General Atomics

MGI Engineering expands into Italy with Vigilar Group

Oxfordshire based MGI Engineering has entered into a strategic partnership with Vigilar Group, marking MGI’s expansion into Italy and a significant new phase of growth across Europe.



Above: Mike Gascoyne with Vigilar Group representatives.
Courtesy MGI Engineering


The partnership brings together MGI’s advanced engineering expertise with Vigilar Group’s operational experience, security expertise and industrial know-how, creating a scalable European platform for the development and industrialisation of next-generation dual-use technologies.

The announcement was made during a partnership event in Rome earlier this week, attended by senior industry stakeholders, as well as representatives from the UK Embassy.

The collaboration establishes a new operational presence for MGI in Italy, supporting the company’s continued international expansion and long-term industrial capability development.

The partnership builds on strong synergies between the two companies, with both MGI Engineering and Vigilar Group sharing a heritage rooted in high-performance environments, technological innovation, and complex operational challenges.

Based in Modena – a region globally recognised for its engineering heritage and motorsport excellence – the new company, MGI Italy, will bring expertise spanning advanced manufacturing, security, technology development and operational support. This multidisciplinary approach provides an ideal strategic complement to MGI’s engineering capabilities and supports the next phase of European growth for both organisations.

The partnership is built around a shared vision of transforming operational requirements into industrialised technological solutions, bridging the gap between field experience, engineering development and advanced manufacturing. By combining complementary capabilities, MGI Italy aims to accelerate the development of innovative technologies capable of addressing real-world challenges across multiple sectors.

Mike Gascoyne, CEO and Founder of MGI Engineering and former Formula One Technical Director, said: “Italy has an extraordinary engineering heritage and a globally respected reputation for innovation, precision and performance. Partnering with Vigilar Group represents an exciting step forward for MGI as we expand our European presence and build new long-term industrial capabilities together. This partnership combines shared values around engineering excellence, advanced manufacturing and delivering world-class solutions at scale.”

Francesco Castro, CEO of Vigilar Group, said: “We are proud to partner with MGI Engineering at such an important stage of its international growth. By combining operational expertise, engineering excellence and industrial capability, we are creating a platform able to transform real-world requirements into innovative and scalable dual-use technologies. We believe this partnership represents an important step towards building a stronger innovation ecosystem and establishing Italy as a strategic hub for future technological and industrial development.”

The move reflects a shared commitment from MGI Engineering and Vigilar Group to innovation, operational excellence and the continued development of advanced industrial capability in both the UK and Italy.

Beyond manufacturing, the partnership aims to create a technology ecosystem where operational knowledge, engineering expertise and industrial production work together to accelerate the development of advanced solutions for defence, security, aerospace and other high-value sectors.
 

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