Shibaura Machine: Joint Venture with Italy’s EPF Plastic for Sales and Service in Southern Europe Planned

EPF Headquarter in Carrù, Italy - (Photo: EPF).

Shibaura Machine Co. Ltd. and Italy’s E.P.F. Elettrotecnica S.r.l. (EPF Plastic) have signed a memorandum of understanding to examine the establishment of a joint venture. The aim of the planned company is to expand sales and service for injection molding machines and automated production cells in Italy and other Southern European markets. The partners intend to sign the final agreements and complete the transaction by the end of 2026.

The planned joint venture is part of Shibaura Machine’s medium-term growth strategy in Europe. It is envisaged that EPF Plastic’s existing sales and service activities for injection molding machines will be transferred to the new company. The joint venture is expected to be based at EPF Plastic’s current location in Casei Gerola, in the province of Pavia, Italy. In addition to Italy, the company is also expected to be responsible for sales and service of Shibaura Machine injection molding machines in Southern Europe.

Advert

Shibaura Machine plans to hold around 60 percent of the shares in the joint venture, while EPF Plastic is expected to hold around 40 percent. The existing cooperation between the two companies has been in place for 13 years. EPF Plastic is the official sales and service partner of Shibaura Machine in Italy.

One focus of the planned partnership is the combination of injection molding technology, automation, and engineering. According to the companies, EPF Automation, based in Carrù in the province of Cuneo, will closely integrate its expertise in automation and engineering with the sales activities of the joint venture. This is intended to enable the offering of integrated production solutions for automated manufacturing cells and smart factory applications.

The companies point to rising demand for automated production solutions that integrate injection molding machines, automation, and engineering into comprehensive concepts. Shibaura Machine will contribute its technological expertise in mechanical engineering, while EPF is expected to contribute its experience in the development and integration of automated production lines.

Shibaura Machine LWB, the German subsidiary of Shibaura Machine, was established in 2025 through the acquisition of 80 percent of LWB Steinl GmbH. The company combines expertise in horizontal and vertical injection molding machines as well as automation. Its portfolio is aimed at plastics processors and injection molders and includes solutions for processing thermoplastics, rubber, silicone, and elastomers.

Shibaura Machine is a Japanese manufacturer of precision injection molding machines, machine tools, die-casting machines, industrial robots, and extruders. The company was known as Toshiba Machine from 1961 to 2020 and has locations in Asia, the Americas, and Europe.

EPF, based in Carrù, operates in the fields of industrial automation, renewable energy, and plastic injection molding. The EPF Automation business unit develops solutions for industrial automation. EPF Plastic distributes injection molding machines for thermoplastics, represents Shibaura Machine in Italy, and provides sales, technical support, and service.

More information:
shibaura-machine.eu, www.shibaura-machine.co.jp, www.lwb-steinl.com, www.epf.it

Shibaura Machine Co. LTD., Tokyo, Japan + Shibaura Machine LWB, Altdorf, Germany

back to news list