In 1963, a determined and intuitive Italian entrepreneur, Giovanni Bettanin, founded Fabbrica Attrezzature Industriali S.p.A., which translated into English means “the Industrial Equipment Factory.”
Over the past 60 years, F.A.I.’s plant, which was later integrated into the Komatsu Group, has proved exemplary in organizational terms, thanks to the combination of Italian brilliance and creativity with Japanese methodology and the continuous pursuit of the highest quality and reliability, concepts that form the Komatsu Way, a philosophy focused on SLQDC (safety, law, quality, delivery and cost).
Founded by Meitaro Takeuchi in 1921, Komatsu initially acquired 10% of F.A.I. in 1989, stipulating it would manufacture miniature excavators destined for the European market in Este, Italy. Within a few years, the factory’s production volume grew threefold.
In 1996, Komatsu made a bold move to purchase F.A.I. in its entirety and focused production only on utility machines: mini-excavators, midi-excavators, backhoe loaders, and skid steer loaders. The plant’s output continued growing and reached 12,642 machines in 2007.
The factory changed its name to the current Komatsu Italia Manufacturing in 2013 to highlight its ambition to also build larger machines. Having stayed faithful to the Komatsu Way, KIM has received its ISO 45001, 9001 and 14001 certifications.
By employing cutting–edge technology and remaining sensitive to the issue of climate change, KIM designed and built the first fully electric 2-ton mini-excavators, which will be introduced in Europe in 2024.
KIM’s factory has become a major center of production for the entire Komatsu Group and the main distributor of its machines in several countries in Europe and the rest of the world.
Looking to the future, KIM constantly explores new markets and remains committed to meeting their very specific requirements in an effort to increase market share. As seen in their wide range of models, KIM is a remarkable example of integration between two different cultures.