Aluminium lightweight components for chassis, structures and batteries using the COBAPRESS™ process
Saint Jean Industries SAS
Belleville en Beaujolais (FR) · Slavonski Brod (HR) · Ilsfeld (DE) · Mojados/Valladolid (ES) · Heber Springs, Arkansas (US) · Changshu (CN)New on Amplifa
About Saint Jean Industries
Saint Jean Industries is a family-owned French manufacturer of aluminium lightweight components founded in 1962, headquartered in Belleville en Beaujolais. The company develops and manufactures chassis and suspension components, structural and battery parts, e-powertrain solutions and ultra-light aluminium wheels (COBAWHEELS™). The core process is the in-house developed COBAPRESS™ process (casting, tilting, pressing), complemented by gravity die casting, low-pressure die casting, EPGS die casting, sand casting and Disamatic moulding for cast iron and steel. The value chain includes engineering and prototyping, machining, heat treatment, component and system assembly as well as testing. Customers come from the automotive industry, aerospace, the energy and chemical industries and the motorcycle and truck segments, including PSA, General Motors, FCA, Jaguar Land Rover and Superior Industries. Production takes place at sites in France, Croatia, Germany (Ilsfeld), Spain and the USA; sales offices are located in Sweden, Japan and Michigan. The company sees itself as a Technology Integrator covering the value chain from design to finished assembly.
- Site
- Belleville en Beaujolais
- Processes
- COBAPRESS™ (Casting-Tilting-Pressing, casting+forging), Gravity die casting, Low pressure die casting, EPGS die casting, Sand casting, Disamatic moulding process, Machining, Prototyping
- Materials
- Aluminium, Cast iron, Steel, Titanium, Inconel, COBAPRESS™ process, COBAWHEELS™
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1962
- Industries
- Automotive, Aerospace, Energy, Chemical, Motorcycle, Trucks
- 01
Engineering & prototyping
- 02
Aluminium casting (COBAPRESS™, gravity die casting, low-pressure die casting,
- 03
Casting of cast iron and steel (Disamatic)
- 04
Forging (step within COBAPRESS™)
- 05
Heat treatment
- 06
Machining
- 07
Component and system assembly
- 08
Testing / bench testing
Materials & Processes
Aluminium
Base material for chassis parts, structural and battery components, wheels and e-powertrain parts in all casting processes.
Cast iron
Casting using the Disamatic moulding process at the Valladolid site.
Steel
Machining and forging of steel components; specialist expertise at the Saint Jean Industries Lorraine site.
Titanium
Machining of complex structural components in aerospace (Saint Jean Aero).
Inconel
Machining of high-strength nickel alloys for aerospace applications (Saint Jean Aero).
COBAPRESS™ process
In-house patented process (casting, tilting, pressing) for improving mechanical properties and weight reduction.
COBAWHEELS™
Technology for manufacturing ultra-light aluminium wheels, acquired from FUNDO.
Sites
Belleville en Beaujolais (St Jean d'Ardières)
FRHeadquarters and production site (chassis)
- Materials
- Aluminium
- COBAPRESS™ lines
- Gravity die casting
- Low-pressure die casting
- Machining
- Assembly
- Fully automated robotic casting line (2002)
Slavonski Brod
HRProduction site (chassis, e-powertrain, industrial)
- Materials
- Aluminium
- Low-pressure die casting
- Gravity die casting
- Machining
- Assembly
- Testing of compressor housings
Ilsfeld (Stuttgart)
DEProduction site (structure & battery, industrial)
- Materials
- Aluminium
- Machining
- Prototyping
- Forming/folding
- Welding (automated aluminium welding)
- Assembly
Mojados (Valladolid)
ESProduction site (chassis, industrial)
- Materials
- Aluminium, cast iron
- EPGS die casting
- Disamatic moulding line
- Machining
- Assembly
Heber Springs, Arkansas
USProduction site (chassis, battery & structure)
- Materials
- Aluminium
- COBAPRESS™
- Gravity die casting
- Low-pressure die casting
- Machining
- Assembly
Changshu, Jiangsu
CNProduction site (Saint Jean Automotive System Co. Ltd)
- Materials
- Aluminium
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COBAPRESS™ (Casting-Tilting-Pressing, casting+forging)Casting | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Gravity die castingCasting | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Low pressure die castingCasting | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| EPGS die castingCasting | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Sand castingCasting | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Disamatic moulding processCasting | – | – | – | – | Casting |
| MachiningMachining | – | – | – | – | Aluminium, Steel, Cast iron, Titanium, Inconel |
| PrototypingEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Component assemblyAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| System assembly (complete assemblies)Assembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Folding (forming/bending)Forming | – | – | – | – | – |
| Welding (including automated aluminium welding)Joining | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Forging (forge, forging step within COBAPRESS)Forming | – | – | – | – | Aluminium, Steel |
| TTH (heat treatment)Heat treatment | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Manufacture of aluminium profiles for battery packs/modules and structural partsForming | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| COBAWHEELS™ – ultra-light aluminium wheelsCasting | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Testing of compressor housings (testing)Testing | – | – | – | – | Aluminium |
| Bench testing / engineering support of development phasesEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disamatic moulding line | Disa | – | – | – | SJI Valladolid |
| Fully automated robotic casting line | – | – | – | 2002 | Saint Jean Industries SAS, Belleville en Beaujolais |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Saint Jean Industries integrates testing and bench testing along the entire process chain, including test and assembly areas for machined components such as aluminium compressor housings. Certifications are not stated in the available sources.
| Evidence | Belleville en Beaujolais |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1962
Founded as SARL Garavoglia Frères in Belleville (Rhône); aluminium foundry for small parts with 6 employees and 130,000 francs of share capital.
- 1974
Thomas Di Serio joins, takes over management and renames the company Fonderie de Saint Jean.
- 1982
Invention of the COBAPRESS™ process (Couler, Basculer, Presser), initially to improve bicycle cranks.
- 1993
COBAPRESS™ licence granted to a French automotive manufacturer (PSA, control arm Citroën ZX); approval for chassis parts.
- 1995
First participation in the SAE trade fair in Detroit; licence to Superior Industries (USA); later the Heber Springs site.
- 2000
Superior Industries builds its own production facility (45,000 m²) in Heber Springs, Arkansas.
- 2002
Emile Di Serio takes over company management; integration of the first fully automated robotic casting line at headquarters.
- 2003
Opening of the Slavonski Brod production site (Croatia); 2007 purchase of AGR GmbH, Leipzig.
- 2004
Industrial partnership with Myunghwa Industries (South Korea) for COBAPRESS™; sales office in China.
- 2005
Diversification into truck parts through the purchase of the Duranton Sicfond foundry (judicial liquidation in 2008); sales office Japan.
- 2006
Acquisition of the chassis components business of Superior Industries (Saint Jean Industries Inc, Heber Springs).
- 2008
The Di Serio family acquires 62% of the aluminium foundry Rackwitz GmbH, Leipzig.
- 2009
Acquisition of BERINGER, manufacturer of high-performance braking systems for automobiles and motorcycles.
- 2010
Acquisition of the technologies of the Norwegian company FUNDO (aluminium wheels, COBAWHEELS™); 51% of the shares in FOURNIER SA (Saint Jean Industries Lorraine).
- 2011
Entry into aviation through the acquisition of a RUAG Aerospace subsidiary (titanium/Inconel machining, Saint Jean Aero); formation of Saint Jean Wheels.
- 2012
Rescue acquisition of FDPA (Fonderie du Poitou Aluminium), manufacturer of cylinder heads and engine parts.
- 2013
Expansion of the Slavonski Brod site with machining, assembly and testing of aluminium compressor housings.
- 2014
Around ten product and process innovations; win of one of the largest contracts with FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).