5 Decades, a story that
changed history.
In 1965 Giuseppe Manini, then a building contractor, noticed the gates of blocks of flats were always left open. You needed to get out of the car to open them, but no-one ever went back to close them afterwards.
In keeping with the great inventors that preceded him, Manini crafts little masterpieces of hydraulic technology himself. The result is the forebear of the FAAC product family:the 750 underground operator, the first automatic gate movement system.
The 750 is followed by the 400, the first on-swing-gate model, and the main products in the current hydraulic range, which necessitate the creation of a genuine sales network for their distribution.
These were the years of the first great "gamble", when our company's original small-scale production system wsa transformed into an industrial mass production system capable of maintaining high quality standards.
The 402 was the first product created by the new series production. Die-cast aluminium moulds were introduced, new materials like POM for valves were developed, and Gerotor pumps, quieter and more efficient than gear pumps, were adopted: these and other components all helped improve performance and product innovation.
These were the years of the first great "gamble", when our company's original small-scale production system wsa transformed into an industrial mass production system capable of maintaining high quality standards.
The 402 was the first product created by the new series production. Die-cast aluminium moulds were introduced, new materials like POM for valves were developed, and Gerotor pumps, quieter and more efficient than gear pumps, were adopted: these and other components all helped improve performance and product innovation.
The first subsidiaries opened. Connected directly to the central plant, they ensured distribution of products abroad.
The first training courses began in parallel. These were essential for building and above all "educating" the first specialised sales force.
Success extended outside Italy and led to the opening of two affiliates. At the same time, in Zola Predosa, what in future years was to become the headquarters of an increasingly forward-looking group was opened.
The development of electronics and the implementation of technologies previously only found in the field of personal computers heralded a new era for FAAC products. The introduction of microprocessor electronic control cards permitted the development of installations with far more functionalities than simple opening and closing.
The introduction of electromechanical products extended the user base by offering cheaper technology without compromising on quality. In parallel, FAAC continued to protect its ideas with a long list of patents, including a doubly futuristic transmitter with Self Learning technology (today's SLH).
This invention made it possible to equip systems with transmitters to eliminate the need to introduce rolling codes on site. The automatic generation of these codes by algorithm made it far harder to duplicate the transmitter, significantly improving system security.
With the arrival of SMT (Surface Mount Technology) electronic control cards, as well the products that used them, became a lot smaller. Miniaturised transmitters paved the way for the pocket size remote controls we are so familiar with today.
Major investments in design led to the development of increasingly complex and smart control cards as well as the technology needed to manufacture them. The BUS 2easy two-wire system for dialogue between control cards and accessories was introduced, dramatically simplifying the installation of systems and peripherals.
Commitment to quality demanded greater control over the product design process. The introduction of a 3D CAD system speeded up prototyping and the development of tools for components. It also became possible to calculate and avoid potential points of interference on assembly, something that was simply not possible with the old 2D design system.
The implementation of 24 V technology not only improved motor control but also allowed systems to conform to the latest safety standards without the need for additional safety devices.
Fitting hydraulic actuators with 24 V control technology led to the development of the new HYBRID range, combining performance and safety in the one product. Energy saving was not yet considered a pressing requirement when FAAC's patented CYCLO system increased the efficiency and reduced the consumption of gearmotors. This resulted in a concept destined to guide development in the near future: SAFE & GREEN, later applied also to 230 V systems.
Though extremely efficient, mass production was no longer able to satisfy the growing demand for customised products. FAAC therefore adopted the TOYOTA SYSTEM. Production lines were organised according to the ONE PIECE FLOW principle. Each product was assembled in a single cycle to the benefit of better flexibility, higher quality and greater production capacity.
Logistics were reviewed in a similar way: the small warehouses dotted around the country were replaced by larger units capable of stocking more products and processing requests more quickly.
Innovation, expertise and the courage to pioneer new roads: these values have characterised the entire history of the FAAC Group. Every step has been typified by a forward-looking approach and a pioneering spirit � essential attributes for a company committed to building a solid future.
50 years after its formation, FAAC wishes to pay homage to these values by celebrating the life of Giuseppe Manini, the first to seek out new horizons and the first to adopt the approach that now characterises our company, our employees and our partners.
- 1979
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- FAAC Switzerland
- 1981
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- FAAC France
- 1984
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- FAAC GMBH
- 1985
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- FAAC U.K
- 1988
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- FAAC U.S.A.
- 1989
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- FAAC Electronics (NAL)
- 1990
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- FAAC Spain
- 1994
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- Genius
- 1999
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- Spazio Italia
- 2002
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FAAC Poland
FAAC Scandinavia
FAAC Benelux
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- 2006
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- Altron
- 2007
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DAAB
FAAC Australia
FAAC Dubai
FAAC Turkey
FAAC Russia
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- 2010
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- Clemsa
- 2011
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- Kemko/DSS
- 2012
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Rossi Industrias
Eletromecanica
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- 1995/2004
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- Access control range
- The 930 was the forerunner of our current range of AUTOMATIC DOORS.
- Roller shutter motor range
- 2005/2014
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- The FAAC City range was launched (precursors of our current J range of bollards)
- Tubular motors