Bob Ulrich

Editor

Bob Ulrich was named Modern Tire Dealer editor in August 2000. He joined the magazine in 1985 as assistant editor, and has been responsible for gathering statistical information for MTD's "Facts Issue" since 1993. He has won numerous awards for editorial and feature writing, including five gold medals from the International Automotive Media Association. Bob earned a B.A. in English literature from Ohio Northern University and has a law degree from the University of Akron.

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What do cars and coffee tables have in common? Brembo

By: Bob Ulrich

"Anyone can do simple things, but only a few can handle difficult ones. We have to do the difficult ones." Emilio Bombassei

I was taking a few minutes to clean my desk today, and ran across this coffee table book celebrating Brembo SpA's 50th birthday.

The fact that I didn't see this huge tome on my desk notwithstanding (paperless society? Ha!), I wanted to give it a closer look.

Known for its automotive disc brake technology -- between 5% and 7% of the company's revenue is earmarked for research and development -- Brembo is a high-end product. So was the book.

Did you know that the original name of the Italian company was Officine Meccaniche di Sombreno? That wouldn't have fit on a brake pad.

It started as a small machine shop. Through three quarters of fiscal 2011, the global company has sales of close to $1.3 billion, with an income-to-sales ratio of 3.2%. The company's red brakes even equip "virtual" cars in video games.

Photos chronicled everything from its Formula One involvement to the materials used in its carbon-ceramic discs (for the record: resin, carbon fiber and silicon). New products also were highlighted. The Star Pillar disc, one of Brembo's most recent advancements, was developed for commercial vehicles (the book says It is characterized by "unprecedented pillar venting technology").

The last words in the story portion serve as a fine ending to a beautiful book. In the words of President Alberto Bombassei, the son of co-founder Emilio Bombassei,

"Our job is to produce ideas: With our roots in the past, we build the future, day after day."

Thanks to Caroline Fallara, communications manager for Brembo North America Inc., and industry veteran Jack Gerken, public relations consultant, for sending us a piece of history.

Related Topics: Alberto Bombassei, Brakes, Formula One, Undercar Service