Itema
Table of Contents

⚠ Disclaimer: This entry may be incomplete, out of date, or inaccurate. It is AI-maintained on a best-effort basis. Do not rely on it as a sole source — verify claims independently using the sources listed below.

Summary

Itema makes weaving machines with all three weft-insertion methods — rapier, air-jet, and projectile — and says it is the only manufacturer to do so. Its roots are in Italy’s Seriana Valley, with plants in Italy, Switzerland, and China and a U.S. subsidiary.

Key Facts

  • Type: company (machine builder); private (shareholders not named on its site)
  • Status: Active; diversifying
  • HQ: Colzate, Bergamo province, Italy
  • Founder: Gianni Radici (1967)
  • Value-chain position: Machine builder (weaving)
  • Scale: turnover EUR 241.5 million (year not stated); 894 employees in its statistics block, “more than 1000” in text; 7 manufacturing sites listed; share capital EUR 30.4 million
  • Models: R9500EVO, GalileoRX (rapier); A9500EVO, GalileoAX (air-jet); P7300HP V8 (projectile); Hercules, UniRap, Maxiplus
  • Subsidiaries listed on Wikipedia: Switzerland, China, India, U.S., Japan

What It Is / How It Works

Itema grew by absorbing weaving-machine brands including Somet, Sulzer Textil (projectile looms), and Vamatex. It diversified from 2017: a stake in composites supplier Lamiflex, Itematech (technical textiles, 2019), a majority stake in Schoch (reeds and drop wires, 2019), Itemalab (independent from 2021), and a 2023 joint venture, Tofflonit, with Tofflon Science and Technology Group (biopharmaceutical systems). Wikipedia describes it as the only producer of projectile looms, via the former Sulzer line.

Notable Developments

  • 2023: Tofflonit joint venture formed.
  • 2021: Itemalab became independent.
  • 2019: Itematech launched; Schoch majority stake acquired.
  • 2017: Began diversification (Lamiflex stake).

Claim Verification

Claim: Only manufacturer offering rapier, air-jet, and projectile weaving machines

Status: Unverified

Supporting sources:

  • Itema — company statement; Wikipedia says exclusive projectile producer

Refuting / questioning sources:

  • None found; the plant and employee figures on the company page are internally inconsistent.

Summary: Plausible given the Sulzer lineage but company-sourced.

Key People

  • Gianni Radici — founder (1967). Current management not identified in sources.

People — Last Reviewed: 2026-10-22

Sources

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