Our Story
1942
FOUNDATION AUTOBLOK in Italy
Autoblok is founded in Turin in 1942 by Domenico Bronzino. In 1946 the company begins making chucks, at first manual and later power operated.
1950s and 1960s
Autoblok moves from a workshop to fully-industrialized production. The company becomes the leading maker of chucks in Italy. The 1960s sees Autoblok's first sales of its products abroad, at first through agencies and later through joint ventures and branches in France, Germany, the UK, Sweden, Brazil and Japan.
1967
FOUNDATION SMW in Germany
SMW-AUTOBLOK has its German roots in a sales company for clamping devices, founded in 1967 under the name SMW in Friedrichshafen. The acronym SMW is derived from the initials of the surnames of the original founders: Schneider, Manz, and Weisshaupt oHG.
1970-1974
AUTOBLOK launches operations in the United States.
Autoblok establishes subsidiaries in strategically important European markets such as France and the United Kingdom. This is followed by the expansion into the U.S. market.
1993
Foundation of SMW-AUTOBLOK Spannsysteme GmbH
In December 1993, the two companies—Autoblok S.p.A., based in Caprie (Turin), Italy, and SMW, which had since relocated to Meckenbeuren, Germany—merged. The fusion of these two renowned workholding technology specialists marked the birth of SMW-AUTOBLOK Spannsysteme GmbH.
2000
New construction and expansion at SMW-AUTOBLOK
In the early 2000s, the construction of Production Hall 2 was completed and put into operation. This marked a significant expansion of production capacity in Germany.
2005-2015
Subsidiaries
SMW‑AUTOBLOK opens branch offices in Mexico, China, India, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, the Czech Republic and Sweden, establishing a strong presence in these important markets.
2017
AWARD: 100 SITES OF INDUSTRY 4.0
In 2017, the TOP 100 companies in Baden-Württemberg were honored. SMW-AUTOBLOK was the only manufacturer of clamping systems in this round of awards to be recognized for a rotating clamping technology. The F500 e-motion, which received the Industry 4.0 Award, features all the key characteristics required for use in forward-looking, digital production environments.
2018 - 2019
New Construction and Modernization at SMW-AUTOBLOK
In 2018, SMW-AUTOBLOK moved into the newly built Technology and Logistics Center, Hall 3. During the same period, up until 2019, the facade and interior spaces of the administration building were modernized.
2018
ACQUISITION OF TELBROOK
The innovative and automatic clamping systems developed by Telbrook marked a pivotal advancement in the production of highly specialized engine components.
2018
NEW PRODUCTION SEAT IN ITALY
A new SMW-AUTOBLOK production facility has opened its doors in Petacciato, in the Italian province of Campobasso. This site focuses on the manufacturing of specialized products for stationary applications.
2018
NEW SUBSIDIARY POLAND
Established SMW‑AUTOBLOK Poland
2019
NEW SUBSIDIARY Turkey
Established SMW‑AUTOBLOK Turkey
2020
TOBLER ACQUISITION
Effective June 1, 2020, the SMW-AUTOBLOK Group acquired the company Tobler and integrated its products and related sales services into its own product portfolio. SMW-AUTOBLOK offers both existing Tobler customers and new clients the opportunity to purchase original spare parts and clamping systems from Tobler, including both standard and customized products.
2021
NEW COMPANY FOUNDATION MAG-AUTOBLOK TECNOMAGNETE
The recent acquisition of Tecnomagnete by the SMW-Autoblok group completes the range of clamping systems for machine tools with high-tech magnetic systems.
2021
FOUNDATION of SMW-electronics
With the founding of SMW-electronics GmbH in September 2021, an independent company was established to consolidate global activities related to products for digitized processes and automation. These include product areas such as mechatronic clamping devices, inductive coupling systems, AI-enabled gripping systems, as well as intelligent sensors and software.
2022
New Building for SMW-electronics
On a site of approximately 1,000 square meters spread over two floors, the new building accommodates engineering, production, testing facilities, warehousing, logistics, and assembly. The facility is equipped with the latest technologies for CO₂ reduction and energy efficiency.
2024
New Construction of the SMW-AUTOBLOK Factory Airport
The decision has been made. Construction of the new SMW-AUTOBLOK Factory Airport will begin in early summer 2024. In what will become the most modern facility within the SMW corporate group, fully automated and digitized production of products in the areas of clamping technology, automation, and electronics will take place. The facility is designed to accommodate 110 employees across administration, design, production, and logistics, spanning approximately 4,600 m² of hall space and 1,700 m² of office space. The building itself will meet the highest standards of efficiency and climate neutrality.