UNIVER GROUP - Company Overview
History and Foundation
Univer Group was founded in 1971 by Luciano Migliori, whose pioneering vision led to the creation of innovative and avant-garde products that were ahead of their time. The company name "UNIVER" reflects its philosophy: air, the driving force of their products, is a universal endless energy source that embraces the whole universe.
The company began with the production of poppet valves for air and vacuum, with the original UNIVER valve commutation system being patented in 1973. This early patent demonstrated the company's commitment to innovation and research and development activities that continue to define the organisation.
Corporate Development
Headquartered in Milan, Italy, UNIVER has been synonymous with research, know-how, and innovation since 1971. The company achieved ISO 9000 certification as early as 1991, making it one of the first companies in the industrial automation field to do so. This early adoption of quality management systems demonstrates their commitment to rigorous processes and continuous improvement.
At the end of the 1980s, the UNIVER Group began to take shape, establishing its first daughter companies abroad and sales companies in Italy, which laid the foundation for their current worldwide sales network. The company has obtained more than 150 patents during its 50 years of activity, covering cylinders, valves, clamping units, and electric solutions.
Business Divisions
UNIVER Group operates through several specialised divisions:
- Pneumatic Automation Division - The original and core business
- Automotive Division - Created in 2000 after years of experience supplying pneumatic components to the automotive market, this division designs and produces clamping technology for welding fixture production, metal sheet handling, and Body-in-White (BIW) applications
- Electronic Division - This division supports all business units transversally, studying, designing, and manufacturing electric and electronic devices integrated into UNIVER products, including electronic sensors, modular fieldbus systems, firmware, printed circuit boards, and power devices
- Machining Division - Equipped with the latest technology CNC machines, this division completely integrates the production process alongside existing assembly plants
Global Presence
UNIVER has expanded its operations globally with plants located on three continents and branches in Germany, Spain, China, the USA, France, Brazil, and Poland. In Italy, the commercial company UNIVER Service S.r.l. manages the domestic market with operational offices and distributors throughout the country.
Pneumatic Automation Products
UNIVER, active on the market since 1971, offers a complete range of components for industrial automation, positioning itself as a single-source supplier for comprehensive automation solutions.
Product Categories
1. Pneumatic Actuators
The actuator range includes standards-based cylinders, compact cylinders, oval cylinders, short-stroke cylinders, rotating cylinders, rodless cylinders, guided cylinders, and telescopic cylinders, along with related accessories, mounting elements, sensors, shock absorbers, and locking units.
2. Valves and Distributors
UNIVER's valve portfolio encompasses standards-based valves with spool or poppet systems, pneumatic and electric foot valves, threaded valves, and valves for sub-bases. The company is particularly noted for its innovative valve designs, which were among the first in Italy to address vacuum applications.
3. Air Treatment Units
The air treatment range includes filter units, regulators, lubricators, coalescence and activated carbon filters, pressure switches, proportional regulators, and related accessories to ensure proper treatment of upstream air and guarantee full functionality and less wear of downstream components.
4. Fittings and Hoses
UNIVER produces fittings in technopolymer, metal, and stainless steel, including push-out fittings, quick couplings, tubes in polyamide and polyurethane, and spiral tubes.
Product Characteristics
Each UNIVER product is characterised by original and innovative productive and technical solutions that make it unique whilst complying with international standards. Originality, high quality, reliability, and long life are key factors of UNIVER products.
The company's design philosophy emphasises practical functionality - a distinctive feature of UNIVER is high quality combined with relative simplicity of design in operation. This approach makes their products accessible and easy to maintain whilst delivering professional-grade performance.
Applications
UNIVER pneumatic automation products are used across virtually every industrial sector globally. Their components are particularly prevalent in manufacturing assembly lines, packaging equipment, material handling systems, and industrial processing machinery. The company's products have been homologated by major car manufacturers worldwide, including Italian, European, American, and Asian automotive companies.
Innovation and Engineering
UNIVER's headquarters in Milan houses a team of qualified engineers who study, design, and develop original innovative products. The company's commitment to in-house development extends to electronic components, with all electronic sensors, modular fieldbus systems, and control devices designed and engineered internally to offer original and updated solutions meeting the evolving demands of the market.
The comprehensive integration of design, engineering, production, and quality control under one organisation allows UNIVER to maintain strict quality standards whilst remaining responsive to customer needs and market developments.