Adolfo Orsi
Encyclopedia
Adolfo Orsi was an Italian industrialist, known for owning the Maserati
automobile maker.
Coming from a poor family from San Lazzaro, near Modena
, he lost his father in 1899. Later he created a successful business in the scrap iron, steel mill
and farm equipment
manufacturing area, employing several thousands in Modena and surrounding towns, as of the late 1920s. His interests also included running the trolley
company of Modena, and being involved with the local soccer team, Modena F.C.
in its successful early years.
With his brother, Marcello, he was involved in a Fiat
dealership, the Fiat A.M. Orsi (1935).
He bought the financially troubled Maserati
company in 1937, employing his son, Omar Orsi as managing director (1937); three of the Maserati Brothers
were retained on ten-year contracts on the engineering team (1937–47).
Orsi moved operations from Bologna
to Modena (1940), near his steel plants (the Fonderie Riunite), for automobile as well as spark plug manufacturing. Orsi hired his brother in-law Alceste Giacomazzi, as new general director, and
succeeded in bringing Ferrari
employee Alberto Massimino
over to Maserati (1944–52), as well as hiring the Argentine driver ace Juan Manuel Fangio
(1953).
Orsi faced trouble, evident as Maserati was temporarily closed for restructuring (1949), and also from steel mill workers' strike action
against Orsi, who refused to hire communists, leaving numerous dead (9 June 1950). The foundries were reopened, but sold off (1952), and
the family empire split among the siblings (1953). Adolfo kept the Maserati car manufacturing business, his brother Marcello was already involved in the foundries, and sister Ida Orsi took charge of the motorbike manufacturing
(the Società Anonima Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati, 1953–60).
Orsi accepted a deal with Argentina
, as president and motor racing supporter Juan Perón
, placed one large order with Orsi for machine tooling (1954). Due to Revolución Libertadora
and the exile of Perón, receiving payments for the order was problematic, as they were for a similar deal with the Spanish government. The financial problems resulted in Maserati being placed under controlled management. The remnants of Maserati
was handled by the creditor, Credito Italiano
.
Orsi remained in active management of Maserati until 1968, when Orsi decided to sell the balance of his interest in Maserati to Citroen whom had earlier purchased a major holding in Maserati in anticipation of a motor contract for the Citroen SM
Omar's son is Adolfo Orsi, Jr. (born 1951), is still involved consulting on the history of Maserati.
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
automobile maker.
Coming from a poor family from San Lazzaro, near Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, he lost his father in 1899. Later he created a successful business in the scrap iron, steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
and farm equipment
Farm equipment
Agricultural machinery is any kind of machinery used on a farm to help with farming. The best-known example of this kind is the tractor.-Soil cultivation:*Cultivator*Cultipacker*Chisel plow*Mulch tiller*Harrow**Spike harrow**Drag harrow...
manufacturing area, employing several thousands in Modena and surrounding towns, as of the late 1920s. His interests also included running the trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
company of Modena, and being involved with the local soccer team, Modena F.C.
Modena F.C.
Modena Football Club is an Italian football club based in Modena, Emilia-Romagna. The club was formed in 1912 and currently plays in Italian Serie B, after being relegated from a two year period in Serie A in the year 2004. The team's previous stay in Italy's top division ended in 1964. The team...
in its successful early years.
With his brother, Marcello, he was involved in a Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
dealership, the Fiat A.M. Orsi (1935).
He bought the financially troubled Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
company in 1937, employing his son, Omar Orsi as managing director (1937); three of the Maserati Brothers
Maserati Brothers
The Maserati Brothers were involved with automobiles from the beginning of the 20th century. All were born to Rodolfo Maserati and his wife Carolina in Voghera, Lombardy, Italy. Rodolfo was a railway worker from Piacenza, driving a heavy Krupp locomotive, and married Carolina Losi...
were retained on ten-year contracts on the engineering team (1937–47).
Orsi moved operations from Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
to Modena (1940), near his steel plants (the Fonderie Riunite), for automobile as well as spark plug manufacturing. Orsi hired his brother in-law Alceste Giacomazzi, as new general director, and
succeeded in bringing Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
employee Alberto Massimino
Alberto Massimino
Alberto Massimino was an Italian automotive engineer.Born in Turin, he studied mechanical engineering in Switzerland and worked for FIAT , where he followed Vittorio Jano who had left for Alfa Romeo. The 1500 cc, 12-cylinder 806/504 was driven by Pietro Bordino in the Gran Premio di Milano...
over to Maserati (1944–52), as well as hiring the Argentine driver ace Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
(1953).
Orsi faced trouble, evident as Maserati was temporarily closed for restructuring (1949), and also from steel mill workers' strike action
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
against Orsi, who refused to hire communists, leaving numerous dead (9 June 1950). The foundries were reopened, but sold off (1952), and
the family empire split among the siblings (1953). Adolfo kept the Maserati car manufacturing business, his brother Marcello was already involved in the foundries, and sister Ida Orsi took charge of the motorbike manufacturing
Maserati (motorcycle)
Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati S.p.A. was an Italian manufacturer of motoringcomponents , as well as mopeds and motorcycles. It was part of Adolfo Orsis large...
(the Società Anonima Fabbrica Candele Accumulatori Maserati, 1953–60).
Orsi accepted a deal with Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, as president and motor racing supporter Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
, placed one large order with Orsi for machine tooling (1954). Due to Revolución Libertadora
Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...
and the exile of Perón, receiving payments for the order was problematic, as they were for a similar deal with the Spanish government. The financial problems resulted in Maserati being placed under controlled management. The remnants of Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
was handled by the creditor, Credito Italiano
Credito Italiano
Credito Italiano it was an Italian bank, now part of UniCredit Group. It was absorbed by Unicredit in 1998.Founded on April 28 1870 in Genoa as Banca di Genova, it took part in the establishment of Banco d'Italia and...
.
Orsi remained in active management of Maserati until 1968, when Orsi decided to sell the balance of his interest in Maserati to Citroen whom had earlier purchased a major holding in Maserati in anticipation of a motor contract for the Citroen SM
Omar's son is Adolfo Orsi, Jr. (born 1951), is still involved consulting on the history of Maserati.