Historical highlights

1979

 KGR s.r.l. was founded to market machines and materials for MIG, MAG, TIG welding with operating headquarters in Turin.

1980

Widening of marketed machine range, plasma cutting by Wemi Italy, arc welding torches for robots and relevant accessories, robotised islands by Tecnomecc, resistance welding machines and relevant automations by Simfor.

1985

Company is transformed from commercial business to industrial business to manufacture welding equipment with headquarters in Brandizzo (Turin).

1990

Business development for manufacturing welding guns, suspended workstations, standard fixed welding machines equipped for the automotive industry.

1991

Enhancement of technical office and company organisation with the aim of supplying “turnkey” assembly lines”.

1994

Development of the “hot-blade” technology to weld plastic components put into effect with the supply of automatic lines for fuel tank assembly.

1995

ISO 9001 certification granted.

2001

Establishment of the Business Unit Electronic Systems specialising in the development of engineering activities concerning on-board electronic systems with headquarters in Turin

2003

• Development and patent application for the welding technology with indirect projection on mobile crimped parts (aesthetic welding).

2004

Development and patent application of electromechanical crimping unit for vehicle mobile parts

2005

Development and patent application for induction heating station and indirect welding for BiW mobile parts

2006

• Development and patent application for robotised indirect projection welding system for BiW mobile parts

• Development and patent application for indirect projection welding boss with dimensions for special applications on BiW mobile parts

2007

• Development and patent application for induction heating station for prepolymerisation of perimeter structural adhesive (crimped perimeter) and centre semi-structural adhesive for vehicle hoods (simultaneous heating process)

• Development and patent application for modular welding guns for robots

2008

• Italian patent granted for indirect projection welding technology for BiW mobile crimped parts  (application submitted in 2003)

• European patent granted for electromechanical crimping units for vehicle mobile parts (application submitted in 2004)

• Company name changed from S.r.l. to S.p.A.

2009

• Development and patent application for modular welding gun that can be changed from manual to robotised operation modes and vice versa.

•  Development and patent application for electro-hydraulic machine for corrugated tube creation for fluidic connections on-board.

• Participation to the POLIMAG project within the Programma Operativo Regionale F.E.S.R. 2007/2013 with the aim of obtaining high performance materials for new nanocomposite polymers in the technology domain High performance polymers – Metal replacement

• Italian patent granted for electromechanical crimping units for vehicle mobile parts (application submitted in 2004)

• Italian patent granted for induction heating station and indirect welding for vehicle mobile parts (application submitted in 2005)

2010

• Participation in the European project MAGBOND within the MANUNET TRANSNATIONAL CALL 2010 to develop an innovative assembly/disassembly technology for non-metallic industrial components, using electroactive nanostructured adhesives.

• European patent granted for indirect projection welding on mobile crimped parts (application submitted in 2003) 

• European patent granted for induction heating station and indirect welding for vehicle mobile parts (application submitted in 2005)

• Italian patent granted for indirect projection welding boss with dimensions for special applications on mobile parts (application submitted in 2006)

• European patent granted for indirect projection welding boss with dimensions for special applications on mobile parts(application submitted in 2006)

• Italian patent granted for induction heating station for prepolymerisation of perimeter structural adhesive (crimped perimeter) and centre semi-structural adhesive for vehicle hoods (simultaneous heating process) (application submitted in 2007)

• European patent granted for induction heating station for prepolymerisation of perimeter structural adhesive (crimped perimeter) and centre semi-structural adhesive for vehicle hoods (simultaneous heating process) (application submitted in 2007)

• Italian patent granted for modular welding guns for robots (application submitted in 2007)

2011

 Moved to current headquarters in Brandizzo (To) for enlargement of operating area

2012

• Development and patent application for die holder unit for corrugated tubing forming.

• Development and patent application for special projection welding gun for nuts, bushings and screws to be used in manual or automatic modes
  Development and patent application for forced cooling system of BiW mobile parts, after induction heating, to prevent deformations due to process heat

• Participation in the European project EVOLUTION within the 7th Framework Programme with the objective to develop an eco-friendly electrical vehicle using innovative light materials

• Italian patent granted for modular welding gun that can be changed from manual to robotised operation modes and vice versa (application submitted in 2009)

• Italian patent granted for electro-hydraulic machine for corrugated tubing forming in fluidic connection on vehicle (application submitted in 2009)

2013

• Development and patent application for multi-stage pneumatic cylinder to be used on manual and robotised welding guns

• Development and patent application to reduce the effects of magnetic fields on human body deriving from manual welding guns

2014

• Project development for an automatic system for rapid selection and transport of screws, nuts and bushings to be interfaced to projection welding machines series MWM

2015

• French patent granted for electro-hydraulic machine for corrugated tubing forming in fluidic connection on vehicle (application submitted in 2009)

• Italian patent granted for die holder unit for corrugated tubing forming (application submitted in 2012)

• French patent granted for die holder unit for corrugated tubing forming (application submitted in 2012)

• Italian patent granted for special projection welding gun for nuts, bushing and screws to be used in manual or automatic modes (application submitted in 2012)

• Italian patent granted for forced cooling system of mobile parts, after induction heating, to prevent deformations due to process heat (application submitted in 2012)

• Italian patent granted for multi-phase pneumatic cylinder to be used on manual and robotised welding guns (application submitted in 2013)

• Italian patent granted to reduce the effects of magnetic fields on human body deriving from manual welding guns (application submitted in 2013)

2016

• Introduction of the SAP ERP system to coordinate and manage all the company areas.

• Development and patent application for crimping of fittings on flexible hoses.

• Participation in the European project FlexHyJoin* within the Horizon 2020 Programme to develop a combination assembly system of laser and induction with an overall process control for hybrid materials, instead of metallic materials, with the aim of  weight reduction, cost and time efficiency and bonding strength.

 *This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 677625