Italian trucks, heavy transport and military vehicles manufacturer
Astra Veicoli Industriali S.p.A. (Anonima Sarda TRAsporti[1]) is an Italian company that produces trucks, heavy transport vehicles and military vehicles. Astra was privately founded in 1946 in Cagliari, and since 1986 has been part of Iveco. In 1951 Astra moved to Piacenza. From 1946 to 1986 Astra was owned by the Bertuzzi family of Piacenza. ASTRA is an Iveco Group brand.
History
1934 - After work as an engineer for various companies, Mario Bertuzzi opens his first garage near Piacenza.[2]
During the war, Bertuzzi owned a repair shop in Piacenza. He relocated to Quarto, in Campania, in 1944, as the Allied bombing raids on the Gothic Line drew closer.[4]
1946 - Bertuzzi, operating out of Piacenza, founded a company called Anonima Sarda TRAsporti (Sardinian Transport Company) to buy a lot of 1000 surplus allied military vehicles located in Cagliari, Sardinia. The goal was to ship them back to the mainland and to either convert them to civilian duties, or to rebuild them for the renascent Italian military.[4]
1948 - Bertuzzi buys out his partner and sells off the remaining old vehicles for scrap; instead, the company gains contracts for maintaining the vehicles of the Italian as well as the American forces.[5]
1951 - The company returns to the civil sector as General Motors approaches Astra to provide service for GM engines in Italy.[5] Work on upgrading new trucks for heavier duty work recommences.[6]
1955 - Astra presented the first vehicle of their own design, the BM1. It was meant for use with public works contractors for heavy-duty, off-road work, such as quarries or tunnel construction. The truck had a GM diesel engine and reconditioned AEC Matador axles, plentiful in Italian military depots.[6]
1956 - Mario Bertuzzi dies, leaving his sons Camillo and Enzo in charge. Camillo handled the civilian side of the business, Enzo the military side.[6]
During the 1960s, the companies' facility was enlarged several times, and a broader range of vehicles with dumper and mixer models added.
1960 - The BM2 appeared, a heavier-duty version of the BM1.
1961 - The BM18 appeared, capable of even heavier loads. There were also the similar BM19, and BM21.
1962 - Astra's first road-going truck, the three-axle BM12, was introduced.
1965 - BM22 - BM25. A new 140,000 square meter plant was opened, and Astra stopped rebuilding outside constructions. New axles were also developed by new technical director Fabio Pavesi, ending the dependence on old material.[7]
1982 - Launch of the 300-series 6x4 40-tonne highway trucks, the angular cabin was designed by Italdesign Giugiaro.[7]
1984 - Astra participates in the Paris-Dakar rally with the BM 309. BM501 added to the range of dump trucks.
1986 - After years of contraction, the nearly bankrupt Astra SpA is acquired by Iveco; Astra already had technical cooperation with Iveco since its inception.
1989 - Launch of the new 6000 series, still using the 300-series cabin.
1992 - Launch of the 6500 series range of technologically advanced trucks.
1994 - The designation BM disappears in favour of HD (Heavy Duty), now called the HD6.
1996 - ASTRA celebrates 50 years and more than 25,000 vehicles manufactured and sold worldwide. Launch of HD7 series, with a range of 2, 3, and 4 driven axles and IVECO engines ranging from 340 CV (250 kW) to 520 CV (382 kW).
1997 - Company receives ISO 9001-2000 certification. Astra Industrial Vehicles SpA also receives the ISO 14001-1996 certification.
1999 - The 28- and 40-tonne dump trucks were added to the range, available with an automatic transmission - the first in the world to be installed in such heavy-duty quarry vehicles.
2000 - The HD7 range is complemented by the new HD7/C series, equipped with new Iveco Cursor (Euro 3) engines. At ESIS (Batimat Italian) Astra unveils a new range of articulated dump trucks (ADT) - models ADT25 and ADT30, with 25 and 30 tonnes of payload respectively.
2003 - On 1 January Astra took over SIVI, itself a partner of Iveco since 1982. SIVI modifies ASTRA trucks for heavy-duty applications.
2004 - Two new models of 35 and 40 tonnes of payload are added to the range of articulated dump trucks: the ADT35 and ADT40, both powered by Iveco Cursor 13 engines.
2005 - The new range of HD8 construction trucks was introduced, which replaces the HD7 and HD7/C.
2011 - The new HD9 range replaced the HD8. With a cabin in sheet metal (as used on the Iveco Trakker) Astra now abandoned their long tradition of fiberglass cabs.
Quarry and construction vehicles
Currently, the production of vehicles by Astra includes a number of construction-oriented trucks (HD8), rigid dump trucks (RD), and articulated dump trucks (ADT). Production of vehicles began in 1955 with the construction of the BM1, a rigid dump truck that had some success. Following the enlargement of the factory, the BM series was extended, and the model BM 309 participated in the Paris-Dakar in the truck category. In 1996, the fiftieth anniversary of the company's founding, the HD7 series went on the market, which also had some success. In 2005 this was replaced by the current HD8 range. In 2009 Astra launched a new range of heavy-duty vehicles called HHD.
In 2002 the company absorbed Astra SIVI (a partner of Iveco from 1982), which produced vehicles for heavy transport, and in 2004 completely integrated production by SIVI. Vehicles produced by SIVI Astra are all produced on the basis of Iveco vehicles, currently Stralis and Trakker.
Products
The Astra range of products includes:
Heavy construction trucks, with the BM1 series launched in 1955, the WB series 12-16-18-19-20-E1-22 and 25, then the 300 series and 6000 until 1994; HD6, HD7, HD7c appeared in 2000, and HD8 in 2005
Trucks for special applications, produced by SIVI, based on Fiat and Iveco chassis, Iveco Trakker with 720T55EZ and 720 tonnes of PTR,
RD - rigid dump trucks
AD - articulated dump trucks
Military trucks group - Iveco Defense.
Military
Astra Military Truck in the Italian army parade in Italy, 2007.Astra HD7 Military Truck in the Italian army parade in Italy, 2007.
Since 1990, Astra SpA has built the entire military range of trucks produced by the Iveco group.
Highway trucks
Astra HD9 8456 EURO6. 8-wheeler. Power: 560 hp.
The HD7 series in cargo and tractor versions are as follows.
HD7/C series, HD8, equipped with Iveco Motors Cursor 13.
