Precision engineering and Motor Valley: companies that do not manufacture cars but make a difference
Motor Valley is famous for its iconic brands, but behind these names lies a dense network of companies specialising in precision engineering, advanced components and technical subcontracting.
These companies do not build cars, but they make their existence possible, working on micron tolerances, surface treatments, CNC machining and complex systems such as gearboxes, suspensions, brakes, electronics and composite materials.
Areas of excellence: between Modena, Reggio Emilia and Bologna
The productive heart of precision engineering in Motor Valley is concentrated between Modena, Reggio Emilia, Bologna, Parma and Imola, where hundreds of highly specialised SMEs and micro-enterprises operate.
Among the leading companies are:
• CIMA (Faenza) – produces high-precision gears and gearboxes, supplying F1 and MotoGP teams.
• Bercella (Parma) – excellence in advanced composites for cars, aerospace and motorsport.
• Marchesini Group (Castel Guelfo) – precision engineering also applied to the automotive industry.
• HP Composites (Ascoli Piceno, but with a network in Emilia) – supplies carbon components for supercars and hypercars.
These companies collaborate synergistically with major brands, but also with universities, research centres and innovative start-ups in the area.
Micron machining: craftsmanship and Industry 4.0 technologies
The real strength of Emilia-Romagna’s mechanical engineering lies in the combination of traditional craftsmanship and technological innovation.
Many technicians come from families of mechanics, turners, millers or fitters, but today they work with 5-axis CNC machines, advanced CAD/CAM systems, collaborative robots and high-precision laser metrology.
Every component that leaves these companies is tested for performance, reliability and safety, often destined for cars that exceed 300 km/h or competition vehicles where every gram counts.
From F1 to electric cars: the supply chain that anticipates the future
The precision engineering companies in Motor Valley are not stuck in tradition, but are among the first to innovate:
• They develop components for hybrid and electric cars;
• They work with lightweight materials such as titanium, carbon and special alloys;
• They implement additive technologies (3D printing) for prototyping and production;
• They collaborate with racing teams, universities (such as UNIMORE and the University of Bologna) and centres such as the Dallara Academy
Their flexibility and know-how make them indispensable partners for new forms of mobility, such as electric hypercars, hydrogen vehicles and advanced ADAS systems
An industrial heritage to be protected and promoted
These companies are often invisible to the general public, but they represent a strategic value for the future of Motor Valley.
Many are family businesses with a strong local identity, which reinvest in training, human capital and research.
The mechanical engineering districts of Emilia are also models of industrial sustainability, thanks to optimised production cycles, waste reduction, low-energy plants and attention to the quality of work.
The hands behind the legend: who builds the excellence of Motor Valley
Motor Valley would not exist without the network of companies that, every day, create, test and perfect every single component of the most desirable cars in the world. Precision mechanics is the hidden heart of performance, the point where engineering and craftsmanship come together to give shape to excellence.
Enhancing this supply chain means strengthening Italy’s industrial identity, but also investing in the country’s technological and cultural future.