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FFG EUROPE & AMERICAS

Leading manufacturers of machine tools
and systems for your production tasks

    FFG EUROPE & AMERICAS

    The technology leader in turning, cutting, grinding and gear manufacturing

    FFG Europe & Americas (FFG E&A) is part of the globally active Taiwanese Fair Friend Group (FFG). The Group has its headquarters in Eislingen/Fils (Germany) and unites 15 traditional German, Italian, Swiss and American manufacturers of turning centers, machining centers, milling machines, rotary transfer machines, grinding machines and gear cutting machines for mechanical production and automation.

    A global network of production and sales sites, subsidiaries and service bases guarantees individual solutions in metal-cutting and automation. Users of FFG products and systems include notable companies from the automotive, commercial vehicle, aerospace, machinery and general engineering, metalworking, energy and general mechanics industries and many other sectors.

    DATA AND FACTS

    FFG in figures

    FFG is the industry's global technology leader in metal cutting machine tools and systems. The following facts substantiate this leading market position.

    15

    MANUFACTURER BRANDS

    1450

    YEARS OF ENGINEERING TRADITION

    650

    MILLIONS OF EUROS IN TURNOVER

    Companies

    Manufacturing companies within FFG Europe & Americas

    • FFG Werke GmbH
    • Germany
    • Grinding Technology S.R.L.
    • Italy
    • Industria Meccanica Applicazioni Speciali S.r.l.
    • Italy
    • Jobs SpA
    • Germany, France, Italy, USA
    • K.R. Pfiffner AG
    • Germany, Switzerland
    • MAG Automotive LLC
    • USA
    • MAG IAS GmbH
    • Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, China
    • MAG India Industrial Automation Systems Pvt. Ltd.
    • India
    • MAG Special Machine Tool (Changchun) Co. Ltd. China
    • China
    • Saginaw Machine Systems, Inc.
    • USA

    GUIDING PRINCIPLE AND SUSTAINABILITY


    PRODUCTS, TECHNOLOGIES AND SOLUTIONS FOR DEMANDING PRODUCTION TASKS

    The brands operating within FFG Europe & Americas are steeped in tradition. They have extensive expertise in developing practical and needs-based innovations and also have wide-ranging competence in providing turnkey systems. Technical advice and reliable service teams provide you with individual support in each project phase. It is our aspiration to provide tailored solutions for your metal-cutting requirements. These are based on the specific know-how of all FFG brands with respect to manufacturing processes, machines, automation, peripherals, control systems and digital services.

    Corporate film

    Quality and Innovation

    BRANDS

    Innovative strengths combined under one roof

    FFG Europe & Americas is the world's first address when it comes to machining centers and milling machines for large part machining, rotary transfer machines, turning centers, crankshaft machining equipment, gear manufacturing and grinding machines. FFG unites 15 renowned machine tool manufacturers under one roof. All of these companies jointly provide innovative strength, powerful and highly efficient products as well as complete customer-specific solutions to your production requirements.

    more about Hessapp
    more about IMAS
    more about Jobs
    more about MAG
    more about Meccanodora
    more about Morara
    more about Pfiffner
    more about Rambaudi
    more about Sachman
    more about Sigma
    more about SMS
    more about Tacchella
    more about Witzig & Frank

    History

    Tradition and innovation since 1798

    The history of FFG's brands begins with the founding of Honsberg in 1798. Many other companies in the group look back on a tradition dating back over a hundred years. Even in the early days, manufacturers like VDF Boehringer, Modul, Witzig & Frank, Tacchella or Rambaudi decisively shaped the development of milling, turning, grinding and gear-cutting technology and contributed to progress within industrial applications.
    This history of innovation continues to be written today. Whether in the aviation industry, in which Jobs is well known as a pioneer of new machining processes and process innovations. Or in the automotive industry, where for instance MAG works closely with end customers to jointly promote production-related advances in engine design in terms of productivity and sustainability.

    • 1798
    • 1844
    • 1854
    • 1865
    • 1900
    • 1914
    • 1919
    • 1921
    • 1923
    • 1945
    • 1946
    • 1948
    • 1950
    • 1961
    • 1962
    • 1970
    • 1978
    • 1979
    • 1979
    • 2005

    1798

    Founding of the company "Gebrüder Honsberg für den Handel mit Werkzeugen aller Art“ ("Gebrüder Honsberg for the trade in tools of all kinds") in Remscheid. In the early days still manufacturing saw blades, Honsberg later developed innovative solutions in the field of special machinery, machining centers and flexible production systems.

    1844

    Founding of Boehringer in Göppingen. The tradition-rich company can reflect on a whole series of outstanding developments since the development of its first lathe in 1876, for example the first VDF standard lathe from 1928 or development and production of the Unimog in 1946.

    1854

    Founding of Saginaw Machine Systems (SMS). With over 40 years experience in manufacturing and over 150 years of company history, SMS is not only the abbreviation for "Saginaw Machine Systems", but also the synonym for "Superior Machining Solutions".

    1865

    Founding of the subsequently renamed Witzig & Frank Maschinenbau Gesellschaft mbH as a "mechanical job shop" by Kaspar Martin in Offenburg. This company has applied its significant know-how to develop several patented multi-station machining centers since 1954.

    1900

    Invention of gear cutting technology in Chemnitz. The Chemnitz site and the Modul trademark are directly connected with the emergence of gear cutting technology and nowadays provide complete solutions for shafts and gears.

    1914

    Founding of F. Jos. Lamb Company in Detroit (USA). From being a fabricator of metal components, this company developed through a series of top technical achievements to become one of the leading manufacturers in the machine tool industry with plants in the USA and Canada.

    1919

    Founding of Ex-Cell-O Corporation in Detroit (USA). In addition to the steady development of innovations for automotive production systems, such as linear technology, one of this company's outstanding achievements was the development and manufacture of cold-forming machines from the 1950s onwards. Morara was founded in 1919 in Bologna (Italy) by Luigi Morara, initially as a small craft business providing general engineering services as part of contract manufacturing. The order book grew to such an extent in the 1930s that the premises were no longer adequate, forcing the company to move to Marzabotto just outside Bologna.

    1921

    Tacchella was initially a simple mechanical job shop founded in 1921 by Andrea Tacchella in Acqui Terme (in the province of Alessandria). Despite the difficult and uncertain economic situation at that time, the founder succeeded within a few years in making a name for himself in a special field of precision mechanics. By 1940 he was producing a large number of milling and grinding machines in the AU-ATF series.

    1923

    Founding of the company Vorrichtungsbau Hüller in Ludwigsburg by Karl Hüller. Hüller regularly developed innovations for the automobile and commercial vehicle industry. System solutions in the field of transfer lines and agile manufacturing systems were significantly influenced by developments in Ludwigsburg.

    1945

    Rambaudi, founded in 1945, wrote its name in the history of machine tools with its milling and machining centers. Rambaudi is now one of the world's leading manufacturers of machine tools for sectors involving high speed machines with high cutting ability. It also develops customer-oriented solutions for the mold and die sector.

    1946

    Founding of Hessische Apparatebau GmbH (Hessapp) in Wiesbaden. Hessapp established its reputation as a pioneer in the field of vertical turning in 1954 with development of the first vertical turning machine for processing distributor housings. Hessapp was one of the first two companies to use motor spindles on lathes at the beginning of the 1990s. Then it developed groundbreaking one-and-two-spindle series for production in different component sizes and quantities.

    1948

    Founding of I.M.A.S. as an internal business division of a well-known automotive component manufacturer with the aim of developing a cost-effective solution for mass producing complex and precise metal parts.

    1950

    Sigma has been active in the sector since 1950 and in recent decades it has asserted itself as one of the most important Italian manufacturers of machine tools. Outstanding consolidated skills, which have been developed for over 60 years in highly innovative sectors of the international markets, mean that Sigma excels particularly in the engineering and design of technologically advanced vertical machining centers.

    1961

    Meccanodora has been producing grinding machines for the automobile, roller bearing and household appliance sectors since 1961. Meccanodora now contributes to FFG by completing the wide range of special solutions for axis drives.

    1962

    Founding of Sachman in Reggio Emilia by Mr. Sacchi and Mr. Manzini (SACH-MAN). Since being founded, Sachman has been involved with the development and production of milling machines and machining centers. Sachman was quick to recognize the importance of numerical controls and has distributed its technology worldwide.

    1970

    Pfiffner is the world's leading manufacturer of rotary transfer machines and offers the best solution for workpieces in the high-volume sector. Pfiffner has been developing rotary transfer machines of the highest precision and flexibility for over 40 years. Thanks to its meticulous spirit of inventiveness, solution-oriented experience and unparalleled knowledge of the market, Pfiffner has today become a world-leading partner of the most innovative industries and has established itself as one of the largest independent machine tool manufacturers in the whole of Switzerland.

    1978

    Jobs has been producing high performance and high speed milling machines with three and five axes since 1978. The most advanced companies deploy these globally for high-tech machining. Jobs exports around 80% of its production to highly developed industrial countries. Its high-performance milling technology is recognized as the industry benchmark for the aerospace, automotive, general mechanics and energy sectors.

    1979

    1979

    Founding of the Fair Friend Group in Taiwan. It has used brands like Feeler and Leadwell to become the largest machine tool manufacturer in the area in a short space of time. Its growth strategy since 1989 has been augmented by international acquisitions in the USA, Italy, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland.

    2005

    Founding of MAG Powertrain as a brand within the MAG Group. The establishment of MAG IAS amalgamated the companies Honsberg, Cross Hüller, Ex-Cell-O and Lamb under the MAG Powertrain brand. This was the start of a success story with the core business of system solutions, agile systems and transfer lines.