EIB Signs €50M Financing Agreement with Comau to Accelerate Robotics and Advanced Automation R&D

• Financing in support of Comau’s R&D activities
• Investments in Italy at Comau’s facilities in Turin and Bari, to boost Europe’s industrial competitiveness
• The operation is being backed by InvestEU and is in line with TechEU, the EIB Group’s initiative aiming to mobilise €250 billion over the next three years to foster innovation in Europe.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Comau have signed a €50 million finance contract to support the Turin company’s research, development and innovation activities in the fields of robotics, advanced automation solutions, machine tools development, and digitalisation for various industrial sectors: from batteries, both automotive and stationary, to aerospace, construction, renewable energy and logistics. The agreement was announced today by EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti and Comau CEO Pietro Gorlier.

The operation is supported by InvestEU, the European Union’s investment programme, through which the EIB has already unlocked more than €4 billion in Italy under the umbrella of TechEU, the EIB Group’s €70 billion programme to accelerate innovation in Europe through equity, quasi-equity, loan and guarantee investments.

“Supporting Europe’s industrial innovation and transition to a more digital, sustainable and competitive production model is a priority at the heart of the InvestEU programme, of which the EIB Group is the main implementing partner. Investing in advanced robotics, automation and e-mobility will boost Europe’s leadership in technology, contribute to the creation of skilled jobs and support European companies in the major industrial transformations currently taking place,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti.

The interventions will be concentrated mainly in Italy (Turin and Bari),. The investments are designed to develop automation solutions for various industrial sectors, strengthening the know-how of one of Europe’s leading advanced industrial automation and robotics companies and supporting the competitiveness of Europe’s value chain in advanced manufacturing technologies.

"Comau constantly invests in the development of innovative competencies and technologies. These are a key driver for the growth of the European manufacturing system, enabling companies to compete globally in sectors of particular importance to the present and future of industry, such as batteries, aerospace, construction, logistics and renewable energy," noted Pietro Gorlier, CEO of Comau. "The support of the European Investment Bank gives us greater strength to pursue our sustainable development strategy, aimed at designing and producing advanced automation solutions that enable us to meet the challenges of a market marked by profound uncertainty and rapid technological transformation."

A key element of the investments is the expansion of Comau’s applications in the renewable energy and hydrogen fuel cell sectors. In parallel, the funds made available by the EIB are intended to support the reorientation of activities in the automotive sector towards advanced manufacturing automation solutions for batteries and battery recycling.

Thanks to this EIB financing, Comau will also benefit from greater diversification of funding sources, longer maturities, thus speeding up implementation of the business plan.