Founded in 1950 Poggipolini is a specialist in technical weight reduction solutions, critical components and structural fastening systems. Our full service capabilities range from engineering and R&D to system integration and final turnkey packaging using the most technological equipment and processes available.
The ProFiT project is an automated, high-speed, high-volume, continuous manufacturing method for titanium alloy bolts. This makes them practicable in applications where previously they have been overlooked or rejected as too expensive.
This feasibility study, conducted from Oct 2014 to Jan 2015, has been made to consolidate the financial and market data, and to prove the technical aspects. This has included freedom-to-operate and risk analyses, market evaluation, defining the technical specifications, prototype testing, financial forecasting of various production scenarios and planning through to full-scale production.
The key market for ProFiT initially will be the automotive sector. The weight saving benefits of ProFiT will help manufacturers achieve their obligations regarding fuel economy and emissions. The volume of this market requires a manufacturing process such as ProFiT and affords important economies of scale. Already in use on super-luxury and super-performance cars, ProFiT will make titanium bolts feasible for less exclusive cars, ultimately allowing the technology to “trickle down” to mass-production cars.
We are already an approved supplier to a number of our target customers in the key market for ProFiT. We know the sector well and make parts for several luxury and supercar marques. We are in discussions with one of the world’s largest automotive groups with respect to specific projects that could be fulfilled using ProFiT.
A small scale prototype of the ProFiT manufacturing process has been tested and worked perfectly, producing small bolts and rivets that fully comply with specifications. An estimated budget of approximately €3.5 million is required to scale-up the prototype and integrated systems, making ProFiT production ready. This has the potential to make a tremendous impact for Poggipolini and its customers, reaching over €30M in turnover by 2020.
