ADR, Celebrating 70 Years of History, Captured in a Book
From a small workshop in Uboldo, on the outskirts of Milan, to an international group made up of 15 companies: from 1954 to today, ADR has come a long way, climbing to the peak of success thanks to constant innovation and the desire to offer the highest quality with every product.
FROM A SMALL WORKSHOP TO GLOBAL EXPANSION
In 1954, Giovanni Radrizzani and Antonietta Airoldi began working in a small 50-square-meter workshop, creating brass-capped pipettes for gas stoves. Their children, Flavio and Giancarlo, became actively involved in the business from the start. In 1977, the company name was changed from "Giovanni Radrizzani e Figli" to ADR s.n.c., standing for "Assali Dischi Radrizzani."
The established competition did not intimidate the Radrizzani family, who, with determination, focused on the development of new projects. In the 1980s, ADR began expanding into Europe and worldwide, a sign of the growing appreciation for its products. The company’s continuous desire to improve allowed it to overcome challenging moments, including the loss of Giancarlo in 2001, embracing his teachings and dreams to honor his essential contribution to ADR’s growth.
TODAY, THE COMPANY HAS OVER 1,500 EMPLOYEES ACROSS NINE PRODUCTION SITES AND 14 COMMERCIAL OFFICES
Today, ADR employs more than 1,500 people across nine production plants and 14 commercial offices, operating in over 50 countries and achieving a turnover of 302 million euros in 2023. The third generation of the Radrizzani family—Chiara, Ettore, and Giovanna—continues to dedicate passion and commitment to confirming ADR’s leadership in the agricultural axle and brake sector, along with other areas of production.
“PROFUMO DI FERRO E CAFFÈ,” THE BOOK THAT TRACES THE COMPANY’S HISTORY
ADR’s 70th anniversary was celebrated with an event at a resort in Tuscany, attended by employees from the various countries where the 15 ADR Group companies are based. The event also marked the presentation of the book “Profumo di Ferro e Caffè,” published by Nomos Edizioni and written by Chiara Rosa Cavelli. The book recounts the company’s history through stories from president Flavio Radrizzani, as well as testimonies from the management team and both current and former employees.
ADR is a fundamental and inseparable part of the Radrizzani family’s life, as expressed by Flavio himself: “ADR’s life is also my life, starting from when I began at the age of 12 while still in fifth grade. To bring it to be the number one in the world is a great satisfaction. Now we have to maintain this position, a task for the new generation. For me, there are two things in life: family and ADR. It means everything to me.”
Source: Meccagri Magazine - October 2024: Article Meccagri Magazine
