Italian machinery manufacturer Nordimpianti System has completed the acquisition of Belgian firm Echo Precast Engineering from Progress Group, creating a consolidated supplier of prestressed concrete production machinery as construction firms seek automated solutions to offset labour shortages.

The deal, announced ahead of Nordimpianti’s participation at the Big 5 Global construction trade show in Dubai in November, brings together two casting methodologies under one corporate umbrella. 

Nordimpianti specialises in the design and turnkey supply of plant and machinery for the production of prestressed concrete elements. It is recognised as a leader in the supply of extrusion-based machinery, whilst Echo has extensive experience in slipformer technology.

Both companies boast a wide range of machinery for the production of hollowcore slabs for floors, walls, beams, posts, piles, solid and lattice slabs, as well as specialist products with heights of up to 1 m.

Echo Precast Engineering offers slipformer casting systems.

The combination links Nordimpianti’s proprietary extrusion casting equipment with Echo’s slipformer systems. Rather than competing, the two technologies cater to different concrete formulations and structural requirements, allowing the enlarged group to supply a broader range of precast production lines.

“Combining our respective expertise will enable the Nordimpianti group to strengthen its commercial offering, providing customers with the best of both technologies,” the company said in a statement. “There will be no competition between the two types of casting machinery, as both are excellent depending on the type of concrete element to be produced.”

Expanding Market Footprint

Echo will continue to operate from its existing headquarters in Houthalen, Belgium, retaining its workforce of approximately 30 specialised employees.

The acquisition significantly expands Nordimpianti’s geographic reach, incorporating Echo’s established installations across major industrial markets.

The combined group’s product line covers machinery capable of producing hollow-core slabs up to 2,400 mm in width, with thickness options ranging from 80 mm to 1,000 mm. The capacity to manufacture heavy-duty elements up to 1 m high positions the company to target specialised infrastructure projects, such as transport hubs and civil engineering developments.

Focus on Automation

The consolidation comes as global construction equipment manufacturers face growing demand for plant automation driven by persistent labour shortages, rising operational costs and the need to increase the production efficiency of plants. Heavy physical labour in concrete production facilities has increasingly led to recruitment and retention challenges across mature and emerging markets alike.

To address these pressures, the group is expanding its suite of automated auxiliary equipment, which includes automated multi-angle saws, concrete aspirators, and digital plotters.