Officine Meccaniche
Officine Meccaniche (OM) was an Italian car and truck manufacturing company, founded in 1899 in Milan as Societa Anonima Officine Meccaniche.
The inception of the company had resulted from the merger of two companies,Grondona Comi & C and Miani Silvestri & C. Originally, OM manufactured railway stock. Car production started in 1918, using the plant of the former Brixia-Zust (Brixia-Züst), just after OM took over Zust car company of Brescia, Northern Italy.
The first OM car, Tipo S305, primarily an old Zust model, appeared in 1918 with a 4712cc four-cylinder side-valve in-line engine. Further models were Tipo 465 (with a 1327cc four) in 1919, Tipo 467 (1410cc) and Tipo 469 (1496cc) in 1921. 1923 saw an all new model, Tipo 665 'Superba' with a 2-litre six-cylinder engine. This model was extremely successful in racing - won top five positions in 1925 and 1926 at Le Mans but the grestest achievement was the victory in the first Mille Miglia race in 1927 winning the first three positions. Some cars were equipped with Roots superchargers.
OM was taken over by the Fiat Group in 1933 and in the following year, passenger car production ceased. OM became a commercial vehicle manufacturer.
In 1975 OM was absorbed (as part of the Fiat Group) into IVECO.
Detailed Timeline
Founded in 1899 in Milan, as a result of the merger of "Grondona Com & C" and "Miani Silvestri & C," OM "Società Anonima Officine Meccaniche" manufactured materials rail and other heavy engineering products. On October 1, 1917 OM took over the automaker Züst, thus obtaining a car factory in Brescia, northern Italy.
The first model of OM, the Model S305, appeared in 1918, equipped with a 4-cylinder engine with 4712cc and lateral valves and an output of 30hp. It was basically an old model Züst.
In 1919, was a completely new car, the Type 465. Was equipped with a 4-cylinder engine and 1327cc. This model was produced for the most part with a body of 4-type torpedo, which had a great reception from the public, and that many units were sold for the season.
The engine of this model was enhanced gradually, first to 1410cc for the Type 467 of 1921 and later to 1496cc for the Type 469. These two models were also constructed in sports versions.
In 1923, appeared a new model, the Type 665 "Superba" with a new 6-cylinder engine and 2 liters. This model greatly enhanced the prestige of the Company, aided also by their significant sporting successes and obtaining alguinos world records at the time.
Notable were her 5 top positions at Le Mans in the years 1925 and 1926 and victory in the 1927 Mille Miglia, where OM Superba occupied the top three positions.
The engine of the Superba was gradually developed and improved, increasing its power to 2.2 liters in 1930.
In 1933 the production facilities of cars were absorbed by the Fiat group.
In 1934 he was presented a new model, the Type V, with a 6-cylinder engine and 2130cc, but failed to be produced in batches.
In 1937, unifying the plants OM of Brescia and Milan. This creates three sectors: buses and trucks, railway equipment, agricultural tractors, forklifts and marine engines, motor pumps and refrigeration systems. All this as part den Fiat Group.
In 1951 the first OM manufactures forklift equipped with internal combustion engine.
In 1956 OM begins to market its products through Care & Subsidiaries, including overseas.
In 1961, in Luzzara (RE) was born the "Piccola Industry Meccanica sul Po" (PIMESPO), a manufacturer of trucks from storage.
In 1967 OM definitely falls within the FIAT group eats an integral part of Veicoli Industriali.
In 1970 establishing the plant in Bari, which in turn will be expanded in 1977.
In 1975, OM is transformed into "FIAT Carrelli ELEVATORI" division of the group Iveco.
In 1981 IVECO purchase the current production plant Luzzara.
In 1992, the Linde Group acquires a share of FIAT company "Carrelli ELEVATORI."
In 2000, the headquarters of the company is moving from the old building on Via Pompeo Leoni in Milan at the new headquarters of Lainate.
In 2001 the plant in Bari carried out various structural changes, including the construction of new assembly lines for trucks and new systems of lacquer.
Since Nov. 1, 2002, the company changed its corporate name to "OM Carrelli ELEVATORI SpA The name" FIAT "disappear from the corporate name, as it abandons IVECO SpA shareholders of the company.
In 2006 the 3 brands Linde, STILL and OM unite under the name of the Kion Group "Kion Group."