Momo (company)

{{Short description|Italian manufacturer of automobile accessories and parts}} {{Primary sources|date=October 2007}} {{coord|45.455842|9.147737|display=title}} {{Infobox company | name = MOMO S.r.l | logo = Momo company logo.png | logo_size = 130 | type = Private | slogan = | founder = [[Gianpiero Moretti]] | founded = {{start date and age|1964}} | hq_location_city = [[Milan]] | hq_location_country = Italy | key_people = | num_employees = | industry = [[Automotive industry|Automotive]] | products = [[Alloy wheel]]s, [[steering wheel]]s, [[car seat]]s, [[gear stick]]s, [[tire]]s, [[decal]]s | revenue = | net_income = | website = {{url|https://momo.com/en-us/|momo.com}} }} '''MOMO Srl''' is a [[design company]] headquartered in [[Milan]], Italy that makes accessories and parts for [[automobiles]], such as [[alloy wheel]]s, [[Tire|tires]], [[steering wheel]]s, [[car seat|seats]], [[gear stick]]s. The company also has a [[clothing]] line of products that include [[racing suit]]s, gloves, and [[sneakers|shoes]].

== Company history == MOMO was founded by [[gentleman]] [[race car driver|racer]] [[Gianpiero Moretti]] in 1964.<ref name="autocarparts.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.autocarparts.com/p_MOMO/|title=MOMO Sport, steering wheels & shift knobs|access-date=2007-08-21|work=autocarparts.com}}</ref> 'MOMO' are the initials for '''''Mo'''retti-'''Mo'''nza''. [[Monza]] is a town in the [[Province of Monza and Brianza]]. That year, Moretti produced a racing steering wheel for his own race car. This was the first steering wheel produced by the brand. Compared to the other racing steering wheels available on the market at that time, Momo featured thicker grip, the other racers noticed the convenience of that steering wheel and wanted to obtain the same for their vehicles. So, steering wheels by this brand gained fame throughout the racing community and among the Formula One drivers. So, John Surtees, one of Formula One’s drivers, requested the same steering wheel for his single-seater Ferrari. That same year, he won a Formula One race - the first significant victory of the Momo brand.

In 1969 MOMO opened production plant in [[Tregnago]], [[Province of Verona]].<ref name="autocarparts.com"/> Due to increasing [[United States]] federal government safety regulations and the wide adoption of [[airbag]]s in passenger vehicles internationally, MOMO was sold in 1996 to Breed Technologies, a [[steering wheel]] airbag manufacturer. Breed Technologies was acquired by [[private equity firm]] [[Carlyle Group]] and merged with other [[Original equipment manufacturer|OEM]] automotive businesses they owned to form [[Key Safety Systems]] in 2003. Key Safety Systems sold the MOMO brand name to an Italian private equity group in 2006, but most of the manufacturing plants and technologies previously owned by MOMO were retained by Key Safety Systems.

In 2011, MOMO was sold to Henrique Cisneros, a Venezuelan-American businessman part of the [[Grupo Cisneros]] and amateur racecar driver.<ref>[http://www.racer.com/pwc/item/144205-how-henrique-cisneros-revived-momo How Henrique Cisneros revived MOMO] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107024839/http://www.racer.com/pwc/item/144205-how-henrique-cisneros-revived-momo |date=2017-11-07 }} - George Tamayo, Racer, 16 September 2017</ref><ref>[http://hombre1.com/hombre-exclusive-henrique-cisneros-lifes-a-movie-from-racing-cars-to-philanthropy-to-building-a-global-brand/ Francisco Romeo, Hombre, 3 October 2017]</ref>

In 2012, MOMO launched a line of summer, all-season, and winter tires in Europe. The tires have been available in North America since 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-10-26|title=MOMO adding branded tire line to U.S. portfolio|url=https://www.tirebusiness.com/article/20171026/NEWS/171029955/momo-adding-branded-tire-line-to-u-s-portfolio|access-date=2021-10-13|website=Tire Business|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tires|url=https://momo.com/en-us/momo-tires|access-date=2021-10-13|website=momo.com}}</ref>

== Products == [[File:2005 Momo Peugeot Pars ELX.JPG|thumb|Momo accessories installed in a 2005 [[Peugeot Pars]] ELX]] MOMO's product range includes consumer accessories such as [[steering wheels]], [[shift knobs]], [[alloy wheels]], and [[Tire|tires]] through to race equipment such as racing suits and [[helmets]]. MOMO airbagged steering wheels have become standard accessories on some regional [[Subaru]] and [[Mitsubishi Motors|Mitsubishi]] performance cars. MOMO steering wheels were standard features in the [[UMM Alter II]] from 1987 to 1991. MOMO has also designed a steering wheel for [[computer peripheral]] company [[Logitech]] (called the Logitech MOMO), to be used as a video game controller. Thomas Superwheel controllers (a brand of high-quality, premium priced controllers) also feature the MOMO name. Also watches, eyewear, fragrances, clothing, accessories, etc. are made by brand MOMO DESIGN.<ref>[http://www.momodesign.com/en website Momo Design]</ref>

==Motorsport involvement== [[File:GianpieroMoretti.jpg|thumb|Momo founder Gianpiero Moretti at the wheel of an Alba AR3 at [[Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca|Laguna Seca]] in 1984.]]The company sponsored many prototype cars in the [[International Motor Sports Association|IMSA]] [[IMSA GT Championship|WSC series]] including the [[Ferrari 333 SP]] sports prototype car, after [[Scuderia Ferrari]] had retired from that racing category 20 years earlier.

MOMO was the official steering wheel of the [[Champ Car]] series from 2004 to 2007, before Champ Car merged to [[Indy Racing League]]. MOMO are also suppliers of the official steering wheel, racing seats, clothing and racing accessories of the [[Speedcar Series]].

MOMO also sponsors [[Lira Motorsports]] in the [[ARCA Racing Series]] and the [[Camping World Truck Series]].

==See also == {{Portal|Italy|Companies}} *[[List of companies of Italy]]

== Notes == {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} * {{official website}}   {{Automotive industry in Italy}} {{Sports equipment brands}}

[[Category:Auto parts suppliers of Italy]] [[Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Milan]] [[Category:Automotive motorsports and performance companies]] [[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Milan]] [[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1964]] [[Category:Motorcycle helmet manufacturers]] [[Category:Sporting goods manufacturers of Italy]] [[Category:Watch manufacturing companies of Italy]] [[Category:1964 establishments in Italy]] [[Category:Italian brands]] [[Category:The Carlyle Group companies]]