Italy (BRAIN) — Bianchi officially opened its new factory here Tuesday with a manufacturing capacity of 500 bikes per shift "I am proud of this new factory that best represents the innovative spirit of Bianchi," said Salvatore Grimaldi "Despite the challenges the bicycle industry is currently facing today we are inaugurating one of the most advanced manufacturing plants in the world The new plant also represents a symbol of resilience but in our new home — this is a sign of the enormous confidence we have in our people was completed in two years and is among the first in Italy to comply with Industry 5.0 standards with the use of sustainable solutions Each production line position has been fully digitized eliminating all material handling steps in favor of greater efficiency A 500-kilowatt photovoltaic system provides energy autonomy during the summer with indoor temperature constantly around 23°C (74 degrees) and all plant management functions are automatically controlled Employee features include ergonomic workstations and the creation of an in-house staff training facility A new showroom includes its most iconic historical models Gentili has managerial experience nationally and internationally he was founder and owner of Deucalion Management Consulting AB he was president and CEO of WAM Group for greater China and South Korea which develops and manufactures equipment and plant components for bulk solids handling and processing Download the 2019 Industry Directory Read the 2021 Sales Training Guide The player, in a recent interview, then confirmed his determination to stay in the NBA: "There is still time for the market, anything can happen at any time. Now there is the NBA". So no return to Olimpia Milano, an epilogue awaited for years, but which this summer never turned into a real negotiation given the player's wishes. In the meantime, the wait continues, with Gallo ready to seize any opportunity that may arise to leave a final mark on his long and brilliant NBA career. In fact, no Italian player can count on a long militancy like that of the former Olimpia Milano. The only thing missing is the last goal, the one that has only been achieved by Marco Belinelli, current captain of Virtus Bologna. The conquest of an NBA title. The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community Recharge in a Restored Spanish Farmhouse in Menorca In his 1,720-square-foot apartment 23 miles east of Milan, interior designer Daniele Daminelli has achieved something difficult: creating a dark-colored yet light-filled dwelling that is as hospitable as it is stylish affording his young family a haven that is both comforting and aesthetically engaging “COVID’s really allowed me to think differently about working from home,” says Daminelli who with wife Giulia is raising their two children in the town of Treviglio “Fortunately our apartment allowed us to experience quarantine easily We are interested in creating sophisticated spaces and teaching them how to live with respect for beauty.” The three-bedroom flat is on the ground floor of a small 1934 building designed by the Milanese architect-engineer Elio Frisia as managerial housing for the Gerosa glass factory that once thrived across the street The couple had been eyeing the place for a decade while Daminelli was working at Milan’s Dimore Studio but only after the designer founded his firm in 2017 did they feel ready to take on the challenge of reimagining a space there the Daminellis left their neighboring turn-of-the-century Liberty-style house and moved into their new home “The apartment hadn’t been inhabited for 20 years so it needed work,” Daminelli reports the renovation was quite smooth and took only four months and fortunately the distribution of the rooms was very well designed And because the original materials were of high quality they were still in good shape and had maintained their natural beauty.” obscuring some original gesso rosettes as well as darkening the rooms in general Daminelli reinstated the full 13-foot ceiling height Enamored of the unusual casement windows in the living-dining and children’s rooms “They’re really works of art,” he enthuses “The system was an engineering feat.” Daminelli thought he would relocate the kitchen and bathroom but ultimately decided to leave them and maintain the sensibility of the original flow “I tried to respect the nature of the spaces,” he says “I didn’t want to leave traces of my work.” Still he did pursue a more “invasive” renovation in the large shared family bath- room separating the toilet and bidet from the tub and shower and installing stately Carrara Bianco finishes that echo the original marble lining the building’s common staircases. The project afforded Daminelli the chance to learn more about Frisia who worked with some of Milan’s most prominent architects referencing a 1930s apartment block in Milan Daminelli praises Frisia as a “master of engineering,” whose talent for designing well-conceived spaces is particularly evident in the large living-dining room its 6 ½-foot-tall windows overlooking the linden trees in the street outside “It’s my favorite room and the heart of the house,” he says. The room is also an example of how seamlessly Daminelli combines his own work with pieces from his enviable collection of 20th-century design which here includes 1950s Gio Ponti armchairs and 1970s Kazuhide Takahama sofas sitting on a 1920s Nicols Chinese Art Deco rug 1990s Jordan Mozer chairs flank an adjoined pair of Daminelli’s Velasca square marble tables which debuted at the 2019 Salone del Mobile “The harmony is essential,” he notes “It’s a question of combining proportions That sense of immutable design begins with the entry’s wallpaper which reproduces an 18th-century hand-painted chinoiserie pattern Historical color—a deep blue-green from the library of an 18th-century English country house—informs another striking choice: It’s used on the walls and ceilings in the main rooms as well as on the resin floors in the entry giving the spaces an almost undersea-grotto atmosphere Daminelli and his wife—whom he calls his muse—frequently refer to their favorite influences from fashion designer Dries Van Noten to 20th-century design icons Josef Hoffmann and photographer Carlo Mollino who remains paramount “I’m fascinated by him because he loved design and he loved life,” the designer explains “Mollino sought beauty in living well and being surrounded by beautiful people and ideas That is my attraction to the maestro.” Mollino’s philosophy has proved particularly useful during the pandemic we have discovered this method of working with clients over Zoom that allows us to live in a new and interesting way,” he says “It’s a fresh mode of thinking but it’s also like the Renaissance ideal of an integrated life I think we’re heading for a new Renaissance.” Project Team: Mauro Ongis: Studio 2046 Supply agreement enables a refreshed Massey Ferguson utility tractor range 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO) manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology one of the world's leading manufacturers of tractors electric self-driving tractors and diesel engines have signed a supply agreement that will offer farmers a streamlined low-mid range horsepower tractor portfolio for AGCO's leading Massey Ferguson brand tractor specialist SDF will produce proprietary tractors with up to 85 horsepower for most global markets. "AGCO and Massey Ferguson's Farmer-First approach is centered on creating a consistently exceptional experience for our farmers," said Luis Felli "We are extremely proud to have a partner like SDF who shares our passion for serving the world's farmers This partnership will strengthen Massey Ferguson's position in the low-mid horsepower tractor segment globally allowing us to provide more farmers with straightforward dependable and high-quality equipment to drive their productivity and maximize profit." The new product range will be offered with various powertrain options to match diverse needs of customers and markets AGCO expects the refreshed Massey Ferguson portfolio to help boost market share in the segment of up to 85 horsepower "We are pleased to have reached this agreement which highlights the efficiency of SDF's vertically integrated production system in all our facilities," commented Alessandro Maritano "This confirms the value of our in-house expertise and know-how in designing and manufacturing proprietary core components ensuring excellence and innovation worldwide." Both companies have set ambitious targets for the partnership The Massey Ferguson global distribution network will begin transitioning to the new offerings in mid-2025 in a phased approach across most global regions Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2615380/AGCO_SDF_Logo.jpg कृषि मशीनरी और परिशुद्धता कृषि टेक्नोलॉजी की एक डिजाइन निर्माण और वितरण में वैश्विक अग्रणी कंपनी ने आज Tractors and Farm.. Transportation, Trucking & Railroad Mining & Metals Mining & Metals Agriculture Do not sell or share my personal information: Bike Europe is a part of VMNmedia. The following rules apply to the use of this site: Terms of Use and Privacy / Cookie Statement | Privacy settings Vitali planning 181,000 sqm campus in Arcene Local real estate firm Vitali is planning a new data center outside Bergamo in Italy Italian local press reports the Municipality of Arcene in northern Italy is in discussions with Vitali s.p.a Arcene is a commune in the Bergamo principality in the Lombardy region The ‘Innovation Hub’ will span 181,000 sqm (1.95 million sq ft) of currently greenfield agricultural land close to the former ‘Tre Cantoni’ quarry Construction is reportedly due to start in 2024 which had previously aimed to use the land for an aggregate quarry Vitali Group is an Italian real estate & infrastructure development firm Its previous projects include office campuses The news has not been welcomed by Arcene’s municipal neighbors. Prime Treviglio reports that the mayor of Ciserano is against the development and is irked by the lack of official communication between government channels about the project “I was negatively surprised to read these articles given that it is a territory that borders on another municipality,” she said “No official communication has ever been received and it seems to me out of place to illustrate a project of this size when the path includes a passage in the Province as regards the environmental impact.” The Mayor is also against the project based on its destruction of agricultural land The Ciserano City Council is reportedly backing the Mayor’s stance In reply, Arcene Mayor Roberto Ravanell wrote a letter to neighboring municipalities pitching the benefits of local data centers and some of the mitigation efforts the development will include to minimize visual and environmental impact “The Pope John XXIII hospital in Bergamo has also consumed land but perhaps someone thought it wasted?" he said a strategic infrastructure connected to national security.” Arcene is located west of Milan and south of Bergamo some 20 km away from Aruba’s data center campus in Ponte San Pietro and Azure are developing campuses in Lombardy for their Milan cloud regions Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page United States – July 2023 – This summer in collaboration with Helkin and Zuma Education organised a 15-day study holiday in New York for a group of students from their high school They spent intense days studying and visiting the city and had the opportunity to meet Fr Mathew Thomas Salesian Representative to the United Nations the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted consultative status to Salesian Missions in New Rochelle the Salesians have been able to participate as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in the discussions and activities of the international forums of the UN and its many other subsidiary bodies working to influence the policies adopted by the UN to protect the rights of children and young people For the students it was a very meaningful experience that served to deepen their knowledge of the UN and the role of Salesians around the world ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements Not yet,” Gallinari responded when asked about the possibility of joining the EuroLeague “There is still time for [me in] the market there are other free agents and we’ll decide later as long as it’s a competitive franchise.” Gallinari appeared in 26 games for the Wizards before traded to Detroit in January He played six games for the Pistons and was waived shortly after the trade deadline averaging just 9.1 minutes per night in 17 games Gallinari got into 49 games during the season scoring a career-low 5.7 PPG while shooting 43.7% from the field and 32.3% from three-point range He continued playing after the season ended, earning MVP honors in the Trentino Basketball Cup with the Italian national team He is currently training with Treviglio in Italy and is likely headed for his final season as an active player whether it happens in the NBA or elsewhere Gallinari said in the interview that once he’s retired he would like to become a front office executive No playoff team is going to play him and he isn’t going to mentor a bad team Register Register By: Jean-Yves Bourgeois Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media Italy (BRAIN) — Alberto Cavaggioni has been named general manager and CEO of Bianchi He has more than 25 years of global management experience Cavaggioni will preside over Bianchi's new phase of strategic development following the completion of its new manufacturing facility in Treviglio that opened last year The company will focus on continued European growth while placing emphasis on expansion across North America He previously was marketing director at Iveco and led Alfa Romeo EMEA "This brand is a symbol of Italian excellence with a remarkable legacy," Cavaggioni said "The cycling industry is undergoing a profound transformation and thanks to the passion and expertise of our people and the strength of our iconic products Bianchi is ready to evolve and claim its rightful place in the global market it takes a great team to reach ambitious goals." Bianchi President and owner Salvatore Grimaldi asserted the brand's ambitions with Grimaldi Industri AB Group marked by the creation of our new production facility — a cornerstone for Bianchi's future — our 140th anniversary signals the beginning of a new chapter one that must be driven by ambition and passion," Grimaldi said "Our goal remains clear: to grow while continuing to embody the essence of cycling around the world We are confident that in Alberto we have found the right leader to guide Bianchi into a new era of success in our storied history." Italy (BRAIN) — Bianchi has unveiled plans to build a new headquarters building and factory here The 30,000 square meter (325,000 square foot) facility will have about 17,000 square meters devoted to bike production the factory will be able to make 1,000 bikes per day Bianchi CEO Fabrizio Scalzotto went over the plans Thursday at the company's current headquarters in Via delle Battaglie – which has been home to the company for over 50 years The redevelopment project will stay within the Municipality of Treviglio and is intended to revitalize an historic industrial area "Key to Bianchi's vision and strategy is the beginning of a re-shoring process bringing back to Italy the technical and production capacities that had been outsourced outside of Europe in the previous decades," Scalzotto said "Growing and developing companies is the challenge that fascinates me more than any other and today we are embracing a new one: creating at Bianchi one of the most advanced bicycle manufacturing plants in the world." the new site will employ more than 250 people including clerks technical resources and production personnel The new Bianchi venue also will host a Bianchi Museum The overall investment in the project is more than 40 million euros ($45 million) the Salesian Centre in Treviglio opened its doors to a thousand young people from the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) from Lombardy Switzerland and San Marino for the Traditional SYM Festival The programme included the show "With or without you is not the same "; The Eucharistic celebration was presided over by Fr Claudio Cacioli Superior of the Lombardy-Emilia-Romana Province (ILE) There were performances of various youth musicals in the "SYM Music Fest" and "Spazio Stand" - an initiative to review all the activities exhibitions and events held during the pastoral year 2016-2017 in the Salesian works of the ILE Province Justin: What is this Sebastian: His hair is like the sun's rays Justin: Sebastian.. Sebastian: His body is golden like molten gold. This hand of his... will smooth away these wounds. Justin, he is as beautiful as the sun. This sun which caresses me... is his burning desire. He is Phoebus Apollo. The sun... is his... burning kiss. Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb The last thing done by Bruno Cerella on a professional basketball court useless for his comeback attempts Blue Basketball Treviglio against Fortitudo which has become indispensable for the most competitive and talented rosters for a completely different type of play now that Bruno Cerella has retired from professional activity And saying this about a guard with 3 Scudetti 1 Super Cup and 1 FIBA Europe Cup perfectly conveys the idea of Cerella's greatness as an all-round professional athlete Because - even if we wanted to set aside and not consider all of Bruno's basketball career as influential Slums Dunks – Cerella's path is the perfect example for all those who would like to receive impulses perhaps only John Brown III holds a candle to Bruno Cerella in terms of "number of levels for which he didn't think he was up to it and instead passed C2, B2, LegaDue, LBA, Euroleague: every single step has been covered, without holes in the script or steps longer than you can chew. From arrival to Massafra directly from Bahia Blanca e Pueyrredon, still a minor, at the championships won with Olimpia Milan and Reyer Venice, Bruno was the companion that everyone wanted to have but no one he would have made the effort to be email and website in this browser for the next time I comment Italy – 24 August 2024 - All the Salesians convened at the House of Treviglio for the annual assembly of the Lombard-Emilian Province (ILE) characterised by the national pastoral theme and the central event for the entire Holy Church the ordinary Jubilee called by Pope Francis with the bull "Spes Non Confundit" and focused on the theme of hope The opening retreat was led by Luciano Manicardi (Bose Community) who guided the reflection on the theme of the diaconate of hope on how to arouse hope and how to account for it the traditional Eucharistic celebration was held at the city Shrine of Our Lady of Tears which has just celebrated the fifth centenary of the miracle commented on the letter drawn up by the Rector Major at the end of the canonical visitation and also announced the implementation of some choices in line with both the indications given by the Rector Major and those taken from the last Provincial Chapters the strengthening of Social Communications in synergy with the Youth Ministry offices was highlighted Italy (BRAIN) — Bianchi is building a limited edition of 70 special Oltre XR road bikes to honor the 70th birthday of Italian racing icon Felice Gimondi The Special Edition Oltre XR model will be built and customized at Bianchi headquarters in Treviglio The bikes will be painted in Celeste Bianchi Multi-color stripes recognize Gimondi's leaders jerseys of Giro d'Italia The bike is built with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS group with customized Campagnolo Bora high-profile carbon wheels La Spirale white grip and Elite Corsa bottle Each of those components is customized with Gimondi's name began the Extraordinary Visitation of the Lombardy-Emilia Province (ILE) featuring a day of retreat and the provincial assembly at the Salesian Institute of Treviglio READ ALL THE REVIEW Mario Mele landed at 1.30 pm in Fiumicino by a Qatar Airways flight from Nairobi via Dubai, the former manager of Mario's Lounge and Mario's Buddha's Malindi. It 'was taken over by the Guardia di Finanza Fiumicino which result in... READ ALL THE REVIEW READ ALL THE ARTICLE READ ALL THE REVIEW READ ALL THE REVIEW Mario Mele, owner of Mario's Bar of Malindi and other members of Mario's Budda's within the Oasis Shopping Center (Nakumatt) has returned to liberty, awaiting the trial involving him with the charge of tax evasion and Of a criminal association.READ ALL THE REVIEW A Christmas dinner of class and refined cuisine on Tuesday 24th December at Kilili Baharini Resort &.. READ ALL THE ARTICLE He still has many dark contours, the story starring our compatriot Mario Mele, fifty-six of Nuoro, a resident of Malindi for the past seven years. After the raid in his club, Mario's (ex Pata Pata) inside the Oasis shopping center... READ ALL THE REVIEW Once again the events in Malindi are hitting the mark Great participation and pleasure to meet last Friday in.. READ ALL THE ARTICLE Still postponed the transfer in Sardinia of Mario Mele, a former resident of Malindi owner of Mario's Lounge at the Nakumatt, arrested by Interpol on 29 March during a joint operation with the police in the coastal region of Kenya.READ ALL THE REVIEW These are such sad and desperate days that the reporter in me has no words READ THE ARTICLE Iconic Italian brand does things its own way has been doing things their own way for a very long time He began the company as a small shop in Milan in 1885 and today they are the world's oldest bicycle-making company still in existence At their height in the late 1930s and early '40s the company employed 4,500 in two Italian factories At that time Bianchi weren't just a bicycle manufacturer and the company stopped making automobiles in 1939 with the outbreak of World War II Bianchi's motorcycle production lasted into the late '60s; the last rolled out of the Italian factory in 1967 but one that's still known throughout the world for their celeste bicycles "We produce about 16,000 bikes a year," Claudio Masnata told Cyclingnews during a tour of its Treviglio assembly factory this motorcycle shows that Bianchi even used the celeste paint on its non-bicycles as well Bianchi strives to maintain a small piece of their heritage with efforts to stay true to the nature of the company's bike shop beginning The bike assembly at Bianchi is more akin to a shop as each bike is built by one mechanic from frame to finished machine Masnata stressed that the Bianchi way is not about a factory assembly line but rather about devotion to each individual bicycle "Each bike is built by one person from the beginning to the end," said Masnata We have five assemblers and 25 other workers helping construct the bicycles." Many of those finished bikes will feature—even if just a small amount—of the Bianchi "celeste" paint along with the crowned eagle that is supposedly based on a former royal crest Frames ready for assembly in Bianchi’s Treviglio factory This Bianchi celeste green has many stories behind it One tale spins it as the turquoise color of the Milan's sky another suggest that it was the eye color of the former queen of Italy for whom Edoardo made a bicycle The latter story is likely pure myth as there was never a queen Tiffany of Italy—and neither Queen Margherita of Savoy (for whom the actual Margherita pizza is in fact named) nor her daughter-in-law Elena of Montenegro had turquoise eyes The most likely origin of the paint is that it was a mixture of surplus military paint from the First World War it was cut with white in order to tone down its martial nature this color continues to evoke the tradition that is Bianchi and in that is quite inspiring for riders of the famous bicycles production of Bianchi products and frames have almost entirely moved to Asia Bianchi still knows how to put its own finishing touch on each bicycle And the company seems determined to continue—if only in a small details—to do things its own way Huddled beneath the soaring bell tower of a solitary red-brick church near the northern Italian town of Treviglio there lies a secluded labyrinth of factory buildings gates and fences painted in the iconic mint-green ‘celeste’ of the venerable Italian bike marque This secretive complex in Lombardy is the modern headquarters of one of the world’s most stylish and respected bike manufacturers which was founded 130 years ago by the Italian engineer and inventor Edoardo Bianchi the Bianchi brand has historic associations with Grand Tour-winning cycling champions such as Fausto Coppi and its elegant two-wheeled creations have been raced to victories in 12 Giros d’Italia four Liège-Bastogne-Lièges and five Road World Championships Bianchi also oozes an Italian style that appeals to aficionados of fashion and design from the art galleries of Shoreditch to the bustling cafes of Tokyo The Italian helped to pioneer the development of ‘safety bicycles’ with equal-sized wheels and lower pedals which offered a game-changing upgrade from the unwieldy and unsteady penny farthings of previous years The first safety bike had been developed by the Coventry-based inventor and industrialist John Kemp Starley with his commercially successful ‘Rover’ bike of 1885 In 1888 Bianchi added to his own personal bike designs the pneumatic tyres created by the Scottish veterinarian John Boyd Dunlop for his son’s tricycle By making steadier and more functional machines Bianchi was able to promote a new model of bike that would dominate the future of recreational and professional cycling Bianchi’s creations were soon cherished by everyone from competitive racers to the landed gentry of Europe In the 1890s he was asked to visit the Royal Villa at Monza the home of the Italian Royal Family of Savoy to teach Queen Margherita how to ride a bike It was an honour that earned Bianchi the right to a royal seal one which over time would be developed into the silver eagle that still adorns Bianchi bikes today By 1914 Bianchi was producing 45,000 bikes a year and by the 1930s his factories employed 4,500 people Bianchi bikes are sold in more than 60 countries The Bianchi brand also manufactured cars and motorbikes until the late 1960s from road and mountain bikes to electric and city bikes – are the company’s sole focus today prominent associations with successful racers have helped to strengthen the brand The company’s first sponsorship was of Giovanni Tomasello winner of the 1899 Grand Prix de Paris sprint competition the Italian cycling legend of the 1940s and 1950s who won five Giros d’Italia Paris-Roubaix and the Road Race World Championships was apparently the most demanding of Bianchi’s sponsored athletes requesting 30 different frames a year and often demanding minute alterations involving just a few millimetres in the length of his top tube or a few degrees in the angle of his stem Today Bianchi sponsors Team Lotto NL-Jumbo in the men’s UCI World Tour and Team Inpa Bianchi Giusfredi of the UCI Women’s Road World Cup To cycling fans the Bianchi brand will be forever linked with the celeste (pronounced ch-les-tay in Italian) colour that decorates many (though not all) of its bikes It’s one of the most recognisable shades in the bike industry though the history of the colour scheme is shrouded in mystery where motherly Italian figures ladle giant portions of pasta fish and cheese onto plates for the assorted Bianchi workers a former Italian track cyclist and now Bianchi’s marketing and communications manager explains the most popular theories of the origins of the Bianchi celeste one romantic and one more practical,’ he says who was the official supplier to the Italian kingdom made the colour to honour the colour of the eyes of Queen Margherita The less romantic theory is that Edoardo acquired a huge quantity of grey and blue paint left over by the navy during the First World War and he mixed them together to form the celeste Our tour of the Bianchi complex begins in the distribution warehouse With its towering shelves of boxes it resembles the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant in Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark ‘These bikes are being shipped to everywhere from France to Canada,’ says Masnata ‘We are very popular in Italy and America but the Asia Pacific region is the biggest growth area now Bianchi’s frames are manufactured in Asia to help keep costs down tested and pieced together on site in Treviglio The factory is an Aladdin’s cave filled with racks of bike frames boxes of components and trays of shiny new wheels The factory staff – who are mostly dressed in T-shirts decorated with flashes of Bianchi celeste – assemble about 100 bikes per day with a total annual production of 25,000 bikes The brand’s road bikes range from the high-end Oltre XR2 and Oltre XR1 to the race-focused Infinito CV and Sempre Pro the Dama Bianca women’s range and the entry-level Impulso and Via Nirone 7 If you own a Bianchi it might well have been built by a tall bald man called Giovanni who works in the Treviglio factory Giovanni has been building Bianchi bikes for 27 years He says it takes him about 20 minutes to piece together the components needed to make one bike ‘Every bike is put together by hand,’ says Masnata It’s about responsibility and quality control If a bike has been assembled by the same person we can identify who made it and we know it has been well looked after It is also a tradition that the Bianchi eagle sticker has to be applied by hand It is not a Bianchi bike without the eagle.’ Entering the inner sanctum of a major bike factory can be a revealing but slightly frustrating experience Any visitor wants to learn about technological innovations and production methods in order to discover what makes a particular bike brand special But invariably in-house staff are wary of revealing too much in case rival brands get a sniff of new designs or important secrets Today our poor guide Claudio walks the tightrope between hospitality and security and my dictaphone is filled with a series of nervous pleas: ‘Sorry not here.’ ‘This is off limits.’ ‘Don’t photograph this one please.’ ‘Not that frame it’s not out yet.’ Before he finally begs: ‘Don’t hate me Innovation and technological advances have always been important to Bianchi - from the introduction of its novel front wheel calliper brakes in 1913 and the development of special folding bicycles for the Italian military in 1914 to the adoption in 1939 of Campagnolo’s Cambio Corsa derailleur which helped riders switch gears without removing their rear wheel ‘Edoardo Bianchi was like an inventor and that spirit of invention is still in our soul,’ says Masnata ‘We always want to be innovative and to stay on top of technology and advanced materials Edoardo wanted his bikes to be tested in races The first CEO of Bianchi was the rider Giovanni Tomasello which just shows the importance of racing to the company That is why Bianchi has such a big history with riders like Coppi and Gimondi.’ Today Bianchi is particularly proud of its Countervail technology: a vibration-cancelling composite developed in conjunction with the materials company Materials Sciences Corporation and tested in NASA facilities which features in the Infinito CV and Aquila CV bike models ‘Countervail is a kind of elastic carbon material that cancels vibrations by up to 80%,’ says Masnata ‘This is a very successful patented technology which is particularly good for the Classics such as Paris-Roubaix and Flanders Juan Antonio Flecha said the Infinito CV was the best bike he ever had in the Classics and when he retired he came to Bianchi to buy one for himself Masnata points out the Ultra Thin Seatstay technology on the Oltre XR1 reduce any impacts and limit overall weight The Oltre XR2 also features Bianchi’s X-TEX Cross Weave system which uses extra carbon strips moulded into the structure of the head tube and bottom bracket to increase torsional rigidity and improve power output The factory itself is an endearing mix of cutting-edge machinery and old-fashioned ‘We still use a lot of the machinery and tools that were developed over the years in-house by Bianchi,’ says Masnata is where the Bianchi bikes are tested and monitored On the promise that we’ll cover our eyes at the sight of Bianchi’s 2016 models The facility resembles a medieval torture chamber for bikes pulled and shaken about by ominous machines One poor seatstay has big yellow and green weights dangling off it A fork nearby is being repeatedly pulled to check its resistance to horizontal force while another one is being subjected to repeated vertical impacts to mimic dropping down a curb ‘We do four main performance tests,’ says Andrea Valenza engineering and quality manager at Bianchi and an aerodynamics expert who used to work for Airbus If the standard fatigue test involves 100,000 movements The most important part for performance is probably the bottom bracket Feeling a bit sorry for the bike components being tested to destruction but reassured that the finished bikes can hold their own in the real world we finish our tour with a visit to the design centre on the other side of the factory There’s a quick check of the whiteboards to ensure we don’t see anything we’re not supposed to All new Bianchi bikes are designed here by a team led by product manager Angelo Lecchi Fabio Belotti is the creative designer who completes the finished look of the bikes ‘We have CAD [computer-aided design] software and rapid prototyping machines to create models so we are able to optimise the geometry and improve the design shape and engineering of the bikes here at the factory,’ says Masnata He shows me a bike frame made from blue resin which has been produced by a 3D printing machine It looks as though it has been constructed from melted Smurf bodyparts but this kind of technology has proved to be a huge help to bike manufacturers worldwide ‘With these prototypes we can do extensive testing before the bike gets produced,’ says Masnata Prototype models are also examined in the wind-tunnel at the Magny Cours F1 race circuit in France enhanced using Computational Fluid Dynamics and tested by a team of eight professional riders ‘In one week we can turn an idea into a real model,’ says Masnata ‘But the feedback from riders is still one of the most important parts of the process Every bike has to be good and efficient and enjoyable to ride.’ Examining the Bianchi bikes enshrined in the factory’s reception area from Fausto Coppi’s vintage 1953 Bianchi Corsa to the slick it is easy to see why the company continues to appeal to style aficionados as well as world champions Bianchi now has fashionable branded cafes in Milan Stockholm and Tokyo for urban bike enthusiasts to visit and has teamed up with glitzy partners such as Gucci and Ducati to produce special-edition products that look like they could be showcased in the Tate Modern ‘Our most distinguishing trait is that we try to perfectly combine technology and performance with Italian design and passion,’ says Masnata ‘We are Italian and we want to be creative This is a country rich in fashion and artists so it’s part of our culture Bianchi bikes have to be technologically advanced and ready to race Bianchi.com You must be logged in to post a comment To manage an existing Cyclist magazine subscription, please visit Manage your account or visit our subscription FAQ page. To subscribe, or for other enquiries, please contact us Sign up to the Cyclist newsletter to receive curated emails direct to your inbox Sign up to our newsletter Log in to access Cyclist Rides using your email pertaining to your subscription Don't forget a subscription to Cyclist includes: Log in to post comments and use Ask Cyclist our AI platform that answers your questions based on our articles Register to comment on our latest articles Occasional emails from selected third-party sponsors and advertisers Please enter your username or email address to reset your password