Franco Tosi Meccanica (FTM)
Franco Tosi ( company formerly Franco Tosi & C., Franco Tosi Meccanica today ) is an Italian machinery, apparatus and plant engineering company based in Legnano, near Milan. The company was built in the late 19th century by engineer Franco Tosi.
History and products
Franco Tosi was born from the Maschinenfabrik Cantoni & C. Krumm, entered his service Tosi 1876 as Technical Director. The factory had recently been founded mainly for the construction of textile machinery (1874 ), line moved under Tosi but quickly to the production of steam engines, which Tosi had developed as a drive for industrial looms. With this product, the young company experienced a rapid boom. After a short time Tosi was shareholder and in 1881 the company was then its name. From 1884 (or 1894? ) Tosi was the sole owner.
In the early days of the 19th century Franco Tosi presented in addition to the successful steam engines and the associated boiler ago. Early 20th century (1904 ) were added and steam turbines.
A short time later ( 1907) Franco Tosi has been renowned for the growing business of manufacturing of diesel engines. Among other things, was Ettore Maserati, one of five brothers who founded the Maserati later, a time as the engine developer for Franco Tosi. In the engine Franco Tosi also cooperated with the motorcycle manufacturer Emilio Bozzi.
Before the start of the First World War in 1914, Tosi founded as a subsidiary in Taranto in southern Italy a shipyard for the production of submarines and ships, especially for the Italian Navy. In the 1920s, the submarines kept out of this shipyard the world record with a depth of 75 m.
In the 1930s, the football team work of Tosi shipyard in Taranto played in the Girone H Prima Divisione the Italian Football League.
After the Second World War, Franco Tosi cooperated with the American company General Electric and Combustion Engineering and produced Lizenznachbauten of their large steam turbines and boilers. Also parts for gas turbines have been produced. Until the 1970s, the number of employees rose to its highest level by more than 6000.
In the period of economic crisis in the global power generation business in the 1990s, was acquired and integrated in its energy sector AnsaldoEnergia Franco Tosi from the great Italian energy company Ansaldo ( Finmeccanica ). 2000 Franco Tosi was made under pressure from the Italian antitrust authorities because of too great a concentration in Italian power plant in 2000 to the Casti Group.
After a takeover by A-TEC had failed in 2008, Franco Tosi majority (75%) was taken over by the Indian construction company Gammon.
Today ( 2009) presents Franco Tosi especially equipment for power plants and other energy systems here:
- Water turbines
- Steam Turbines
- Heat exchanger, other equipment and container