Industrie Cometto S.p.A., an Italian manufacturer of trailers, semi-trailers and self-propelled vehicles, opened its first workshop for 
production of vehicles, bridge-cranes and installations at Cuneo in Italy in 1954. The company’s manufacturing facility spread over 65,000 sq.m. turns out different types of hydraulic axle trailer vehicles used for over-dimensional cargo (ODC) transportation and other special applications. With a capacity of producing 800 to 1,000 axles per annum for all vehicle types, Cometto caters to over 80 countries across the globe with a total sales turnover of 45-47 million Euros in 2012.
Cometto’s global product portfolio consists of flatbed semi-trailers (XA series), high-speed modular trailers (series OED), low modular trailers (series 2), heavy modular trailers (series 1MS), self-propelled vehicles (MSPE), shipyard transporters (SYT), steelworks transporters (ETH, ETL) and accessories like bolsters, adapters and intermediate decks. It has strong business associations with markets like South Korea, Singapore, Latin America, Japan, Russia, Australia as well as the Asian region.
A front-runner in the field, Cometto has had presence in the Indian market for over four decades since selling its first products in 1970. It now plans to further strengthen its presence in the future years.
Talking about its plans for India, Mr. Alberto Di Stefano, Export Area Manager, Industrie Cometto, says: “The Indian market is very 
important for us, and we are keen on tapping the huge potential it holds. We have been supplying to customers in India for over four decades. In order to expand our market presence, we are planning to establish a cooperation with a local manufacturer.”
In 2012, Cometto started its business promotional activities in India headed by Mr. Ramesh Balan. With the overall market size for its range of products fluctuating every year, the company has managed to maintain a 10 per cent market share in the last few years in the heavy duty axles segment. However, it aims at quadrupling the figure after setting up its own local facility.
Says Mr. Ramesh Balan, Head – Business Promotion (India): “The Indian market is a very cyclic one. During the peak period the market size is around 2,000 axles per annum while at normal times it hovers around 500 to 600 axles annually. We have a 10 per cent market share in the heavy duty axles segment and will increase it to 25 per cent in the next five years. In the long run, we are targeting a 40 per cent market share when we have our production facility up and running in India.”
Cometto supplies self-propelled vehicles to many of the shipyards in India. In terms of modular transportation, it supplies 36-ton capacity axles and is also developing 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6-axle trailers for the ODC segment which could be coupled with Volvo, Scania and MAN prime movers. The company provides extendable trailers to transport windmill blades and its moulds and also offers special twin-blade transportation trailers.
Cometto trailers have the capacity to transport up to 7,000 tons and more while its applications also aid mass-scale movement of 49 to 
220 tons. “All our axles are built with high tensile steel and are robotically welded to give 30 per cent more mileage than the conventional trailers available in the Indian market. Our products have been very well accepted in India and we have long-standing association with many of the leading names in the industry including Nabros, Resham Singh, Globe Eco Logistics, All Cargo (MHTC), Kataria Transport and Namakkal Transport Corporation, among others”, adds Mr. Balan.
Global powerhouse
Industrie Cometto has a state-of-the-art R&D centre at its headquarters in Cuneo, one of the biggest and most advanced centres in the field of heavy equipment manufacturing globally. The R&D team comprises 40 engineers and design engineers who have specialised in various branches like electrical, electronics, hydraulics and mechanical. It uses a computerised drawing system, 15 stations of 3D solid pattern for all projects. It seeks out the latest developments in technology to deliver vehicles capable of matching the latest requirements for heavy transportation in compliance with the related global rules and regulations. Cometto has its special focus on the production of multi-axle vehicles equipped with pneumatic or hydraulic suspension, steering axles and chassis suitable for special transport.
In 1983, Cometto built the ‘Orbiter Transporter’ for NASA, following the first and the biggest self-propelled modular system ever built (3,000 ton) for Nippon Express in 1981. The entire European space project ‘Ariane 5’ in 1990 was moved by Cometto vehicles. In addition to these achievements, the biggest self-propelled vehicle ever built for industrial applications for transport of fabrications up to 1,000 ton was designed by Industrie Cometto for Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea.
With a number of other achievements to its credit, Industrie Cometto is indeed a specialist in the study, design, production and sales of trailers and semi-trailers for heavy transport. As the Indian market becomes increasingly attractive for global players, it will be interesting to follow Cometto’s progress in the country in the coming years.