Lofrans Marks 60 Years at Genoa as Cambiago Factory Supports New Windlass Range

Six decades of anchor equipment marked in Genoa

Italian marine-equipment manufacturer Lofrans has marked its 60th year at the 2026 Genoa International Boat Show, linking the anniversary with investment in a new factory and the latest additions to its anchor-windlass range. The celebration took place during the show’s 1–6 October run, giving the brand an opportunity to meet distributors and boatbuilders while setting out how its Italian production operation is changing.

The company’s official account says it welcomed more than 100 guests on each of two anniversary gatherings held on 2 and 3 October at stand TQ21. Customers, suppliers and long-standing partners attended, reflecting the service relationships behind a business whose products are installed in yachts in many cruising regions. The anniversary itself is not a newly announced equipment certification or sales figure.

A new production base at Cambiago

Lofrans was established in Monza in 1966 and has now moved its manufacturing operations to a company-owned facility at Cambiago, near Milan. The manufacturer says the move provides more room, a better organised production flow and enhanced capacity for future product development. The factory relocation had been announced earlier in the year; Genoa served as the latest public presentation of that investment.

For a yard specifying anchor-management equipment, continuity of manufacturing and component support is often as important as initial performance. Windlasses contain motors, gearboxes, gypsies, braking arrangements and controls that can need attention across many seasons. A supplier’s ability to maintain consistent documentation, replacement parts and technical assistance helps owners plan service without assuming every component can be exchanged with a visually similar unit.

The RAZZA joins the horizontal windlass range

The stand also featured the RAZZA, a compact horizontal windlass first presented by Lofrans earlier in 2026. The manufacturer describes a low-profile design intended to protect usable deck space, with 316L stainless-steel construction and nominal motor options of 500 and 800 watts. It is a new addition to the horizontal range rather than a newly developed mega-yacht anchoring system.

Those ratings are important to interpret correctly. A compact powered windlass may suit the appropriate leisure craft or tender, but a superyacht’s primary anchor-handling arrangements can require much greater loads, chain sizes, brake capacity and redundancy. Naval architects and installers need to select machinery using the applicable anchor and chain specification, expected duty cycle, class requirements and the manufacturer’s engineering data.

Large-yacht anchoring calls for specialist equipment

Lofrans also supplies larger vertical windlasses and customised anchoring systems for the mega-yacht sector. The company explains that complex projects are assessed individually because chain dimensions, machinery arrangement, available deck space and handling requirements differ between vessels. Its ZEUS product family and tailored solutions are separate from the compact RAZZA introduced during the anniversary year.

On a large yacht, anchor handling is an integrated system rather than an isolated electric motor. The foundation structure, wildcat or gypsy, brake, chain stopper, hawsepipe, hydraulic or electric supply and local or remote controls all influence safe operation. Equipment choices also need to account for crew access and emergency procedures, especially when the windlass must be operated under adverse conditions.

Why service history matters to owners

At Genoa, LALIZAS Group founder and chief executive Stavros Lalizas pointed to examples of Lofrans equipment remaining in service for more than three decades. That is a statement about the brand’s long operating history, not a guarantee that every windlass can run that long without overhaul. A maintained unit’s actual condition will depend on workload, corrosion protection, lubrication, component replacement and how it has been operated.

For captains and technical managers, a long-lived installation creates questions about documentation and spares compatibility. Chains, gypsies and replacement motors cannot be selected by appearance alone, while brakes and control systems may need manufacturer-specific procedures. Regular inspection of foundations and attachments is particularly important where large static and dynamic forces act on a small area of deck.

A supplier within an international marine group

Lofrans forms part of the LALIZAS group, which acquired the brand in 2012 and has since supported product development and distribution. Moving to Cambiago is therefore part of a broader effort to maintain an Italian manufacturing base while supplying equipment internationally. The 2026 Genoa event brought the manufacturer’s recent expansion into the same discussion as six decades of established products.

The company markets windlasses, capstans, chain-control equipment and accessories across different vessel sizes, rather than only the superyacht market. That breadth matters because builders may source different classes of equipment for the mother yacht, rescue boats and tenders from distinct product ranges. It also means that any claim about performance or suitability must be tied to a particular model, installation and service environment.

Practical questions for yacht builders and refit teams

Before replacing an ageing anchor windlass, yacht engineers should establish the existing machine’s duty rating and relationship to the full ground-tackle system. Chain calibration, deck reinforcement, available electrical or hydraulic power and access for servicing should be reviewed alongside the specification of the proposed replacement. A project may also involve changes to remote controls, cable protection and emergency operation that are not immediately obvious from the visible deck fitting.

Manufacturing investment can help suppliers respond to custom demand, but the available release does not quantify an increase in units per year, delivery lead-time reductions or stock availability. Those figures should be requested from Lofrans for any specific build or refit. Genoa’s anniversary supplied useful evidence of the company’s continuing investment, while final equipment selection remains a job for the builder, engineering team and relevant surveyors.

An established brand enters its seventh decade

The 2026 milestone is notable because anchor-management equipment occupies a safety-critical but often overlooked part of yacht engineering. It must work consistently in changing weather and exposed deck conditions, even though passengers rarely see the mechanical and control systems below the surface. Suppliers maintaining their engineering knowledge and replacement-parts support are therefore important to a yacht’s long-term operational resilience.

Lofrans leaves Genoa with a newly established production base in Cambiago, an expanded horizontal windlass line and a recognised history serving yachtbuilders. Superyacht Guide will distinguish those confirmed developments from future claims about production output or performance that have not been independently demonstrated. The immediate news is the combination of a 60-year anniversary, a tangible factory move and continuing product development.