Smela

Smela, founded in 2017 by Maciej Beben, Bartosz Kubik, and Piotr Szymański, operates in the industrial automation and robotics sector. The company emerged from the founders' shared academic and professional background at the Warsaw University of Technology, where they were involved in the student robotics association, driven by a desire to modernize conventional industrial actuators. Their collaboration on projects, including a significant one for a large domestic chemical company, laid the groundwork for the venture.

The core business of Smela revolves around the design and manufacturing of smart electric actuators. These devices are engineered to replace older, less efficient pneumatic systems prevalent in manufacturing and industrial settings. The company targets production plants across various industries, including food processing, automotive, and chemical sectors, offering them a solution to enhance production efficiency and reduce operational costs. Smela's business model is based on the direct sale of these hardware products to industrial clients.

Smela's flagship product line consists of smart electric actuators that integrate a motor, controller, and mechanical components into a single, compact unit. A key feature is their "plug & produce" capability, allowing for straightforward installation without requiring specialized personnel or complex integration procedures. The actuators provide precise control over position, speed, and force, and they collect operational data to support predictive maintenance, aiming to minimize production downtime. By consuming energy only during movement, they offer a significant reduction in energy consumption compared to pneumatic actuators, which often suffer from costly compressed air leaks.

Keywords: electric actuators, industrial automation, robotics, predictive maintenance, energy efficiency, pneumatic replacement, manufacturing technology, plug and produce, motion control, smart factory