Building a picture of the unknown

The internationalization

1960s and 1970s

The company achieved technological breakthroughs and international business successes through the establishment of subsidiaries in the UK, the US, and Japan. In 1973, the Lainate (MI) plant was inaugurated. By 1978, the Group had reached a staff of 300, leading to a reorganization of its internal structure and a rebranding from S.A.E.S. to SAES Getters.

The pioneering vision

1980s and 1990s

In 1980, SAES began collaborating with CERN in Geneva to develop the first LEP Accelerator, which continued into the 2000s with the development of the LHC Accelerator. In 1982, the company became the first Italian business to establish a manufacturing plant in China and in 1986, it was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. The Group continued to expand into the US and Asia, with production and commercial facilities established in Korea, China, Singapore, and Taiwan.

The technological renaissance

2000s

With the advent of new technologies in the field of televisions, the production of devices for backlighting flat screens, particularly LCDs, began. In 1996, SAES became the first Italian company to be listed on the Nasdaq, the US stock market for high-tech companies, where it remained listed until 2003. In 2001, Paolo della Porta was named “World Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young. The company continued its expansion through strategic acquisitions, such as Cryolab Inc. and a branch of Power & Energy for the production of palladium membrane purifiers.

The diversification

2010s

The company expanded into the Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) market with the acquisition of two important American companies: SAES Smart Materials and Memry Co and the joint venture Actuator Solutions GmbH with the German company Alfmeier, that receives the “German Innovation Award” in 2014. This marked the beginning of expansion into the med tech and consumer electronics industries. The NexTorr product family received the prestigious “R&D 100 Awards,” anticipating a growth that culminated in the acquisition of Strumenti Scientifici Cinel and Rial Vacuum. In 2010, ETC was born from a collaboration with CNR, with the ambitious plan to develop Organic Light-Emitting Field-Effect Transistors (OLET) technology.

The DNA of SAES

2020s

The company expanded into the compostable packaging world through SAES Coated Films, and ventured into the world of chemistry with the birth of SAES Chemicals Division. Additionally, SAES has made significant advancements in the development of integrated technologies for synchrotrons and particle accelerators, including the involvement in special projects such as the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). SAES ReserachLab creates new hybrid technologies using getter materials embedded in polymeric matrices for the use in organic electronics, particularly displays and OLED sources (Organic Light Emitting Diodes). Today, SAES is a hub for research, development, and production of advanced materials for a wide range of applications, from aerospace to food packaging.