Our history:
since 1973 a benchmark for hand knitting yarns.
1973
The origins
On January 1, 1973, Franco Campanini founded CAMPANINI MACCHINE TESSILI in Novara.
With twenty years of experience as a chief technician, Franco designed the “C74”, an innovative ball-winding machine with 10 and 16 heads for wool, cotton and crochet yarns. The machine introduced solutions that were unprecedented at the time: simultaneous mandrel opening with adjustable diameter and simultaneous yarn cutting with mechanical clamping.
1979
The origins
The evolution continued in 1979 with the “Type 80”, which introduced variable speed and fully automatic cutting and mandrel opening, reaching over 300 units sold in just a few years.
1986
Ivano joins the company and the electronic turning point
In 1986, Franco’s son Ivano joined the company. Together they designed the SCT.240 Type A, which became the foundation for future generations, featuring timing belt transmission of the flyers, electropneumatic mandrel control and automatic mechanical gear change to produce softer, more voluminous donut-type balls.
1989
Ivano joins the company and the electronic turning point
1989 marked a revolution with the “Type C”: the first electronic system capable of storing programs and parameters for each ball shape. This reliability opened the doors to the global market. In 1993, Ivano Campanini took full control of the company, consolidating the generational transition.
2002
New horizons and advanced technologies
The company expanded its range with high-performance machinery:
Vaporada was developed, a new-generation continuous yarn bulking machine with independent heads, later paired with the FKT4-E cake winding machine featuring an electronic feeder, yarn break sensors and an operating speed of up to 500 m/min.
2003
New horizons and advanced technologies
Nexus was launched, a semiautomatic ball-winding machine derived from the SCT.240 Type C with cutting-edge electronics. It was followed in 2006 by Vega, an electropneumatic ball-winding machine, a simpler and more economical model aimed at markets with lower technical requirements.
2012
New horizons and advanced technologies
TRIAX EVO was designed and built: a highly advanced cake winding machine featuring two never-before-seen devices on the market, including a pneumatic system to control cake softness and an electronic device to control the yarn crossing pattern.
The machine also included yarn break and slippage sensors, a winding speed of up to 620 m/min and winding flyers made of stainless steel tubes with an internal diameter of 10 mm, also suitable for very coarse yarns (up to 0.2 Nm).
2013
New horizons and advanced technologies
VAPORETTI was designed and built, a continuous yarn bulking machine with independent heads for very coarse yarns up to 0.2 Nm. This was followed by an upgraded Vaporada, featuring a longer steaming chamber and a special device that controls steam–heat interaction, delivering excellent results even with yarns such as alpaca and cotton that tend to absorb a lot of moisture. The new system also allows operation at high temperatures in high-altitude countries.
2015
Advanced automation and international acquisitions
March 2015: In memory of founder Franco Campanini, the FC34-NX was produced: a highly versatile and easy-to-use yet technologically advanced fully automatic ball-winding machine suitable for both medium and large production volumes.
June 2015: CAMPANINI MACCHINE TESSILI acquired all original drawings and know-how for machinery and spare parts from G+W of North America. This marked the first step toward automation, followed by the design and production of:
- automatic ball-winding machines
- automatic ball-banding machines
- semiautomatic and automatic ball-packing machines
- pullskein machines
2018
Advanced automation and international acquisitions
Based on experience gained with early continuous bulking machines, Rotosteam was developed: a new type of yarn bulking machine with 4, 5, 6, and 10 independent heads, easy to use and ergonomically designed to be connected to automatic and semiautomatic ball-winding machines.
Today, the continuous bulking range – Vaporada, Vaporetti and Rotosteam — is complete and covers a wide range of hand-knitting and fancy yarns.
2019
Today: Campanini Engineering and the strength of the team
The growth path started by Ivano Campanini in 2015 has been strongly focused on human capital. A major achievement of the ownership has been the ability to bring together a highly qualified workforce, creating a cohesive and specialized team. This group is not limited to machine manufacturing but manages the entire product lifecycle: from mechanical and electronic design to continuous Research and Development. This internal dedication allows Campanini machines to constantly evolve, anticipating the future and solving the technical challenges of the most demanding customers.
The expansion of the group and the relocation to the new 1,000+ m² facility in Galliate (Novara), strategically located just 20 minutes from Milan Malpensa Airport, have driven exponential growth. In this context, Ivano Campanini founded CAMPANINI ENGINEERING S.R.L., consolidating the company structure together with his wife Gianna and daughter Martina.
With the increase in staff and strengthened design resources, new high-tech robotic solutions have been developed and introduced to the market.
2021
BAN305 Automatic Ball Banding Machine
A state-of-the-art robotic machine designed to apply bands directly to yarn balls. It can operate either standalone or inline with the FC34-NX automatic ball-winding machine. Fully digital management allows the operator to simply load the desired program, eliminating downtime.
2021
LC305 Band Feeding System
Both banding machines are equipped with the LC305 feeder, the result of three years of R&D. This system is a unique technological excellence in the industry: it is the only label feeder capable of processing a wide range of paper types with extreme precision, overcoming the limitations of traditional systems. It can handle coated papers (glossy, matte, or satin), natural papers, and modern recycled eco-friendly papers.
2022
BAN/R Automatic Band-Label Gluing Machine
An ambitious project started in 2020, leading to a prototype in 2022 and full production in 2024. This robotic unit is specialized in closing bands into a ring shape. As with the BAN305, full data storage in recallable programs allows rapid production changes, ensuring unprecedented operational flexibility.
2023
50th Anniversary
In 2023, we celebrated a major milestone: 50 years in business. Five decades dedicated to excellence, during which we have continued to innovate, grow, and strengthen our global presence, always remaining true to the values that set us apart: passion, quality, and cutting-edge technology
2026
Thanks to the new facility and a constant drive for innovation, between 2019 and 2025 more than 300 machines have been produced and delivered. Today, Campanini Engineering S.r.l. is a well-established company with over 1,000 machines installed worldwide, where reliability, professionalism, and dedicated after-sales service continue to make the difference.