The Alberto Sassi story begins amid the ruins of post-World War II Italy. Alberto Sassi, an electrical engineering technician and former army officer, made an unusually bold bet in 1946: investing in his country's reconstruction. He registered his first trademark, "Astor," on 2 July of that year and gradually built a business supplying traction machines for the buildings Italy needed to rebuild.
Fifteen years later, in 1961, the Sassi family business became a S.p.A. and moved to Crespellano, on the outskirts of Bologna — the same site where the company's main plant stands today. But the real turning point for Alberto Sassi's identity came in 1965: the company began building its own electromagnetic brakes and electric motors in-house, at a time when it was the only European elevator machine manufacturer doing so. That decision, which still sets it apart from most competitors today, means every machine's motor, brake, and frame are designed and assembled under one roof in Crespellano rather than sourced from scattered suppliers.
Alberto Sassi's catalog today spans two main families. On the geared side, the LEO and TORO lines cover general-purpose installations, MODY targets modernization, and the heavy-duty MF and MB series reach up to 15 tonnes of static load; LEO kicked off the company's "roomless revolution" back in 2000. On the gearless side, a five-strong family running from G-190 to G-525 is built around permanent-magnet synchronous motors (PMSM); the range's first fully Italian-made product, the G-400, was unveiled at Interlift Augsburg in 2005, and the lineup has kept expanding since, most recently with the belt-driven G-190 BS.
Alberto Sassi Italy — company timeline
1946
Alberto Sassi, an electrical engineering technician and former army officer, founded the company in post-World War II Italy; his first trademark, "Astor," was registered on 2 July 1946.
1961
The company was incorporated as a S.p.A. and relocated to Crespellano, outside Bologna — the same site where Alberto Sassi's main plant still stands today.
1965
Alberto Sassi began building its own electromagnetic brakes and electric motors in-house — at the time, the only European elevator machine manufacturer doing so — an approach that remains the company's core identity today.
1996
ISO 9001 quality certification was obtained, and motor manufacturer Gibierre S.r.l. was acquired — it was fully merged into Alberto Sassi in 2007.
2000
The launch of the geared LEO machine kicked off Alberto Sassi's "roomless revolution" — its first product engineered for machine-room-less elevator installations.
2005
After several years of development, Alberto Sassi's first all-Italian-made gearless machine, the G-400, was unveiled at Interlift Augsburg.
2018
A new 3,000 m² hall dedicated to motor machining was added to the Crespellano plant, bringing total covered area to 16,800 m².
2023
The belt-driven G-190 BS gearless machine was developed for rope-free, belt-based traction systems, and the company earned an EcoVadis Bronze medal for sustainability performance.
The Crespellano plant in Valsamoggia now covers roughly 33,000 m², of which nearly 17,000 m² is covered space — including a 3,000 m² motor-machining hall added in 2018 — and employs around 170 people. A dedicated test tower, built in 1982 to trial new products, backs up a quality program certified to ISO 9001 and TÜV.
Alberto Sassi remains a family company, and according to elevator-industry press it is now run by the third generation of the Sassi family — a continuity that's rare in the elevator-components business. Atlas Asanbar Arsh carries Alberto Sassi's geared and gearless machines in its catalog so engineers and contractors can match rated load, speed, and installation type to the right model from this storied Italian manufacturer.
33,000 m² Crespellano plant area
