Lombardini S.r.l.

Last updated
Lombardini Stabilimento Lombardini a Pieve.jpg
Lombardini

Lombardini Srl was an Italian manufacturer of diesel engines up to 134HP, which is now part of American manufacturer Kohler Co. after acquisition. The company was founded in Reggio Emilia by brothers Adelmo and Rainero Lombardini in 1933 under the name of "Lombardini Fabbrica Italiana Motori S.p.A.". Adelmo Lombardini had already been manufacturing combustion engines since 1922 with a company called "Società Anonima Cooperativa Metallurgica" in Novellara (RE). [1]

Contents

Along with engines, the company of the two Lombardini brothers manufactured finished products such as pumping sets. After World War II this trend increased with production of agricultural tractors and tillers.

History

In 1963 a new premise was built in the outskirts of Reggio Emilia which marked the transition to large scale production. Taking advantage of the tumultuous growth of the Italian economy and of the ever-increasing demand for agricultural machinery, Lombardini enjoyed a long and steady expansion, resulting in the company becoming a leader in small agricultural equipment. At this stage, the company decided to abandon production of finished products in order to focus on bare engines alone. This change reflected a strategic decision of the company not to compete against their own customers.

During the years Lombardini became the most prominent Diesel manufacturer in Italy in its range and bought out its competitors one by one. Slanzi, Cotiemme, Acme and lastly Ruggerini company were all bought out and incorporated into Lombardini.

As the growth of the company went on, its structure became more and more that of a modern industrial group. Commercial branches were established in the UK, Spain, France, Germany and US. Aside from the main premises in Reggio Emilia, new factories were established in Rieti (Italy), Czech Republic and India.

In 1999 Lombardini was sold to Mark IV Industries; shortly thereafter they took over their long-time competitor Ruggerini Motori  [ fr ]. In 2007, Lombardini was sold to the American Kohler Company becoming part of its Power Group.

Products

Lombardini manufactures air- and liquid-cooled Diesel engines. It also has a small range of gasoline engines (petrol).

Air-cooled diesel engines

Liquid-cooled diesel engines

Liquid-cooled Lombardini engines range from 440 to 2200 cc and from 11 to 65HP. They come as twin-, three- or four-cylinder. Lombardini has engineered a 440cc engine with common rail, which is today the smallest common rail in the world.

Gasoline engines

The range of Lombardini gasoline engines has shrunk in the years. Today[ when? ] only two models of gasoline are available, known as Intermotor's: a 9 and an 11 HP. One of those is the IM350, often called "The world's best engine". Also, a liquid-cooled gasoline engine of 20HP remains in production. Lombardini, being part of Kohler group, is now marketing the Kohler gasoline engines which range from 4 to 40HP and come in a variety of models and configurations.

Applications

Construction industry

The construction industry is the second field of application of Lombardini engines. Machinery such as trench rollers, reversible compactors, single drum rollers, vibratory plates, mini rollers etc, are an example of that. Some major European OEMs have some Lombardini in their products.

Automotive

This is one of the latest market Lombardini has entered. It includes Micro cars (Ligier, Chatenet, Giotti Victoria etc.), quads, ATVs, 3-wheelers, and similar. For this market, Lombardini has engineered a special 440 cc engine with common rail injection, the CT Move launched in 2006. [2]

Other

Other applications include Gensets and welders, tower lights, sweepers, high pressure cleaners, pumping sets, cranes, aerial platform and so on.

Licenses

During the years Lombardini has had license agreements with companies in different countries. Such agreements allowed a local manufacturer to assemble Lombardini engines for its local market under the direct supervision of Lombardini. All such agreements are now expired and nobody is currently authorised to assemble engines under the Lombardini brand except Lombardini itself. Lombardini is also no longer involved in ensuring the quality of such productions and where they continue the engines can not be considered genuine Lombardini engines.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

Coventry Victor was a British motorcycle and car manufacturer. Originally Morton & Weaver, a proprietary engine manufacturer in Hillfields, Coventry, founded in 1904, the company changed its name to Coventry Victor Motors in 1911. The company closed in 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster</span>

L'Aster, Aster, Ateliers de Construction Mecanique l'Aster, was a French manufacturer of automobiles and the leading supplier of engines to other manufacturers from the late 1890s until circa 1910/12. Although primarily known as an engine mass manufacturer the company also produced chassis for coach-works and a complete range of components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VM Motori</span> Italian diesel engine manufacturer

VM Motori S.p.A. is an Italian diesel engine manufacturing company which is wholly owned by Stellantis. VM headquarters and main production facilities are located in Cento, in Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kubota</span> Japanese multinational corporation based in Osaka

Kubota Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation based in Osaka. It was established in 1890. The corporation produces many products including tractors and other agricultural machinery, construction equipment, engines, vending machines, pipe, valves, cast metal, pumps, and equipment for water purification, sewage treatment and air conditioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaguti</span> Italian motorcycle manufacturer

Malaguti is an Italian bicycle, scooter and motorcycle company based in San Lazzaro di Savena, founded by Antonino Malaguti in 1930. Producing bicycles until 1958, they then entered the motorcycle market. Noted for their use of small engines in their bikes. In October 2011, Malaguti laid off its remaining employees in Bologna, Italy as the company eventually folded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motorcycle engine</span> Engine that powers a motorcycle

A motorcycle engine is an engine that powers a motorcycle. Motorcycle engines are typically two-stroke or four-stroke internal combustion engines, but other engine types, such as Wankels and electric motors, have been used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diesel motorcycle</span> Motorcycle with a diesel engine

A diesel motorcycle is a motorcycle with a diesel engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aircraft diesel engine</span> Aircraft engine operating on the Diesel principle

The aircraft diesel engine or aero diesel is a diesel-powered aircraft engine. They were used in airships and tried in aircraft in the late 1920s and 1930s, but were never widely adopted until recently. Their main advantages are their excellent specific fuel consumption, the reduced flammability and somewhat higher density of their fuel, but these have been outweighed by a combination of inherent disadvantages compared to gasoline-fueled or turboprop engines. The ever-rising cost of avgas and doubts about its future availability have spurred a resurgence in aircraft diesel engine production in the early 2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agrale</span> Brazilian vehicle manufacturer

Agrale, previously called AGRISA, is a Brazilian vehicle manufacturer. Established in 1962, it is based in Caxias do Sul in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Agrale manufactures tractors, commercial vehicles, military vehicles, bus, chassis and engines. Tractors include both self-developed models, and ones based on Zetor designs. The company's current model line-up consists of pick-up trucks and the Marruá SUV. Agrale no longer produces motorcycles or scooters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hispano-Argentina</span>

Hispano-Argentina was an Argentine automotive and engineering company that manufactured automobiles, military vehicles, engines, weaponry, and parts for public works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-wheel tractor</span> Tractor with only one axle

Two-wheel tractor or walking tractor are generic terms understood in the US and in parts of Europe to represent a single-axle tractor, which is a tractor with one axle, self-powered and self-propelled, which can pull and power various farm implements such as a trailer, cultivator or harrow, a plough, or various seeders and harvesters. The operator usually walks behind it or rides the implement being towed. Similar terms are mistakenly applied to the household rotary tiller or power tiller; although these may be wheeled and/or self-propelled, they are not tailored for towing implements. A two-wheeled tractor specializes in pulling any of numerous types of implements, whereas rotary tillers specialize in soil tillage with their dedicated digging tools. This article concerns two-wheeled tractors as distinguished from such tillers.

The Albaugh-Dover Co. was an American manufacturer of farm implements, tractors, and automobiles based in Chicago, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buda Engine Co.</span>

Buda Engine was founded in 1881 by George Chalender in Buda, Illinois, to make equipment for railways. Later based in Harvey, Illinois, Buda from 1910 manufactured engines for industrial, truck, and marine applications. Early Buda engines were gasoline fueled. Later, diesel engines were introduced, utilizing proprietary Lanova cylinder head designs, injection pumps and nozzles. These were known as Buda-Lanova diesel engines. Buda Engine Company was acquired by Allis-Chalmers in 1953. The Buda-Lanova models were re-christened "Allis-Chalmers diesel".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW Marine</span>

BMW Marine GmbH was BMW's marine engine division. BMW's interest in marine engines dated back to 1913; they began making marine engines in 1919 after World War I.

W.H. Dorman & Co was a company formed by William Henry Dorman in 1870 making cutting tools for the footwear industry. It diversified into other tools including grinders, and in 1903 into internal combustion engines. This was to be its main product up to the point where it was taken over by the English Electric Company in 1961, though the Dorman name continued as a diesel engine trademark until 1995. William Henry Dorman retired in 1911, and died in 1926.

Cugini Randi was a small Italian manufacturer of agricultural machinery in the 1940s–1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SAME (tractors)</span> Italian agricultural machinery manufacturer

S.A.M.E., an acronym for Società Accomandita Motori Endotermici, is an Italian agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was founded in 1942 in Treviglio (Bergamo), Italy, by the brothers Francesco and Eugenio Cassani. SAME main products are tractors and front loaders. The company is now part of the SDF Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamborghini Trattori</span> Italian tractor manufacturer

Lamborghini Trattori is an Italian agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company designs and builds tractors. It was founded in 1948 in Cento, Italy by Ferruccio Lamborghini, who later went on to establish Automobili Lamborghini. In 1973, it became part of SAME.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emak</span>

Emak is an Italian manufacturer and distributor of machines, components and accessories for gardening, agriculture, forestry and industrial applications. Emak's brands are: Efco, Oleo-Mac, Bertolini and Nibbi.

References

  1. "Kohler Power | Kohler Engines". kohlerpower.com. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  2. "Company Profile" (PDF). Lombardini s.r.l. 2014. p. 7.