Alfa Romeo Pomigliano d'Arco Plant
Encyclopedia
The Alfa Romeo Pomigliano d'Arco plant, commonly known as the Alfasud Pomigliano and renamed in 2008 as "Giambattista Vico
" in memory of the Neapolitan philosopher, is a car factory , situated on the in the town of Pomigliano d'Arco, and partly in Acerra
. The factory is nowadays owned by the Fiat S.p.A. Designed in 1968 by Alfa Romeo, the factory began car production in 1972. Today the plant has about 6,000 employees. The last Alfa Romeo model produced in Pomigliano will be the Alfa Romeo 159
in 28 October 2011, the factory will be converted to built the new Fiat Panda
.
commissioned the Alfa Romeo to build a large plant for the production of aircraft engines coupled with a small airport.
The choice fell on Pomigliano d'Arco, and thanks to the work of the engineer Ugo Gobbato
it gave birth to a technologically advanced Aeronautical Center, able to produce engines for the technologically advanced era. The industrial complex completed just before the outbreak of World War II was one of the largest and most modern in Europe.
To improve the living conditions of employees, residents in the area, there was built from scratch an entire neighborhood with about six hundred homes each of which had a small garden, while for foreigners it
was built a hotel about seven hundred people.
In 1942 began series production of Daimler engines, the most commonly used by German companies. In 1943 the complex was completed with two other aerospace centers of production, for "complete structures"
and "light alloys". Shortly after, two bombs destroyed the cities along the Alfa Romeo factory.
Meanwhile Finmeccanica
had founded, in part of the Aeronautical Center, the Officine di Costruzioni Aeronautiche e Ferroviarie Aerfer
. Initially there was produced railway vehicles and trolleybuses then the '"Aerfer" also worked on commission for the production of parts for fighter jets for the Air Force and NATO. Just the experience of construction of these parts, since the second half of the fifties , the Pomigliano began to be based development and construction of new prototypes for fighter aircraft, whose projects were financially supported by the United States.
The plant for car manufacturing was made very quickly. In 1967 was started the design of the plant and the new car model (the ' Alfasud ), both under the technical responsibility by engineer Rudolf Hruska
, one of the most important engineers of the era, former "right hand" of Ferdinand Porsche
and consultant to Fiat
, Simca
and Abarth
.
The management of the operation, led by Hruska, was made completely independent by creating Alfasud S.p.A., based in Pomigliano d'Arco, which operated in the establishment and completion of the design of the new model, in a formally independent from the so-called "Alfanord" in Arese.
On 15 January 1968 , after dozens of projects proposed and discussed, the general plan was submitted on for building the plant Alfasud Pomigliano d'Arco, which included the construction of new plants and beginning production in January 1972 .
The 'Construction Industry Neapolitan Vehicles Alfa Romeo - Alfasud S.p.A. was born on 17 January 1968 with shareholders Alfa Romeo (88%), Finmeccanica (10%) and IRI (2%). For the project were allocated just over 300 billion lire largely funded by the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno
and Banco di Napoli.
The laying of the cornerstone took place on 28 April 1968, in the presence of Prime Minister Aldo Moro
.
Despite several delays, due to the many strikes by organized workers, Hruska was able to complete the work and begin production, with only three months late, in April 1972 .
In 1986 , Finmeccanica was forced to sell Alfa Romeo shares to Fiat for financial reasons and therefore the plant became part of Fiat Group.
Under new management, following the merger between Lancia and Alfa Romeo, the factory was renamed "Plant Alfa-Lancia Pomigliano d'Arco".
Following the corporate restructuring of 2007 the Fiat Group auto business become Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A., Alfa turned into Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. as a result, in 2008 , the factory was renamed to "Fiat Group Automobiles - Giambattista Vico plant."
On July 19 of 2010 Fiat sells ownership of the factory and its workers' contractual relationship to the subsidiary factory Pomigliano Italy.
Giambattista Vico
Giovanni Battista ' Vico or Vigo was an Italian political philosopher, rhetorician, historian, and jurist....
" in memory of the Neapolitan philosopher, is a car factory , situated on the in the town of Pomigliano d'Arco, and partly in Acerra
Acerra
Acerra is a town and comune of Campania, southern Italy, in the Province of Naples, about 20 km northeast of the provincial capital in Naples. It is part of the Agro Acerrano plain.-History:...
. The factory is nowadays owned by the Fiat S.p.A. Designed in 1968 by Alfa Romeo, the factory began car production in 1972. Today the plant has about 6,000 employees. The last Alfa Romeo model produced in Pomigliano will be the Alfa Romeo 159
Alfa Romeo 159
The Alfa Romeo 159 is a compact executive car produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 2005 and 2011. The 159 was introduced in production form at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the successful Alfa Romeo 156. The 159 uses the GM/Fiat Premium platform, shared with...
in 28 October 2011, the factory will be converted to built the new Fiat Panda
Fiat Panda
The Fiat Panda is a city car from the Italian automobile manufacturer Fiat. The first Fiat Panda was introduced in 1980, and was produced until 2003 with only a few changes. It is now sometimes referred to as the "old Panda". The second model, launched in 2003, is sometimes referred to "New Panda"...
.
The first plant
In 1938 the Istituto per la Ricostruzione IndustrialeIstituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale
The Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale was an Italian public company set up by the fascist government in 1933 to combat the effects of the global depression on the Italian economy...
commissioned the Alfa Romeo to build a large plant for the production of aircraft engines coupled with a small airport.
The choice fell on Pomigliano d'Arco, and thanks to the work of the engineer Ugo Gobbato
Ugo Gobbato
Ugo Gobbato was an Italian engineer and Managing Director of Alfa Romeo between 1933 to 1945. He studied in Germany where he graduated in mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Zwickau in Saxony...
it gave birth to a technologically advanced Aeronautical Center, able to produce engines for the technologically advanced era. The industrial complex completed just before the outbreak of World War II was one of the largest and most modern in Europe.
To improve the living conditions of employees, residents in the area, there was built from scratch an entire neighborhood with about six hundred homes each of which had a small garden, while for foreigners it
was built a hotel about seven hundred people.
In 1942 began series production of Daimler engines, the most commonly used by German companies. In 1943 the complex was completed with two other aerospace centers of production, for "complete structures"
and "light alloys". Shortly after, two bombs destroyed the cities along the Alfa Romeo factory.
Reconstruction
The production of aircraft engines did not start until 1952, when the reconstruction and establishment of the city was done.Meanwhile Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica
Finmeccanica S.p.A. is an Italian conglomerate. Finmeccanica is the second largest industrial group and the largest of the hi-tech industrial groups based in Italy. It works in the fields of defence, aerospace, security, automation, transport and energy...
had founded, in part of the Aeronautical Center, the Officine di Costruzioni Aeronautiche e Ferroviarie Aerfer
Aerfer
Aerfer was an Italian manufacturing company created in 1955 by the merger of IMAM and Meridionali. The name is a contraction of Costruzioni Aer onautiche e Fer roviarie ....
. Initially there was produced railway vehicles and trolleybuses then the '"Aerfer" also worked on commission for the production of parts for fighter jets for the Air Force and NATO. Just the experience of construction of these parts, since the second half of the fifties , the Pomigliano began to be based development and construction of new prototypes for fighter aircraft, whose projects were financially supported by the United States.
The birth of the Alfasud
At the end of the sixties Alfa Romeo had two factories in Italy: the first built in 1910 in Portello, a suburb of Milan , the second was the Alfa Romeo factory in Arese opened in 1963, in the province of Milan. In this period the Italian Government, the owner of IRI and then of Alfa Romeo decided to implement some measures to encourage the development of southern Italy and stem the emigration of many young people who moved to the north in search of work. So, with the opposition of the then President of Alfa Giuseppe Luraghi, it financed the construction of a new factory for the production of cars next to the existing facility "Alfa Romeo Avio" Pomigliano d'Arco. Thus was born the great project called "Alfasud".The plant for car manufacturing was made very quickly. In 1967 was started the design of the plant and the new car model (the ' Alfasud ), both under the technical responsibility by engineer Rudolf Hruska
Rudolf Hruska
Rudolf Hruska was an Austrian automobile designer and engineer, most famous for his design of various Alfa Romeo cars....
, one of the most important engineers of the era, former "right hand" of Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
and consultant to 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...
, Simca
Simca
Simca was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat. It was directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by the Italian Henri Théodore Pigozzi...
and Abarth
Abarth
Abarth is an Italian racing car maker founded by Austrian-Italian Carlo Abarth and Italian Armando Scagliarini in Turin in 1949. Its logo depicts a stylized scorpion on a red and yellow background.- History :...
.
The management of the operation, led by Hruska, was made completely independent by creating Alfasud S.p.A., based in Pomigliano d'Arco, which operated in the establishment and completion of the design of the new model, in a formally independent from the so-called "Alfanord" in Arese.
On 15 January 1968 , after dozens of projects proposed and discussed, the general plan was submitted on for building the plant Alfasud Pomigliano d'Arco, which included the construction of new plants and beginning production in January 1972 .
The 'Construction Industry Neapolitan Vehicles Alfa Romeo - Alfasud S.p.A. was born on 17 January 1968 with shareholders Alfa Romeo (88%), Finmeccanica (10%) and IRI (2%). For the project were allocated just over 300 billion lire largely funded by the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno
Cassa per il Mezzogiorno
The Cassa del Mezzogiorno was a public effort by the government of Italy to stimulate economic growth and development in the less developed southern regions of Italy. It was established in 1950 primarily to construct public works and infrastructure projects, and to provide credit subsidies and...
and Banco di Napoli.
The laying of the cornerstone took place on 28 April 1968, in the presence of Prime Minister Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro
Aldo Moro was an Italian politician and the 39th Prime Minister of Italy, from 1963 to 1968, and then from 1974 to 1976. He was one of Italy's longest-serving post-war Prime Ministers, holding power for a combined total of more than six years....
.
Despite several delays, due to the many strikes by organized workers, Hruska was able to complete the work and begin production, with only three months late, in April 1972 .
From the 1980s to today
In 1982 the ' Alfasud S.p.A. changed its name to "INCA Investments."In 1986 , Finmeccanica was forced to sell Alfa Romeo shares to Fiat for financial reasons and therefore the plant became part of Fiat Group.
Under new management, following the merger between Lancia and Alfa Romeo, the factory was renamed "Plant Alfa-Lancia Pomigliano d'Arco".
Following the corporate restructuring of 2007 the Fiat Group auto business become Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A., Alfa turned into Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. as a result, in 2008 , the factory was renamed to "Fiat Group Automobiles - Giambattista Vico plant."
On July 19 of 2010 Fiat sells ownership of the factory and its workers' contractual relationship to the subsidiary factory Pomigliano Italy.
The first car
The first car produced at the plant, was the Alfasud. That was the first front wheel drive Alfa Romeo production car, until then all the cars produced by Alfa were rear-wheel drive. The Alfasud was presented in 1971 at the Turin Motor Show. It was a hatchback with a tail fastback four-door (tailgate came only in 1982 ). The commercialization of the first series gave enormous fruits, because sales in those years amounted to about seventy thousand vehicles.List of cars produced to date
| Image | Brand | Model | Production start | Production end | Prodcution number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Alfa Romeo | Alfasud (first serie) Alfa Romeo Alfasud The Alfa Romeo Alfasud is a compact car made by Alfa Romeo of Italy from 1971 to 1989. It was considered one of Alfa Romeo's most successful models, sold 893,719 examples from 1972 to 1983 plus 121,434 Sprint versions from 1976 to 1989. A common nickname for the car is ’Sud... |
1972 | 1980 | 642.528 |
| Alfa Romeo | Alfasud Giardinetta Alfa Romeo Alfasud The Alfa Romeo Alfasud is a compact car made by Alfa Romeo of Italy from 1971 to 1989. It was considered one of Alfa Romeo's most successful models, sold 893,719 examples from 1972 to 1983 plus 121,434 Sprint versions from 1976 to 1989. A common nickname for the car is ’Sud... |
1975 | 1980 | 5.097 | |
 |
Alfa Romeo | Alfasud sprint Alfa Romeo Alfasud The Alfa Romeo Alfasud is a compact car made by Alfa Romeo of Italy from 1971 to 1989. It was considered one of Alfa Romeo's most successful models, sold 893,719 examples from 1972 to 1983 plus 121,434 Sprint versions from 1976 to 1989. A common nickname for the car is ’Sud... |
1976 | 1988 | 121.184 |
| Alfa Romeo | Alfasud (second serie) Alfa Romeo Alfasud The Alfa Romeo Alfasud is a compact car made by Alfa Romeo of Italy from 1971 to 1989. It was considered one of Alfa Romeo's most successful models, sold 893,719 examples from 1972 to 1983 plus 121,434 Sprint versions from 1976 to 1989. A common nickname for the car is ’Sud... |
1980 | 1984 | 203.904 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 33 (first serie) Alfa Romeo 33 The Alfa Romeo 33 is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1995. It was essentially an evolution of its predecessor, the Alfasud, which was based on the same floorplan, chassis and mechanicals albeit with some minor modifications... |
1983 | 1990 | 989.324 (1983–1995) | |
| Alfa Romeo | Arna (only mechnics) Alfa Romeo Arna The Alfa Romeo Arna is a subcompact automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1987.Launched at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Arna was a product of a short-lived partnership between Alfa Romeo and Japanese manufacturer Nissan; the car's name was an acronym... |
1983 | 1987 | 53.344 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 33 Sportwagon (first serie) Alfa Romeo 33 The Alfa Romeo 33 is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1995. It was essentially an evolution of its predecessor, the Alfasud, which was based on the same floorplan, chassis and mechanicals albeit with some minor modifications... |
1984 | 1990 | ||
| Fiat | Fiat Tipo Fiat Tipo The Fiat Tipo is a small family car designed by the IDEA design house and produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat between 1988 and 1995.The Tipo was initially available only as a five-door hatchback. The car was made entirely out of galvanized body panels to avoid rust, and was built on a... |
1989 | 1990 | ||
| Autobianchi | Autobianchi Y10 Autobianchi Y10 The Autobianchi Y10 is a city car manufactured by the Italian automaker Fiat from 1985 to 1996 and marketed under the Autobianchi brand in Italy and under the Lancia brand in most export markets . The car was manufactured at the Autobianchi plant in Desio, Milan until 1992 and after that in Arese,... |
1987 | 1995 | ||
| Alfa Romeo | 33 (second serie) Alfa Romeo 33 The Alfa Romeo 33 is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1995. It was essentially an evolution of its predecessor, the Alfasud, which was based on the same floorplan, chassis and mechanicals albeit with some minor modifications... |
1990 | 1994 | ||
| Alfa Romeo | 33 Sportwagon (second serie) Alfa Romeo 33 The Alfa Romeo 33 is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1995. It was essentially an evolution of its predecessor, the Alfasud, which was based on the same floorplan, chassis and mechanicals albeit with some minor modifications... |
1990 | 1994 | ||
| Alfa Romeo | 155 Alfa Romeo 155 The Alfa Romeo 155 is a compact executive car produced under the Italian Alfa Romeo marque between 1992 and 1998.-Design:Built to replace the 75 and based on the parent Fiat Group's Type Three platform, the 155 was somewhat larger in dimension than the 75 but evolved its styling from that of its... |
1992 | 1997 | 191.949 | |
 |
Alfa Romeo | 145 Alfa Romeo 145 The Alfa Romeo 145 and 146 are small family cars produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1994 and 2001. They were launched at the 1994 Turin Motor Show... |
1994 | 2000 | 221.037 |
| Alfa Romeo | 146 | 1995 | 2000 | 233.295 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 156 (first serie) Alfa Romeo 156 The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155... |
1997 | 2003 | 331.877 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 156 Sportwagon (first serie) Alfa Romeo 156 The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155... |
2000 | 2003 | 36.220 | |
 |
Alfa Romeo | 147 (first serie) Alfa Romeo 147 The Alfa Romeo 147 is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 2000 to 2010. The 147 was voted European Car of the Year for 2001, beating the Ford Mondeo and the Toyota Prius.... |
2000 | 2004 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 156 (second serie) Alfa Romeo 156 The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155... |
2003 | 2005 | ||
 |
Alfa Romeo | 156 Sportwagon (second serie) Alfa Romeo 156 The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155... |
2003 | 2005 | |
 |
Alfa Romeo | GT Alfa Romeo GT The Alfa Romeo GT is a sports car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 2003 and 2010. A total of 80,832 units were produced. The GT was introduced in March 2003 Geneva Motor Show and it came for sale in Italian markets January 2004... |
2003 | 2010 | 80.832 |
 |
Alfa Romeo | 147 (second serie) Alfa Romeo 147 The Alfa Romeo 147 is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 2000 to 2010. The 147 was voted European Car of the Year for 2001, beating the Ford Mondeo and the Toyota Prius.... |
2004 | 2010 | |
| Alfa Romeo | 159 Alfa Romeo 159 The Alfa Romeo 159 is a compact executive car produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 2005 and 2011. The 159 was introduced in production form at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the successful Alfa Romeo 156. The 159 uses the GM/Fiat Premium platform, shared with... |
2005 | 2011 | ||
| Alfa Romeo | 159 Sportwagon Alfa Romeo 159 The Alfa Romeo 159 is a compact executive car produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 2005 and 2011. The 159 was introduced in production form at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the successful Alfa Romeo 156. The 159 uses the GM/Fiat Premium platform, shared with... |
2006 | 2011 | ||
See also
- Alfa Romeo Portello PlantAlfa Romeo Portello PlantThe Alfa Romeo Portello Plant in Milan, Italy was the first factory of Alfa Romeo, and the main factory between 1908 and the 1960s. The factory was closed in 1986, buth all major production was transferred already 20 years earlier to the Alfa Romeo Arese Plant...
- Alfa Romeo Arese PlantAlfa Romeo Arese PlantThe Alfa Romeo Arese Plant was a plant area where Alfa Romeo had its head office for more than two decades prior to 1986 was known to be. After Fiat Group purchased Alfa Romeo in 1986, Arese became one of the assembly plants of Fiat Group. The factory is in the Province of Milan in the Italian...