Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.

From foundation to World War I

The company was founded in 1853 as Gio. Ansaldo & C. S.A.S. by renowned players in the

Genoese Genoese may refer to: * a person from Genoa * Genoese dialect, a dialect of the Ligurian language * Republic of Genoa (–1805), a former state in Liguria See also * Genovese, a surname * Genovesi, a surname * * * * * Genova (disambiguati ...

business world, such as

Giovanni Ansaldo Giovanni may refer to: * Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname * Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data * ''Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend of ...

, Raffaele Rubattino,

Giacomo Filippo Penco Giacomo is an Italian name. It is the Italian version of the Hebrew name Jacob. People * Giacomo (name), including a list of people with the name Other uses * Giacomo (horse), a race horse, winner of the 2005 Kentucky Derby * ''Giácomo'' (film) ...

and

Carlo Bombrini Carlo is a given name. It is an Italian form of Charles. It can refer to: *Carlo (name) * Monte Carlo *Carlingford, New South Wales, a suburb in north-west Sydney, New South Wales, Australia *A satirical song written by Dafydd Iwan about Prince Cha ...

. Until the end of the 19th century, the company focused on manufacturing and repairing railway components, quickly becoming a 10,000-worker company with seven factories, and starting to expand into sectors such as shipbuilding and mechanical works in general. Sestri Ponente - Launch of Giulio Cesare

Sestri Ponente - Launch of Giulio Cesare

In 1904, Ansaldo was bought by

Ferdinando Maria Perrone Ferdinando may refer to: Politics * Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1549–1609) * Ferdinando II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1610–1670) * Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany (1663–1713), eldest son of Cosimo I ...

who, along with his sons Mario and Pio, bound the name of the Perrone family to the history of the company. Over the next twenty years, he aimed at making Ansaldo fully independent both in the

ironworks An ironworks or iron works is an industrial plant where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e. the singular of ''ironworks'' is ''ironworks''. Ironworks succeeded bloomeri ...

and weapon-making areas, thanks to strong vertical integration. The onset of World War I was of obvious potential benefit to the company, though Italy was initially neutral. Ansaldo advocated for Italian entry into the war, both directly and by funding political groups that supported the war, such as

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

's proto-Fascist movement. The efforts paid off when Italy entered the war. In 1914 the company was worth 30 million lire, but its market value grew to 500 million in 1918. When the company issued shares in the summer of 1918 worth 400 million lire Ansaldo employed 80,000 workers, had dozens of factories and controlled companies such as A. Cerpelli & C., Banca industriale Italiana, Cantieri Officine Savoia, Dynamit Nobel, Gio.Fossati & C., Lloyd Italico, Nazionale di Navigazione, Pomilio, Società Idroelettrica Negri, and

Transatlantica Italiana While a variety of theories have been postulated for the name of Canada, its origin is now accepted as coming from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word , meaning 'village' or 'settlement'. In 1535, indigenous inhabitants of the present-day Quebec ...

Fascism and World War II

Following a financial crisis with its largest creditor, '' Banca Italiana di Sconto'', and problems in reconverting factories after the end of World War I, the Perrone family abandoned the company in 1921, and the

Banca d'Italia The Bank of Italy (Italian: ''Banca d'Italia'', informally referred to as ''Bankitalia''), (), is the central bank of Italy and part of the European System of Central Banks. It is located in Palazzo Koch, via Nazionale, Rome. The bank's curre ...

led a consortium to save it from

bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...

. Company strategies were drastically sized down, and during the 1920s, even though electro-mechanical productions grew significantly, Ansaldo found itself in such dire difficulties that it finally entered the control of the Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI), under which the company found new life and growth, partly thanks to the new war effort during fascism. The main figure in this rebirth, the engineer Agostino Rocca, reconfigured the structure and organisation of the company during his tenure as chief executive officer from 1935 to the end of World War II. War contracts indeed led to a significant growth: Ansaldo had 22,000 employees in 1939, and 35,000 in 1943.

After World War II

After the end of World War II, conversion to peacetime production again caused problems for the company. In 1948, IRI entrusted the company to Finmeccanica, which operated several reorganisation measures during the 1950s and 1960s, such as the relinquishing of all shipbuilding activities to Italcantieri of Trieste in 1966. From that year, Finmeccanica further engaged Ansaldo within its activities, and in 1980 they formed Italy's largest thermo-electric group. In 1993, Ansaldo ceased to exist as an independent entity, having been completely absorbed by Finmeccanica.

Ansaldo today

Some companies controlled by

Leonardo S.p.A. Leonardo S.p.A., formerly Leonardo-Finmeccanica and originally Finmeccanica, is an Italian multinational company specialising in aerospace, defence and security. Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the company has 180 sites worldwide. It is the eighth ...

still bear the Ansaldo family name: * Ansaldo Energia, involved in building electric power plants, based in Genoa. *

Ansaldo Caldaie Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italy, Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake ...

, involved in building fired Steam Generators. Sofinter Group (Private Company located in Gallarate, Italy). *

Ansaldo Ricerche Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in Ans ...

, involved in nuclear fusion technology, founded in 1987 by merging various

research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...

departments of Ansaldo and Nucleare Italiana Reattori Avanzati; it takes part in the international

ITER ITER (initially the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, ''iter'' meaning "the way" or "the path" in Latin) is an international nuclear fusion research and engineering megaproject aimed at creating energy by replicating, on Earth ...

project. *

Ansaldo Fuel Cells Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in Ans ...

, founded in 1993 as a spin-off of the former, devoted to fuel cells. *

Ansaldo Nucleare Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in An ...

, founded in 1989 by merging

Ansaldo Meccanico Nucleare Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in Ans ...

and Nucleare Italiana Reattori Avanzati; in 1999, it was absorbed by Ansaldo Energia, but in 2005 it was re-founded as a separate company, although 100%-controlled by Ansaldo Energia. * Nidec ASI (formerly Ansaldo Industrial Systems). Former Finmeccanica Company, sold to the Japanese Nidec Group, in 2012 Nidec acquired Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali SpA. and becomes Nidec ASI S.p.A. Nidec ASI is a manufacturer of electric motors, their products are found in electrical engineering, electric motors and generators, control systems and automation for industrial applications. Nidec ASI is headquartered in Milan and has different subsidiaries in Italy in Genoa,

Montebello Vicentino Montebello Vicentino is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy. It is west of the SP31 provincial road. Sources(Google Maps) Cities and towns in Veneto {{Veneto-geo-stub ...

, Monfalcone and abroad in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, France, Germany, Romania, Russia,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

and Singapore.Nidec ASI web site
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Products

Aircraft production

* Ansaldo Baby (1915) single seat biplane reconnaissance floatplane, a British Sopwith Baby built under licence with minor changes * Ansaldo A.1 Balilla (1917) Single-engine one-seat biplane fighter aircraft * Ansaldo SVA.1 (1917) Single-engine one-seat biplane utility aircraft ** SVA.2 Production version of SVA.1 ** SVA.3 Fast-climbing interceptor version of SVA.2 ** SVA.4 Production version of SVA.2 equipped for reconnaissance ** SVA.5 Production version of SVA.2 ** SVA.6 Prototype bomber version of SVA.2 ** SVA.8 Single prototype (purpose unknown) ** SVA.9 Two-seat unarmed reconnaissance version with larger wings ** SVA.10 Armed version of SVA.9 *

Ansaldo A.120 The Ansaldo A.120, sometimes called the FIAT A.120 since FIAT (''Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino'' - Italian Automobile Factory of Turin) bought Ansaldo, was a reconnaissance aircraft developed in Italy in the 1920s. Design and development ...

Parasol reconnaissance fighter *

Ansaldo A.300 The Ansaldo A.300 was an Italian general-purpose biplane aircraft built by the Ansaldo company (now part of FIAT) of Turin from 1920 to 1929. It also served as a light bomber, transport, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft, and finally as an a ...

(1919) Single-engine two-seat biplane utility aircraft. Three-seat versions were also built for reconnaissance use. *

Ansaldo AC.1 The Dewoitine D.1 was a French single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s, built by the French industrial company Dewoitine. Development The D.1 was the first airplane designed by Emile Dewoitine after he established his own company. The D.1 wa ...

() designation for imported French

Dewoitine D.1 The Dewoitine D.1 was a French single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s, built by the French industrial company Dewoitine. Development The D.1 was the first airplane designed by Emile Dewoitine after he established his own company. The D.1 was ...

single-engine two-seat parasol-wing fighter *

Ansaldo AC.2 The Dewoitine D.1 was a French single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s, built by the French industrial company Dewoitine. Development The D.1 was the first airplane designed by Emile Dewoitine after he established his own company. The D.1 was ...

(1922) licence-built French

Ansaldo AC.3 The Dewoitine D.9 was a French monoplane fighter built by Dewoitine and built under licence in Italy as the Ansaldo AC.3. Design and development The D.9 was a single-seat high-wing monoplane with a conventional landing gear and powered by a Gn ...

(1924) licence-built French

Dewoitine D.9 The Dewoitine D.9 was a French monoplane fighter built by Dewoitine and built under licence in Italy as the Ansaldo AC.3. Design and development The D.9 was a single-seat high-wing monoplane with a conventional landing gear and powered by a Gn ...

(a development of the D.1) *

Ansaldo AC.4 The Dewoitine D.1 was a French single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s, built by the French industrial company Dewoitine. Development The D.1 was the first airplane designed by Emile Dewoitine after he established his own company. The D.1 was ...

(1927) AC.2 with 420 hp (313.2 kW) FIAT A.20 engine.

Ships

*, cruiser built for the Regia Marina, 1899 *, battleship built for the Regia Marina, 1911 *, built for the Navigazione Generale Italiana, 1926 *, cruiser built for the Regia Marina, 1930 *, cruiser built for the Regia Marina, 1930 *, cruiser built for the Regia Marina, 1930 *, built for the Italian Line, 1931 *, cruiser built for the Regia Marina, 1934 *, cruiser built for the Regia Marina, 1935 *, battleship built for the Regia Marina, 1937 *, aircraft carrier built for the Regia Marina, 1941 *, Ansaldo Shipyards of Genoa, 1951 *, built for the Italian Line, 1960 *, built for the Italian Line, 1965

Armored vehicles

Ansaldo Armored Car (1925) The Ansaldo armored car was a prototype built by Ansaldo in 1925, based on a Pavesi heavy tractor. Design The prototype was armed with a 45 mm cannon in a turret. It had 4 wheels with diameter. Operators * See also ; Vehicles of com ...

* Fiat-Ansaldo CV-33 (1935- ) * L3/35 * L6/40 tank (designed by Ansaldo, manufactured by Fiat, 1940- )

Rolling stock

Locomotives

* D.341 * D.345 * E.424 * D.443 * E.402 * E.428 * E.491 * E.492 * E.636 * E.656

References

Ansaldo Ansaldo Energia S.p.A. is an Italian power engineering company. It is based in Genoa, Italy. The absorbed parent company, Gio. Ansaldo & C., started in 1853. It was taken over by Leonardo S.p.A. In 2011, Leonardo S.p.A. sold 45% stake in An ...

Engineering companies of Italy Shipbuilding companies of Italy Conglomerate companies of Italy Multinational companies headquartered in Italy Design companies established in 1853 Manufacturing companies established in 1853 Non-renewable resource companies established in 1853 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1993 Non-renewable resource companies disestablished in 1993 1853 establishments in the Kingdom of Sardinia 1993 establishments in Italy AnsaldoBreda Italian brands Sampierdarena