The foundry
Fonderie Palmieri S.p.A. is an iron foundry with over 50 years of activity in the Italian and European markets, based in Calenzano (Florence) in a facility of approximately 20,000 m². It produces high-quality iron castings for the automotive, marine, railway, compressor, hydraulic power and electric motor sectors, in a wide range of alloys: lamellar grey iron, ductile iron, compacted graphite iron, SiMo iron, austempered ADI, Niresist and Nihard.
Since May 2016, Fonderie Palmieri has been part of the Frascold S.p.A. group, European leader in refrigeration and heat pump technologies. Belonging to the group has strengthened financial stability and accelerated technological investments, while keeping the foundry’s operational identity fully intact.
The five pillars
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Quality – ISO 9001 certified processes, in-house laboratory, inspection on every batch.
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Flexibility – alloy change with every 5-tonne batch, small batches and large volumes, technical support from design to delivery.
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Reliability – all production stages take place in-house, eliminating external dependencies and guaranteeing agreed deadlines.
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Safety – ISO 45001 certified environment, automated high-risk operations, ongoing staff training.
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Eco-sustainability – ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 certifications, high-efficiency induction furnaces, water-based coatings in the core-making department.
“The pleasure, the pride of seeing one’s own company prosper, gain credit, inspire confidence in an ever-wider clientele … are a spring of progress just as powerful as profit.”
– Luigi Einaudi, President of the Italian Republic 1948–1955
Fonderie Palmieri was founded in 1968 from the transformation of the sole proprietorship “Lorenzo Palmieri”.
Lorenzo started out producing diesel engines for his own workshop, then established himself as a supplier of components for agricultural machinery and refrigeration compressors – still the company’s flagship product today.
Over the following decades the foundry grew following the vision of its founder, summed up in the Einaudi quotation that still greets visitors at the entrance of the plant today.
THE TIMELINE
Installation of Junker furnaces
DISA cooling tunnel and shot blasting machine
Core department revamping
Savelli moulding line
ISO 90001 certification
ISO 14001 certification
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Construction of raw materials warehouse
Space sand plant
Frascold Spa joins the company
Installation of an automatic Induga Puma ladle
Installation of Koyama deburring centres
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New warehouse on Via Dante Alighieri
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Revamping of Junker furnaces and Savelli moulding machine
ISO 45001 certification
ISO 50001 certification
IRIS certification for the railway sector.
3D sand casting installation
ENGINEERING AND DFM
(DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURING)
— feasibility analysis, geometric optimisation, gating system design, computer simulation.
3D PRINTING FOR CORES
(BINDER JETTING)
— prototypes and small batches without physical tooling, with internal geometries free of manufacturing constraints.
WEB MONITORING
OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS
— real-time visibility on order status through a reserved area.
MATERIAL SELECTION CONSULTING
— selection of the optimal alloy based on mechanical, thermal, wear and machinability requirements.
3D GENERATION FROM 2D DRAWINGS
— CAD modelling for customers who only have two-dimensional documentation.
CERTIFIED PRODUCTION WITH COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION
— test certificates, mechanical testing, compliance with EN, ASTM standards or customer specifications.
MACHINING
AND FINISHING
— finished components ready for assembly through qualified Italian partner workshops.