Idra Group

{{Short description|Italian die casting machinery company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Idra Group | logo = Idra-logo-colours.svg | image = GBF-IDRA fotoritocco-pannelli step2b.jpg | former_names = {{Plainlist| * Idra Presse * {{Smallcaps|Idra}} * {{lang|it|Costruzioni Idromeccaniche Bresciane}} }} | type = Private | industry = Die casting | founded = {{Start date and age|1946}} in Brescia, Italy | founder = Adamo Pasotti | hq_location_city = Travagliato | hq_location_country = Italy | area_served = Worldwide | key_people = Riccardo Ferrario | products = {{Plainlist| * Giga Press * Die-casting machines }} | num_employees = 161 | num_employees_year = 2015 | revenue = €87 million | revenue_year = 2015 | parent = {{nowrap|LK Machinery}} | subsid = Idra North America inc. - Idra Mexico - Idra Pressen GmbH - Idra China ltd. | website = }} '''Idra Group''' (Idra S.r.l.; originally Idra Presse S.p.A.) is a manufacturer of die casting machinery, founded in 1946 in Brescia, Italy.<ref name="giesserei-2016"/> The company is notable for producing the largest high-pressure die casting machines in the world.<ref name="conserva-20190611">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.publiteconline.it/ael/idra-thinks-big-growth-new-strategies-and-an-order-for-the-largest-press-in-the-world/|title=Idra Thinks Big: Growth, New Strategies and an Order for the Largest Press in the World|magazine=Alluminio & Leghe|first=Mario|last=Conserva|date=11 June 2019|access-date=16 January 2022|publisher=PubliTec|language=en}}</ref>

== History == The company was originally founded by Adamo Pasotti in 1944 or 1946 with the factory located on via Triumplina in Brescia.<ref name="brescia-today-2016"/>

By 1956, Idra was seeking to export its die-casting machines outside Italy.<ref>{{cite journal|volume=56|issue=20|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rh9lBTrbkkcC&pg=RA19-PA13|page=12|date=12 November 1956|access-date=15 January 2022|journal=Foreign Commerce Weekly|department=World trade leads|publisher=United States Department of Commerce|title=Machinery: Italy|quote=IDRA Costruzioni Idromeccaniche Bresciane (manufacturer, exporter), Via Triumplina 13, Brescia, wishes to export direct or through agent very good quality '''die-casting machines'''. Correspondence in Italian preferred.|via=University of Illinois; Google Books}}</ref>

By 1971, an Idra {{nowrap|OL-1200 S}} machine was being used to cast motor components weighing {{convert|7|kg}} for Porsche cars.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archiviostorico.fondazionefiera.it/oggetti/45215-pubblicita-idra-costruzioni-idromeccaniche-bresciane|title=Pubblicità IDRA Costruzioni Idromeccaniche Bresciane|trans-title=Advertisement of IDRA Costruzioni Idromeccaniche Brescia|access-date=15 January 2022|date=January 1971|publisher=Fiera di Milano|page=34|via=Fondazione Fiera Milano|language=it|quote=Stampate di un semi-carter motore e di una scatola cambio velocità pressofuse in lega di magnesio su una macchina IDRA a camera fredda orizzontale tipo OL-1200 S.}}</ref>

[[File:Sandy Munro with John Stokes.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.0|Idra General Manager John Stokes (left) with Sandy Munro in front of the 9000t Giga Press for the Tesla Cybertruck]] In March 2024, Riccardo Ferrario retired as general manager of Idra, with the role being taken over by John Stokes.<ref name="fp-20240326">{{cite news|url=https://www.foundry-planet.com/d/management-change-at-idra-group/|title=Management change at Idra Group|date=2024-03-26|access-date=2024-04-15|work=Foundry-Planet|department=Foundry Daily News|quote=retirement of Riccardo Ferrario … On 31 March 2024, John Stokes takes over the role as General Manager …}}</ref><ref>{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqCAZGbSD-U|title= IDRA announces that as of March 31 John Stokes will be stepping into the role of General Manager|publisher=Idra Group|date=2024-04-12|access-date=2024-04-15|via=Youtube|type=video}}</ref>

=== Hot years === During Italy's Years of Lead in the 1970s, Giovanni Maifredi worked at Idra as a warehouse worker, having been provided with a job without having any qualifications.<ref name="mauro-2021"/> Following the Piazza della Loggia bombing in Brescia on 28 May 1974, Idra factory workers organised a fifteen-day strike action and picket line outside the Idra factory.<ref name="autunnocaldo-1974"/>

== Original site == The original factory site at via Triumplina 43 in the north of Brescia was developed into the Triumplina Retail Park, requiring construction of new roundabout junctions.<ref name="gorlan-2017"/>

== Ownership == thumb|Sunrise over Idra factory

{{As of|2006}}, Idra was 30% owned by the Intesa Sanpaolo Bank, with 70% of the remaining shares acquired by {{nowrap|LK Machinery}}, a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.<ref name="giesserei-2016"/>

For the year 2015, Idra employed 161 people, and had a turnover of {{nowrap|€87 million}}, with a profit of {{nowrap|€3 million}}.<ref name="brescia-today-2016"/>

By 2016, {{nowrap|LK Machinery}} had acquired the remainder of the outstanding shares.<ref name="giesserei-2016"/>

== Development == [[File:2021-10-23-idra-presse-outbound-giga-press-boxed-up.jpg|thumb|Boxed up Giga Press die casting machine outside Idra factory]]

In 2000, Idra filed a patent application for die casting machine designed to produce two separate castings simultaneously from a single injection of liquid metal.<ref name="mortari-2000"/>

On '''August 20, 2020''', the first '''Giga Press''' installed at a U.S. electric-car-only manufacturer customer produced castings.{{cn|date=October 2025}}

{{As of|2025|05}}, Idra were providing sponsorship to Prema Racing starting with the Indycar 2025 Indianapolis 500.<ref name="prema-20250517">{{cite press release|url=https://premaracing.com/en/news/19498-prema-racing-announces-indy-500-partnership-with-idra-group|title=PREMA Racing announces Indy 500 partnership with IDRA Group|publisher=Prema Racing|date=2025-05-17|access-date=2025-05-19|quote=IDRA Group … identity … on the … IndyCar Series machinery driven by Robert Shwartzman and Callum Ilott. … IDRA has been based at its traditional North American home in Kokomo, Indiana for the last 27 years,}}</ref> The Idra-sponsored car driven by Robert Shwartzman took pole position in qualifying.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/sports/motor/indycar/2025/05/18/indianapolis-500-qualifying-robert-shwartzman-rookie-pole-position/83716023007/|title=Robert Shwartzman becomes first rookie driver to win Indy 500 pole since 1983|work=USA Today|date=2025-05-19|access-date=2025-05-19|first=Ellen J.|last=Horrow|quote=Shwartzman averaged 232.790 mph in his No. 83 Chevrolet over his four qualifying laps to become the first rookie to qualify for the pole position since Teo Fabi in 1983.}}</ref><ref name="degroot-20250519">{{cite news|url=https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/robert-shwartzman-rookie-shock-indy-500-pole-prema-racing/10724254/|title=Rookie Robert Shwartzman earns shock Indy 500 pole with Prema Racing|work=Motorsport.com|date=2025-05-19|access-date=2025-05-19|first=Nick|last=DeGroot}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="giesserei-2016">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.giesserei.eu/magazin/interview/2016/interview-riccardo-ferrario/|title=Idra baut Führungsposition aus|trans-title=Idra expands leadership position|date=8 November 2016|access-date=25 October 2021|magazine=Giesserei|language=de}}</ref><ref name="mortari-2000">{{cite patent|country=EP|number=1333948|pubdate=2003-08-13|title=Pressure die-casting machine|inventor1-first=Graziano|inventor1-last=Mortari|assign1=Idra Presse S.P.A}}, since withdrawn.</ref> <ref name="brescia-today-2016">{{cite magazine|url=https://brescia2.it/2016/06/06/idra-un-bilancio-2015-da-record/|date=6 June 2016|access-date=25 October 2021|title=Idra, un bilancio 2015 da record|trans-title=Idra, balance sheet record in 2015|magazine=Brescia Today|language=it}}</ref>  <ref name="autunnocaldo-1974">{{cite news|url=https://www.autunnocaldo.it/autunno-caldo-in-lombardia/brescia/|title=Brescia|work=Autunnocaldo|date=31 October 2019|language=it}}</ref> <ref name="mauro-2021">{{cite news|work=L'Unità|url=https://archivio.unita.news/assets/main/1974/06/04/page_005.pdf|date=4 June 1974|access-date=25 October 2021|page=5|title=Il missino Degli Occhi di nuovo interrogato a Brescia Diecci ordini di cattura per gli attentati nel centro-Italia|first=Mauro|last=Brutto|trans-title=The missino Degli Occhi again questioned in Brescia Ten arrest orders for the attacks in central Italy |quote=Giovanni Maifredi è dunque un campione della provocazione antisindacale, assunto all'Idra senza alcuna qualifica}}</ref> <ref name="gorlan-2017">{{cite news|url=https://brescia.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/17_luglio_05/strade-rondo-rigenerazione-nord-l-ex-idra-porta-lavori-32-milioni-bebfd9f8-614b-11e7-bdfb-e027df3feb8d.shtml|title=Strade e rondò, rigenerazione a nord: L'ex Idra porta lavori per 3,2 milioni|trans-title=Streets and roundabouts, regeneration in the north: the ex-Idra development brings works for €3.2 million|first=Pietro|last=Gorlan|newspaper=Corriere della Sera|location=Brescia}}</ref> }}

== Further reading == {{Refbegin}} * {{cite book|url=https://www.comune.brescia.it/servizi/urbanistica/VAS/Pagine/Vas-ex-Idra.aspx|chapter=Valutazione ambientale strategica|trans-chapter=Strategic Environmental Assessment|title=Piano attuativo Ambito di Trasformazione ex IDRA Violino – Unità di Intervento D.1|trans-title=Implementation scope plan for transformation of former IDRA headquarters – Intervention Unit D.1|date=23 December 2013|access-date=25 October 2021|archive-date=25 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025212946/https://www.comune.brescia.it/servizi/urbanistica/VAS/Pagine/Vas-ex-Idra.aspx|url-status=dead}} {{Refend}}

== External links == {{Portal|Italy|Companies}} {{Commons category|Idra Presse factory}} * {{Official website|https://www.idragroup.com/index.php/en/}}

Category:Companies based in Brescia Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1946 Idra Group Category:Italian companies established in 1946