FACMA S.R.L. is a specialized Italian company focused on the design, construction, and sale of agricultural machines for soil cultivation, the mechanized harvesting of shell fruits from the ground, and systems for the drying, selection, and storage of these products.

    The origins of FACMA date back to 1971 in the Viterbo territory of Italy, a region historically characterized by hazelnut and chestnut cultivation. The company's journey began with the intuition of Marcello Bellachioma, then a mechanical worker, who, together with his brother Renzo, aimed to revolutionize the hazelnut harvest by introducing mechanization. At a time when this operation was performed entirely by hand, the brothers' efforts resulted in the creation of their first harvesting machine, trailed by a tractor. The two founders started their activity in Vitorchiano as an individual enterprise, “Officina meccanica Bellachioma Marcello & C.,” initially supported by another local company with more experience in agricultural mechanics. This first machine, called the Cimina, worked based on the principle of aspirating the product from the ground; once inside the machine, the crop was separated from impurities and sent into bags. This original system has inspired all subsequent models of FACMA harvesters.

    During the 1980s, the company's reference market expanded from its original province of Viterbo to the biggest agricultural areas of Italy cultivated with hazelnuts, thanks to the establishment of a network of dealers who remain valid partners to this day. In 1985, the company was formally established as F.A.C.M.A. S.N.C., an artisan company whose name is an acronym for "Artisan Factory for Agricultural Machines Construction." In the following years, the innovative drive of the founders led to the realization of other types of agricultural machines, continuously enriching the product range. First, mulchers (shredders, flail mowers) were introduced for ground preparation (cutting grass, pruning residue, and stones)—these were also among the first models of their kind in Italy, invented to prepare and level the ground for mechanized harvesting. Later, they introduced post-harvest systems, initially finalized for the selection, drying, and storage of hazelnuts, which were then adapted for other shell wood fruits such as walnuts, almonds, chestnuts, and macadamias. At the same time, the harvesting machines, originally conceived for hazelnuts, were also adapted for the harvest of other shell fruits, including chestnuts, walnuts, almonds, coffee, macadamias, and pecan nuts.

    The year 1993 was important because the first self-propelled harvester was designed and built, a machine capable of moving autonomously without the help of a tractor and permitting a single worker to carry out the entire harvest, whereas the trailed harvester required the work of 4-5 people. In 1995, this self-propelled harvester was exhibited in the "Technical News" section of EIMA, the prestigious International Exposition of Agricultural Machines in Italy.

    Until the mid-1990s, relationships with foreign countries had primarily developed through direct sales to the final customer. From 1995, however, the process of constituting a foreign sales network began, starting in Spain with the sale of harvesting machines for almonds, followed by mulchers and harvesting machines for olives. In 2000, the company started collaborating with an agent and some dealers in France for the sale of machines for hazelnut and chestnut harvesting. A significant partnership began in 2002 when the multinational corporation Ferrero contacted FACMA to purchase agricultural machines destined for their hazelnut farm located in Chile. In 2004, direct sales of mulchers to South Africa began. Reflecting its continued growth, in 2005 the firm transitioned from an artisan company to an industrial company, becoming FACMA S.R.L.

    Considering the growing potential of the Chilean market, the branch Comercial Facma Chile Ltda. was founded in Linares, Chile, in 2008 for the sale and service of FACMA machines. Innovation continued, and in 2009, the pruning picker-up shredder, called Comby, was invented and patented, delivering excellent performance in the harvest and crumbling of pruning residues. In 2011, the company introduced machines with a totally mechanical harvesting principle into its product range: the MEK1800, designed for small surfaces and applied to a tractor's lifter, and the SEMEK1000, for large surfaces with maximum harvesting performance. This led to the year 2013, when the mechanical gatherer applicable to the aspiration self-propelled harvester was patented.

    FACMA S.R.L.'s administrative and operative seat is located in Vitorchiano (VT), Italy, where the company owns a covered warehouse of about 5,000 square meters and a surrounding area of approximately 1 hectare. FACMA sells directly in the province of Viterbo and collaborates with authorized dealers throughout the rest of Italy and in other countries around the world. These partners handle the research of potential customers, local communication and promotion (fairs and advertising), negotiation with customers, orders, and service and assistance for the machines. Today, the company realizes approximately 50% of its sales volume abroad, thanks to a robust network of dealers in numerous countries, including its own branch in Chile, and partners in South Africa, France, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Georgia, Moldavia, Argentina, Colombia, and the U.S.A., among others.

 

Year Founded: 1971

Main Products: Complete Farming Solution

Brand: Facma

Country of Origin: Italy

Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/facma.macchineagricole/

Website: www.facma.it

Address: Via Piangoli, snc, 01030 Vitorchiano VT, Italy

Contact No.: +390761370292

Email: facma@facma.it