ELECTRO ADDA
EXCELLENCE, MADE IN ITALY
Powered by Inside Sustainability
inside-SUSTAINABILITY.com
ELECTRO ADDA
I PROFILE
Established in 1948, Electro Adda is a family business which celebrated its 75th birthday in 2023. Over the years, the company has been adept at responding and adapting to international market demands, serving a large variety of sectors with low-voltage electric motors and generators. Hannah Barnett spoke to CEO Lorenzo Riva to find out more about the company fully controlled by the Riva family.
192 Inside sustainability
E
lectro Adda is committed to innovation, efficiency and adding value to its clients. Its products are
the finest in Italian design, offering a range of engines that include marine auxiliary, main propulsion and hybrid solutions. The company is active in sectors like railways, generators, defence and smoke extraction. All products are made in-house by Elector Adda’s skilled and experienced engineering and manufacturing teams. The company initially established a small
International distribution
workshop in Lecco, on the southeastern
Alongside its HQ, the company now
shore of Lake Como, before moving to a
has three additional sites and around
large factory in Beverate di Brivio in 1964.
150 employees.
This remains the HQ and main production
Electro Adda UK was established in
plant today. The site has been regularly
2014 to support both the UK and global
upgraded with state-of-the-art facilities,
markets. The skilled and experienced
and in 1980 a dedicated building for
Manchester-based team offers a local
functional testing was added.
service, from the enquiry stage to design,
With a production capacity of 100,000 units, Electro Adda recorded a turnover for 2022 of 36 million EUR. It hopes to improve
delivery and after-sales support, for key accounts across the UK and beyond. “Our UK team are highly experienced in
on its market share by continuing to
offering solutions for hi-tech applications
expand globally.
in the marine, defence and industrial
Inside sustainability 193
ELECTRO ADDA
I PROFILE
sectors,” said Lorenzo Riva, CEO. “They
and customised designs with adaptations
are renowned for working closely with
made in our workshop can be efficiently
OEMs to engineer bespoke products for
and rapidly delivered to clients from here.”
demanding applications.” In 2019, adapting to the ever-developing
Electro Adda also recently acquired Winding & Production, based in Zalua,
global market, Electro Adda GmbH was cre-
Romania, which specialises in the manu-
ated. The office in Germany is responsible
facture of stator copper windings, an
for Central Europe and is highly experi-
essential component for the production
enced in engineering bespoke solutions for
of electric motors.
demanding applications, such as those required by industry and defence.
With the acquisition of W&P, Electro Adda brought the production of these
The third site is an office in Modena,
essential components under its direct
commercially responsible for customers
control and added an important facet to
located in central and southern Italy. The
its optimisation strategy. “This acquisition
team consists of three sales representatives
allowed us to meet requirements from the
and two experienced workshop engineers,
most demanding applications, such as
who work closely with the HQ in Beverate
smoke motors, railways or dual-speed
di Brivio, further north.
motors,” said Mr Riva.
“This subsidiary is purposefully located in a prime location to enable us to assist
Designing innovation solutions
the surrounding highly populated areas,”
The company has recently developed a
Mr Riva explained. “Both standard products
hybrid marine PTO/PTI system to control the motor inductor, allowing full electric propulsion. When cruising speed is low during navigation, it will also work as a generator to supply energy to the vessel, maximising the combustion engine efficiency.
194 Inside sustainability
ELECTRO ADDA
I PROFILE
This is not the company’s only innovative
facturing approach. It offers bespoke
venture: for decades, Electro Adda has
solutions, as well as personalised cus-
been deeply involved in renewable energy
tomer care and global after-sales service.
in various forms. “The growth of electric
“And we don’t have chat GPT, we have
vehicles plays a key role in the market and
real people talking to clients,” Mr Riva
is one which will definitely impact our daily
said. “A personal relationship counts, all
life,” Mr Riva reflected. “In short, renew-
around the world. That is why we have
ables are now our everyday business.”
a global after-service centre.”
The company has also invested in 350kW
A consolidated and collaborative
solar panels on its factory roof, as well as
working strategy allows the company
recycling schemes, LED lights and auto-
to enjoy robust relationships with its
matic HVAC for its facilities. The investment
network of suppliers too. “We have
in solar panels is particularly significant as
a win-win approach and promote trans-
it allows the factory to derive its energy
parency, close partnerships and joint
from an off-grid, independent source.
development in our strategic choices to
Electro Adda maintains its competitive
create a solid ground to grow,” Mr Riva
edge in several ways. Its products are
explained. “Our current commitment is
proudly made in Italy, and the company
to turn those aspects into KPI indicators
applies a beneficial cost/quality ratio,
to work out where we stand and where
vertical production flow and a lean manu-
we can go.”
196 Inside sustainability
Outlook Going forward, the biggest challenge for Electro Adda will be to maintain its key position in the non-captive low-voltage motor market. “In a world of large players, Electro Adda stands out with its technological excellence, customer focus and ability to develop special products used in applications with less competition, but more sophisticated engineering content,” Mr Riva said. “We are determined to continue investing in research and development and the sustainability of our products and materials. Our superior manufacturing reflects our ‘Made in Italy’ quality.” The company will continue to develop and evolve products from its factory, taking them all the way from the first drawings and models, through the processing of raw materials, up to the components that are ultimately assembled. Electro Adda also works closely with universities to make sure the company is using the most up-to-date technologies, and continually updating its software and capabilities. The company also maintains strong relationships with local schools. “We want to cultivate engineering interest in future generations,” Mr Riva concluded. “These days, manufacturing is not so popular for young people, but it remains the backbone of Italy.”
n Inside sustainability 197