Salvatore Grimaldi
He is one of the few who can bear the concept of "crazy entrepreneur" with dignity, respect and seriousness. The Italian Salvatore Grimaldi landed in Sweden in the 1950s and was met by a welcoming country which has been one of the foundations of his success.
There has always been a constant and mutual relationship of love between Salvatore Grimaldi, Sweden and Italy.
With his approach to everything being possible, Salvatore has more or less unknowingly created the image of the fearless and aspiring business leader.
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Already as a young person, the surroundings realized that the entrepreneurial ability and willingness to work hard to achieve success existed within Salvatore Grimaldi. Additional jobs as newspaper delivery man and assisting at the petrol station were interspersed with the permanent job at Volvo in the small town of Köping. With his precision knowledge as a turner, he realized that many Swedish industrial companies called for that particular skill. It was then that the opportunity appeared, the one which can be said to be the beginning of the empire: a grinder, purchased on installment for SEK 8,000.
In the garage at home in Köping, his endeavor to succeed, start new businesses, make the impossible possible and work harder than everyone else began.
The fearlessness was already there, then in the 1960s, in Salvatore’s DNA. The grinder was replaced by a larger, better. With his industrial skills, the love of working hard and the desire to strive for the next level the journey began. In 1970 he started Grimaldis Mekaniska Verkstad AB and the rest is a well-written success story.
Milestones in history
1970
Grimaldis Mekaniska Verkstad AB was founded in Köping by Salvatore Grimaldi. The company is a subcontractor of components for the automotive industry.
1981
Several companies in the engineering industry are acquired, including Karlsson Spools, Kohlswa Gety and AG Johanssons Metallfabrik.
1988
The Grimaldi group is restructured and Grimaldi Industri AB becomes the parent company. The company buys Toolex Alpha AB and, after restructuring, becomes one of the world's leading suppliers of machines that manufacture CDs.
1993
Grimaldi Industri AB starts Metpump AB to develop a pump for molten metal.
1994
Grimaldi Industri AB sells 70% of the shares in Toolex Alpha to the company's staff and external investors such as NatWest Ventures Investments Ltd, Citicorp Capital Investors Europe Ltd and CVC Capital Partners Europe Ltd.
1995
Grimaldi Industri AB acquires a majority stake in VenCap Industrier AB, an investment company listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. VenCap Industrier buys a majority stake in Monark Stiga AB, which manufactures bicycles, lawnmowers and exercise bikes. VenCap's other holdings are sold.
1996
Toolex Alpha is listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange and Nasdaq in New York. Grimaldi Industri AB reduces ownership of Toolex Alpha to 10% of the shares.
1997
Grimaldi Industri AB buys the Italian bicycle company FIV E Bianchi, the Danish bicycle brand Everton Smith and the French bicycle group Cycleeurope with well-known brands such as Peugeot and Gitane. Grimaldi Industri AB buys the remaining shares in VenCap Industrier AB.
1999
Cycleurope AB and Monark Exercise AB become wholly owned subsidiaries of Grimaldi Industri AB. 51% of Stiga AB, the lawn mower business, is sold to UBS Capital.
2000
Stiga merges with Italian Castelgarden SpA, leading manufacturer of lawn mowers in Europe, and Italian Alpina Professional & Garden SpA, manufacturer of chainsaws and clearing saws. A majority stake in the education company Contento is acquired.
2001
3Nine is founded and Grimaldi Industri AB acquires a majority share.
2002
Stiga and Castelgarden change name to Global Garden Products (GGP). Contento's remaining shares are bought.
2003
Remaining shares in Global Garden Products are sold.
2005
Plockmatic International is acquired. Karlsson Spools establishes a subsidiary in Kunshan, China.
2010
The concept store Bianchi Café & Cycles opens in Stockholm, Sweden. Contento Svenska AB merges with Wassum and the company Contento Wassum Academy AB is established.
2012
FIV E Bianchi SpA acquires 37% of the Australian company SOLA, Sport Outdoor Leisure Australia Pty Ltd.
2013
Plockmatic International acquires Morgana Systems UK Ltd. Bianchi Café & Cycles opens in Malmö, Sweden.
2014
Bianchi Café & Cycles opens in Västerås, Sweden and Milan, Italy.
2016
Bianchi Café & Bikes opens in Guadalajara, Mexico.
2018
Grimaldi Industri enters as a 20 percent owner in Eataly STHLM. Grimaldi Industri acquires a majority stake in Cykelkonsulterna AB. Plockmatic International acquires competitor, Watkiss Automation Ltd.
2022
Plockmatic International acquires Intec Printing Solutions Ltd. with operations in England and the USA.
Some of Salvatore Grimaldi's awards
receives the gold medal from the Patriotic Society for meritorious deeds in Swedish business life.
1989
is awarded the Immigrant Institute's honorary prize for his contribution to the development of Swedish industry.
1996
appointed Leader of the Year by PA Consulting and the newspaper Affärsvärlden.
1997
is awarded the industry leader award St. Cataldo and named Manager of the Year by his Italian hometown of Taranto.
1998
awarded Best Leader by Ernst & Young/Entrepreneur of the Year.
2001
appointed in Italy as Grande Ufficiale al merito della Repubblica Italiana.
2001
awarded the Royal Medal of the 8th size for a distinguished life as an entrepreneur and business leader.
2003
is appointed Honorary Doctor at Mälardalen University in Västerås.
2004
is elected a member of the Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences.
2004
is elected Chairman of Företagarna.
2004
is awarded the Royal Academy of Engineering Sciences' gold medal for inspiring industrial entrepreneurship and leadership with special luminosity.
2004
elected to the Västmanland Academy.
2008
is chosen by the Speaker of the Riksdag to deliver the speech to the nation on Sweden's National Day on June 6.
2009
elected to the Royal Patriotic Society.
2011
awarded the Italian prize Premio Axel Munthe for having contributed in an exemplary way to good relations between Sweden and Italy
2018
awarded the Cavaliere del Lavoro award for his contribution to the Italian industry.