Sila Group
Federico Zanella is an accomplished R&D manager with extensive experience in software and electronics within the automotive and aerospace industries. Currently serving as R&D Manager for Sila Group, responsibilities include leading the Electronics Department, managing budgets, and interfacing with customers and suppliers. Previous roles include Software & Electronics Engineer at Nexteer Automotive, where responsibilities involved leading product development teams and E/E system compliance, and Propulsion Controls System Manager at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, focusing on hybrid vehicle powertrain controllers. Additional experience spans positions at General Motors, EULEGO, ALTEN Italia, Alenia Aeronautica, and Gruppo Elettronico, with expertise in safety-critical systems, project management, and electronic systems development. Federico holds a degree in Electronic Engineering from Politecnico di Torino.
Sila Group
Sila Holding Industriale SpA (originally Società Italiana per la Lavorazione Acciai) was founded in 1943by Edoardo Brero. Today the Sila group consists of 7 production plants (2 in Italy and 5 abroad)employing more than 1,300 people and is one of the most important global players in the productionand distribution of gear shifting systems and flexible remote control cables for major car manufacturersworldwide. In 1966, Oreste Brero, took over the family company. He promoted a development plan focused onengineering enhancement and the complete customisation of the products according to customer’sspecific requirements. In that period, his experience pushed the Company to grow as liable partner,able to support the customer from the very beginning of any programs, thanks to the use of fast androbust prototype technics. In the Eighties, Sila was the first Company in Europe to develop and produce a complete GearshiftingSystem based on flexible cables technology (Fiat Uno TD). This system shortly replaced the existingtechnology (rod linkage) thanks to its capacity to improve the comfort of the vehicle. Thanks to the rapid growth as a consequence of the success of its products, SILA increased itsproduction capacity in Italy (new plants in South Italy), in Europe (France and Poland) and, later on, inSouth America (Argentina, Brazil) and Turkey. All SILA plants, highly verticalized, produce most of thecomponents used in the final product (plastic injection and cable / conduit production). In 2000, the R&D Center moved into a new Site, in order to host the new advanced NVH and electroniclaboratories. Aside the Manual Transmission Shifter system, SILA applied its experience to Automatic Transmission(1994) and, most recently (2009) to Full-by-Wire Shifting solutions. Sila has continued developing its customer diversification and globalisation processes by acquiringprograms with the major manufacturers in the world. Due to this, Marketing&Sales offices are located,aside wher