maschinenbau: German maker of CNC punch presses, shears, and bending machines for sheet metal. Comparable in size and product focus as a European specialist in similar fabricating equipment.
• Prima Power: Italian-headquartered manufacturer of sheet metal machinery including punching, shearing, bending, and laser cutting. Direct competitor and fellow Italian mid-market specialist.
• HACO: Belgian-origin manufacturer of press brakes, guillotine shears, and punching machines. Direct peer in shearing and forming with overlapping customer types in industrial fabrication.
• Salvagnini: Italian manufacturer of sheet metal processing machinery (press brakes, panel benders, punching, laser cutting). The most direct comparable given shared Italian origin and overlapping product categories.
• LVD Group: Belgian manufacturer of sheet metal working machinery including press brakes, shears, and punching systems. Direct competitor in the shearing and forming categories where Lucas specializes.
• RAS Reinhardt Maschinenbau: German specialist in sheet metal bending, folding, and shearing equipment. Comparable as a focused European specialist in adjacent forming processes.

Broad incumbents

• Schuler Group: German global leader in metal forming including presses and automation. Already a partner of Lucas (Schuler-Hydrap) on the gas cylinder line; competes in broader metal forming and automation.
• TRUMPF: German global leader in machine tools and laser technology for sheet metal processing. Broad incumbent overlapping with Lucas in metalworking machinery at vastly larger scale.
• AMADA: Japanese global incumbent in metalworking machinery including shears, press brakes, lasers, and punching machines. Competes broadly across sheet metal fabrication where Lucas operates.
• Bystronic: Swiss global leader in sheet metal processing (laser cutters, press brakes, automation). Overlaps with Lucas in shearing and bending but operates at much larger scale with broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lucas-s-r-l

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Lucas