The European Investment Bank has agreed to provide €50 million in financing to Italian industrial automation group Comau to support research and development in robotics, advanced automation, and digital technologies, as Brussels steps up efforts to reinforce Europe’s industrial competitiveness.
The loan will fund Comau’s innovation activities across a range of sectors, including automotive and stationary batteries, aerospace, construction, renewable energy, and logistics. Investment will be focused primarily at the company’s facilities in Turin and Bari.
The agreement is backed by the EU’s InvestEU programme and aligns with TechEU, the EIB Group initiative designed to mobilise up to €250 billion in investment over three years to support innovation across Europe.
EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti said the financing reflected the EU’s strategic priorities in industrial transformation. “Supporting Europe’s industrial innovation and transition to a more digital, sustainable and competitive production model is a priority at the heart of the InvestEU programme,” she said. She added that investment in advanced robotics, automation, and e-mobility would help strengthen Europe’s technological leadership while contributing to skilled job creation.
According to the EIB, the operation forms part of a broader push to accelerate innovation through loans, guarantees, and equity-style investments. Under the InvestEU framework, the bank has already unlocked more than €4 billion of investment in Italy through TechEU-related initiatives.
Comau said the funding would enable it to expand applications in renewable energy and hydrogen fuel cell technologies, while also supporting a reorientation of its automotive business towards advanced manufacturing solutions for batteries and battery recycling. The company added that access to EIB financing would diversify its funding sources and provide longer maturities, helping to speed up implementation of its business plan.
“Comau constantly invests in the development of innovative competencies and technologies,” said Comau Chief Executive Officer Pietro Gorlier. “These are a key driver for the growth of the European manufacturing system, enabling companies to compete globally in sectors of particular importance to the present and future of industry.”
He said the EIB’s backing would strengthen Comau’s ability to pursue its long-term strategy amid heightened uncertainty and rapid technological change. “The support of the European Investment Bank gives us greater strength to pursue our sustainable development strategy, aimed at designing and producing advanced automation solutions that respond to profound market and technological transformation,” he added.
Comau, which is headquartered in Turin, employs about 3,800 people worldwide and operates a network of innovation centres and manufacturing plants across 11 countries. The company is one of Europe’s largest suppliers of industrial automation and robotics systems, with a strong presence in vehicle manufacturing and e-mobility, alongside growing activity in logistics, renewable energy, and digital industrial solutions.
The deal underscores the EIB’s broader role as the EU’s long-term lending arm, using its balance sheet to channel investment into projects aligned with EU policy objectives, including digitalisation, climate action, and industrial resilience.
