DIALOGUE: Camozzi’s Autonomous Vision
Successful autonomous manufacturing will depend on a fundamental relationship between humans and machines, believes Lodovico Camozzi, CEO of Italian innovators, The Camozzi Group.
“As we imagine future autonomous enterprises and smart factories, we have to keep in mind that innovation always springs from human ideas, creativity, and talent.”
Lodovico Camozzi, President and CEO, Camozzi Group S.p.A.
When the global Formula One Grand Prix motor racing series descended on Miami, Florida, for the first time in April this year, Italian industrial innovation company Camozzi was among the many high-tech developers with their advanced 3D printed components lined up on the starting grid.
Founded in 1964 in Lombardy, Italy, as a local pneumatic components company, the Camozzi Group is now a $490 million global enterprise operating in 78 countries, with 25 production plants, and over 2,900 employees. Much of that growth has been driven by a series of diversified acquisitions, including Campress for brass moldings, machine tools maker Innse-Berardi, PlastiBenaco (now Technopolymers) for plastic components, metal processing company Newton Officine Meccaniche, advanced machine tools maker Ingersoll Machine Tools Inc. in Illinois, textile machinery maker Marzoli, gearing machinery company Innse Milano (now Camozzi Advanced Manufacturing), and iron and aluminum foundry Fonderie Mora Gavardo.
With a passion for innovation, the company opened its own Camozzi Research Center in Milan in 2021, dedicated to R&D in additive manufacturing, advanced materials, industrial automation, robotics, predictive maintenance, and intelligent process control. Among its onsite capabilities is the company’s Masterprint additive manufacturing system, one of the world’s largest 3D printers. The Center also acts as a collaborative hub for Camozzi’s growing global research network, which includes Oak Ridge National Laboratories and other U.S. universities, and which is focused on developing and exchanging the scientific and technological knowledge necessary to shape future industrial processes.
Camozzi’s latest research and development collaboration is with Swiss-based Sauber Motorsport and the Alfa Romeo F1 ORLEN racing team, announced in March this year. The partnership covers new materials, additive manufacturing, mechatronics, and process modelling to help accelerate Alfa Romeo’s racing car performance within the strict F1 guidelines.
In our latest Dialogue with a manufacturing industry thought leader, Lodovico Camozzi, who took the helm of the family business as Group President and CEO in 2015, talks to Manufacturing Leadership Council Executive Editor Paul Tate about his view of manufacturing’s autonomous future, how advanced additive manufacturing approaches promise new production paradigms, the importance of collaboration in driving innovation and excellence, and why the industry must maintain a human focus in an increasingly digital world.
EXECUTIVE PROFILE: Lodovico Camozzi
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer, Camozzi Group S.p.A..
Nationality: Italian
Education: Accounting Diploma, Brescia
Languages: Italian, English
Additional Roles Include:
President and Chief Executive Officer:
– Camozzi Automation S.p.A. – Brescia
– Campress S.r.l. – Paderno Franciacorta – Brescia
– Camozzi Technopolymers S.r.l. – Castrezzone di Muscoline – Brescia
– Camozzi Advanced Manufacturing S.p.A. – Milan
– Innse Berardi S.p.A. – Brescia
– Marzoli Machines Textile S.p.A. – Palazzolo sull’Oglio – Brescia
– Camozzi Research Center S.r.l. – Milan
– Camozzi Digital S.r.l. – Brescia
– Managing Director: Fonderie Mora Gavardo S.p.A. – Gavardo, Brescia
– Member of the Board of Directors: Ingersoll Machine Tools Inc. (USA)
Other Board Memberships
– Member of the Advisory Board and Senior Advisor, Industry 4.0 Fund, Quadrivio Group
– Member of the Board of San Benedetto Foundation in Brescia
– Member of the Board of Governors of the Lumezzane Football Club.
– Member of the President’s Board and General Board of the Brescia Industrial Association (2017-2020)
– Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Diocesan Museum in Brescia (from 2011-2015).
– Member of the Board of Governors of the Mille Miglia Museum (2018-2021).
– Member of the Local Consultation Committee of BPM Credito Bergamasco Div. (2014-2019)
– Member of the Board of Governors of the Credito Bergamasco Foundation (2018-2020).
Awards & Honors
– Certificate of Merit from the City of Palazzolo sull’Oglio, 2019
– Oscar dei Bilanci for his commitment to the reconstruction of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Brescia, 2019
– Sport Team Award for supporting sports activities for the disabled, Brescia, 2018
About the author:
Paul Tate is Co-founding Executive Editor and Senior Content Director of the NAM’s. Manufacturing Leadership Council.
