Bergomi Societa Anonima Milano

Bergomi was born in Milan on 3 July 1906, and the production activity is thus confined to the deed of incorporation: “Metal foundries and constructions, fireman’s equipment, installations for flammable liquids”.

The share capital is 100,000 lire which in 1908 increases to 400,000 and in 1919 to 1,500,000. It operates initially, as per the statute, in the field of fuel storage, pumping and measuring systems. With the exponential increase in cars, in 1919, a design made by the Bergomi Technical Office, shows the design of a small garage measuring pump with crank and preset stops, clearly inspired by American models. Since 1922 there have been drawings of distributors for road use which, starting in 1923, are equipped with glass jars, in order to make the fuel measurement visible.

Thanks to the continuous growth of business, in 1933 the company moved to Piazza Melozzo da Forlì 2, where it set up a large factory with attached work-hall. In 1934 he merged with the Italian Mechanics Society of Turin; the capital increases to Lit. 4,000,000. Bergomi, backed by some important German patents relating to fire safety devices, for which it holds the rights for Italy, then specialized in everything related to firefighters, with supplies to the Fire Brigade: helmets, ladders, pumps, litters, fire extinguishers, pipes, ice axes, up to the preparation of fire engines. It is also one of the largest producers of gas masks. A self-contained breathing apparatus is also patented (the S.C.M.37) against poisonous gases with a semi-closed circuit, equipped with an oxygen cylinder and a filter-capsule containing caustic soda for the “cleaning” of the exhaled air. With the laws of 1936, which impose the construction of air-raid shelters in new buildings, it specialized in their turnkey construction, building metal gas doors and six-point watertight armored doors and ventilation, purification and regeneration of the air, also equipped with “electric pedal-operated fans”, the so-called bicycles, which, operated by human force, allowed the system to operate even in the absence of electricity. Many Milan shelters are equipped with these devices (for example those of Via Cairoli and Via della Moscova), as well as that of Forlì, below the Prefecture, capable of accommodating 180 people.

During the 30’s the company listed two underwater devices in there 1933 catalogue. One was called ‘Dive Model’ and another model was designed for submarine escape was called ‘Sommergibili’. Pictures of these units are extremely rare and only two can be extracted from the catologues from the company.

Remarkable is the fact that the Sommergibili model has two flaps meant for slowing down the ascent during submarine escape. Many years later this feature was also used by Siebe Gorman escape sets.

The Company goes bankrupt on 16 March 1993.

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