DELLORTO, From Italy to the World: How a Brianza Icon Is Accelerating into the Future of Mobility
This article was originally published in Italian in Panorama on August 28th 2026.
Please note that this is a courtesy translation of the Italian language article originally published in the Panorama Magazine Issue at: https://www.panorama.it/attualita/economia/dellorto-dallitalia-al-mondo-cosi-unicona-della-brianza-accelera-nel-futuro-della-mobilita
In our Italian Design Icons series, we showcase Italian companies that have successfully brought their industrial expertise, design capabilities and capacity for innovation to the world.
DELLORTO has been part of this tradition for almost a century. Founded in 1933 in Seregno, in the heart of Brianza, the company has accompanied the evolution of mobility from the earliest carburettors to the development of advanced electronic fuel injection and engine management systems, and, more recently, technologies for electric mobility.
Today, DELLORTO is a family-owned Group employing more than 1,000 people worldwide and operating across the automotive, motorcycle, e-mobility, aftermarket and motorsport sectors.
India plays an important role in this journey. Present in the country since 2006, DELLORTO has progressively transformed its Pune plant, originally dedicated to throttle body production, into an industrial and technological hub that today employs more than 650 people and combines manufacturing activities with expertise in product design, process development, system calibration and validation.
Nicola Sasso, Head of Strategic Business at DELLORTO India, takes us through this evolution. Born in Vicenza, Sasso has more than twelve years of experience spanning Italian industry and the Indian market. With an academic background in Business Administration and Management, he began his professional career in Research and Development before moving into sales, business development and corporate strategy, supporting the growth of several Italian companies in India.
Together, we looked back at DELLORTO’s twenty years in the country and explored the role India now plays in the Group’s strategy, while also broadening the discussion to China and to the transformations reshaping the Asian automotive industry, from electrification and digitalisation to the growing need to develop expertise and organisational structures ever closer to local markets.
01
DELLORTO has been present in India since 2006 and, over the years, its manufacturing site has evolved from a plant dedicated to throttle bodies into a genuine strategic hub for electronic fuel injection systems and electric mobility solutions. What have been the key stages in this evolution, and what role does India now play in the Group’s global strategy?
DELLORTO’s journey in India began at a time when the country was still seen primarily as a market of great promise. The company established its local manufacturing presence by producing mechanical throttle bodies for India’s emerging fuel injection market as well as for export, transferring to the plant the know-how and quality standards developed in Italy.
A decisive turning point came with the evolution of emissions regulations and, in particular, the introduction of the BS6 standard, India’s benchmark which, broadly speaking, plays a role comparable to the Euro emissions standards in Europe. This change accelerated demand for more advanced fuel delivery and engine management systems, as well as the transition from mechanical throttle bodies to Drive-by-Wire technologies.
Over time, DELLORTO India became a strategic hub for advanced fuel injection technologies, while simultaneously expanding its capabilities in electric mobility. Today, the plant employs more than 650 people, produces approximately 4.5 million throttle bodies each year, and DELLORTO accounts for close to 20% of the Indian market for electronic fuel injection systems.
More than 90% of the components manufactured in the country are supplied to local manufacturers across the two- and three-wheeler, passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle sectors.
As a manager working in India on a daily basis, I can personally attest to how this growth has been made possible by a long-term vision and by the confidence DELLORTO has placed in the local organisation and its people. India has never been regarded simply as a manufacturing location far removed from Italy, but rather as an integral part of the Group, expected to develop its own expertise, responsibilities and capabilities.
02
India is taking on an increasingly central role in the global automotive industry, driven by growing domestic demand, strong manufacturing capabilities and policies supporting investment. From your privileged vantage point, what are the main strengths of the Indian market today, and what opportunities does it offer Italian companies?
India’s first major strength is the sheer size of its market, particularly in the two-wheeler segment. It is the world’s largest market for motorcycles and scooters, supported by very significant domestic demand and constantly evolving mobility needs.
This is compounded by the speed at which the sector is changing. Increasingly stringent emissions regulations have accompanied the transition to electronic fuel injection and continue to raise the technological standards required by the market. At the same time, electric mobility is expanding, particularly in the motorcycle sector.
For Italian companies, there are significant opportunities in areas where we can contribute specialist expertise, quality, reliability and the ability to develop complex solutions. India, however, cannot be approached simply as an export market. Companies need a stable local presence, an appropriate organisational structure, the ability to work closely with local customers and partners, and a long-term vision.
Our experience demonstrates that it is possible to preserve strong Italian roots and expertise while simultaneously transferring know-how and industrial standards. It is not a matter of choosing between Italy and India, but of connecting two ecosystems that can complement one another and grow together.
03
India and China are now two key markets for the automotive sector, but they have profoundly different characteristics. How do these two countries fit into DELLORTO’s international strategy?
India and China are both important, but they are very different realities and require specific approaches.
In India, we have developed a deeply rooted industrial presence within the local market, built through relationships with leading manufacturers and the development of expertise in electronic fuel injection systems. It is a market supported by very strong domestic demand and significant growth potential.
In China, the journey has been different. The Shanghai company, established in 2011, serves as the Group’s commercial and technical base in the country. In 2017, this was complemented by a manufacturing presence in Chongqing, also dedicated to fuel delivery modules for traditional powertrain systems. DELLORTO Electric Power Technology was subsequently added, focusing on new-energy technologies and lithium-ion batteries for motorcycles, mopeds, energy storage systems and other applications.
India and China are two industrial ecosystems with different characteristics, timelines and market dynamics. Our strategy is to leverage the strengths of each while maintaining strong integration with our Italian headquarters.
Cabiate remains the centre of our industrial system and expertise, while India and China allow us to maintain a direct presence in two strategic regions and work closely with local customers.
Another important element is the constant attention that the Dell’Orto family and the entire management team devote to the Group’s international operations. Geographical distance never translates into organisational distance. There is continuous dialogue on strategy, investment, technology and people development. This allows local operations to feel fully part of a single industrial organisation while retaining the ability to respond to the specific characteristics of their respective markets.
04
In recent years, the Asian automotive industry has been undergoing a profound transformation driven by electrification, digitalisation and increasingly stringent environmental regulations. How are these changes influencing DELLORTO’s innovation strategy, and which technologies do you believe will be decisive in the coming years?
The automotive industry is going through a profound transition, but I do not believe there is a single solution suitable for every market and every application. Electric mobility will play an increasingly important role, but it will continue to coexist with more efficient internal combustion engines, hybrid systems and alternative fuels. This is why we support a technology-neutral approach.
As mentioned earlier, rising emissions requirements have also accelerated technological development in India. The transition to the BS6 standard has pushed manufacturers and suppliers towards more advanced fuel delivery, engine management and diagnostic systems. Regulation, therefore, is not merely a constraint; it is also a driver of innovation.
DELLORTO has its roots in mechanics and fuel delivery systems, but today it integrates mechanics, electronics, software and control systems. Through DELLORTO 4ELECTRIC and the integration of ARCA Tecnologie into the Group, we have strengthened our capabilities in power electronics, inverters, battery management systems, DC/DC converters and battery chargers.
Functional safety, cybersecurity and thermal management will also be crucial. Digitalisation extends to manufacturing as well: the Indian plant uses Industry 4.0 technologies, IoT-connected production, digital warehouse management and automated quality control.
DELLORTO will nevertheless continue investing in fuel injection, ride-by-wire technologies and solutions compatible with fuels containing a greater renewable component.
05
Against an international backdrop characterised by the increasing reorganisation of global value chains and new geopolitical dynamics, how is DELLORTO’s strategy in Asia evolving?
Growing international complexity makes a direct presence in individual markets even more important. For an industrial company, internationalisation requires organisation, strong local structures, continuous relationships with customers and partners, and manufacturing capabilities located close to the needs of the markets being served.
In Asia, we operate according to a model that combines a strong local presence with close integration across the Group. In India, we are not only expanding production capacity but also strengthening engineering capabilities, with teams dedicated to product design, process development, system calibration and validation activities. This allows us to respond more rapidly to customers and to support the evolution of the market.
Another essential aspect is consistency of standards. Group companies share common requirements in areas such as quality, environmental performance, information security and the protection and wellbeing of people. DELLORTO India has also obtained ESG certifications from leading OEM partners, an important recognition of the progress achieved.
For those of us working at the Pune site, it is particularly important to see that the Group’s attention is not focused solely on production volumes or financial performance, but also on the development of expertise, people and the local organisation. Over time, DELLORTO has invested in our ability to become increasingly autonomous and highly skilled, while maintaining very close links with Italy.
I believe that this approach, strongly connected to the Group’s family-owned nature, is one of the factors that has enabled DELLORTO’s presence in India to grow so significantly.
Precisely in order to consolidate and continue this journey, our strategy will need to remain flexible, as regulations, trade tensions and technological changes can rapidly alter market dynamics. The objective is not to shift activities from one country to another, but to build a stronger international presence capable of supporting customers and ensuring continuity in an increasingly unpredictable environment.
06
What advice would you give to Italian companies that are currently looking at India and, more broadly, Asia as strategic destinations for investment?
My first recommendation would be not to regard Asia as a single market. India, China and the other countries in the region differ substantially in their industrial, regulatory and cultural characteristics. Before investing, companies need to understand the local environment thoroughly and carefully identify the right customers and partners.
The second is to adopt a long-term perspective. Opening a commercial office or pursuing a single contract is not enough. Success requires continuity, investment in people and a local organisation capable of developing over time.
Many Italian companies have outstanding products and expertise. The real challenge lies in building a strong local structure capable of growing over time and maintaining consistent standards even far from headquarters. Internationalisation means transforming a company’s presence in a country into a genuine industrial project, built on long-term relationships and a deep understanding of the local environment, just as DELLORTO has done, and continues to do, in India.
DELLORTO’s experience in India highlights one of the central challenges of internationalisation: preserving established expertise and industrial identity while simultaneously building a presence that is genuinely rooted in local markets.
For Italian companies looking towards Asia, DELLORTO’s journey demonstrates that a strong international presence requires long-term investment in people, expertise and relationships, combined with the ability to adapt organisational structures and strategies to the specific characteristics of different markets.
Edited by: Avv. Carlo Diego D’Andrea, Managing Partner of D’Andrea & Partners Legal Counsel and National Vice President of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China (EUCCC).
