Astra (company)

Astra S.p.A.

Type	Private
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1946
Founder	Mario Bertuzzi
Headquarters	Piacenza, Italy
Products	Trucks
Owner	CNH Industrial
Parent	Iveco
Website	Official website

Astra (Anonima Sarda Trasporti) S.p.A. is an Italian company which produces trucks, construction dump truck, heavy transport vehicles and military vehicles. Astra was privately founded in 1946 in Cagliari, and since 1986 is a member Iveco, part of Fiat Industrial. In 1951 Astra moved to Piacenza. From 1946 to 1986 Astra belonged to the Bertuzzi Piacenza family.

History

• 1946 -Birth of the company founded by Mario Bertuzzi - as TRA SPORT - (Anonymous Society of Transport Sardinian) in Cagliari, Sardinia, for the repackaging of military vehicles,
• 1951 - Transfer of activities in Piacenza, along the Po in the south-east of Milan,
• 1955 - Construction of the first vehicle in the yard dump BM 1 which found an immediate use to the largest public works contractors for earthworks, tunnels, viaducts, and dams.

During the 1960s, the companies' facility was enlarged several times, and a broader range of vehicles with dumper and mixers models added.

• 1965 - The following models are emerging: BM12 - BM16 - BM18 - BM19 - BM 20 - BM21 - BM22 - BM25 - BM and the dumper 35.
• 1970–Presentation of giant cranes for chassis BE 8440 and BE 10,660.
• 1982 - Launch of the 300 series highway trucks 6x4 40-ton.
• 1984 - ASTRA participates in Paris-Dakar rally with the BM 309. The BM501 added to the range of dumper.
• 1986 - ASTRA SpA is taken up by Iveco, Astra already had technical cooperation with Fiat VI since its inception.
• 1989 - Launch of the new 6000 series.
• 1992 - Launch of the 6500 series, range of technologically advanced and equipped with a cabin resin army.
• 1994 - The designation BM disappears in favour of HD Heavy Duty.
• 1996 - ASTRA celebrates 50 years ard more than 25,000 vehicles manufactured and sold worldwide. Launch Series HD7, whose vast range of 2, 3 and 4 wheel drive axles or partial and engine IVECO ranging from 340 hp (254 kW) to 520 hp (388 kW).
• 1999 - The range was further ienhanced with an automatic transmission option for the first time. The dumpers 28 tonnes and 40 complete the series of special vehicles distributed throughout the world.
• 2000 - HD7 range is complemented by the new series HD7 / C equipped with new engines Iveco Cursor (Euro 3). At ESIS (Batimat Italian) Astra unveils new range of articulated dump trucks (ADT) - models ADT25 and ADT30, with 25 and 30 tonnes of payload respectively.
• 2003 - On January 1, Astra takes over SIVI (a historical enterprise specialising in vehicles for "transportation exceptional" SIVI being a partner of Iveco since 1982.

SIVI A specialist upfitter modifies ASTRA trucks for heavy duty applications. The range starts with road trucks with trailers or semi-trailer has a GVW of 44t and construction vehicles have a GVW / PTT authorized legal 33t for a 3-axle 6x4, of 40t for a 4 axle configuration 8x4 - 8x6 or 8x8 and a 56t trailer with a 6x4 tractor and tandem trailer. The SIVI range is based on IVECO Stralis and Trakker models. The engines are all Iveco Cursor 13 with a power of 440 to 650 hp (485 kW). The whole range SIVI is approved for loads up to 540 tons and is built from Iveco chassis and engine components.

• 1997 - ISO 9001-2000 Certification. Astra Industrial Vehicles SpA also receives the ISO 14001-1996 certification.

• 2004 - The range of articulated dump trucks is added 2 new models of 35 and 40 tonnes of payload: the ADT35 and ADT40 powered Iveco Cursor 13 engines.

• 2005 - New range of construction trucks HD8, which replaces the HD7 and HD7 / C.

Quarry and construction Vehicles

Currently the production of vehicles by Astra quarry site includes a number of trucks to the yard (HD8), one of rigid dump truck (RD) and one articulated dump trucks (ADT). Production of vehicles Astra quarry site began in 1955 with the construction of BM 1, 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 category reserved for trucks. In 1996 (the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation), the series went on the market HD7, which also had some success. In 2005 was replaced by the current range HD8. In 2009 the Astra has launched a new range of heavy duty vehicles called HHD.

Vehicles for special handling

Italian Fire Service vehicles with an Astra fire truck, on left

In 2002 the company absorbed Astra SIVI (partner Iveco from 1982), which produced vehicles for heavy transport, and in 2004 completely integrates production SIVI.

The vehicles, first and then 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 when the series appear HD6, HD7, HD7c in 2000 HD8 2005,
• Trucks for exceptionable transport, SIVI, based on chassis VI Fiat and Iveco, Iveco Trakker with 720T55EZ and 720 tonnes of PTR,
• RD rigid dumpers, RD
• AD Articulated dumpers, AD
• 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 built the entire military range of Iveco group.

Highway trucks

The Série HD7 in porter and tractor versions comprend:

Series HD7/C HD8, equipped with Iveco Motors Cursor 13.

Astra HD7C 84-45 tow truck of the Fire Service of Greece.

Series HD7/C, equipped with motors type Cursor 13 Euro 4 consist of:

The new Séries HD8, equipped with the new Iveco Cursor 13 Euro 5 contains 16 configurations of chassis with 5 different motors:

Two special series of HD8 are destined for markets:

• Spain with a PTR of 104T for special convoys
• Libya with the old engines Iveco 8000 series, well known in the country and even mounted on trucks Iveco assembled locally.

Dumpers

Rigid

Articulated

See also

• List of Italian companies

Notes and references

1. ↑ Astra dumptrucks at dumper.fr (French)

External links

• Official website
• Astra Agenzia D'Arrezzo (Direct Sales Agency for Astra) Official website
• Company profile

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