Scheda
Edoardo Weber was born in Turin on November 29, 1889. From his grandfather and father, working as technician, he inherited a passion for mechanics. In 1904 he completed the course at Istituto Professionale, a vocational school, and was then worker and designer at a mechanical workshop.
Since 1907 was workman at FIAT, where his expertise was so appreciated that in 1912 he obtained a position as engine and car tester. The following year he was transferred to the branch office of Bologna as workshop foreman. At the end of First World War, he was at the Ferrara branch, holding the same position. Back in Bologna, in 1923, together with three partners, he founded Fabbrica Italiana Carburatori Weber. Despite the good quality of the first carburettor for truck engines, the beginnings were problematic, so as to cause Weber to assume the ownership of the company. The appreciation for an ingenious device to be set on FIAT 501 carburetors, the Economo-Super-Alimentatore (Economy-Super-Supply), led to the adoption of the same device to the 505 model and, with few alterations, to sport versions. But the momentum for Weber's production growth comes thanks to a new carburetor, called "box" carburetor. Meanwhile, a collaboration with the racing car sector developed: Weber carburetors where mounted on FIAT, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari racing cars. In 1937, as a result of FIAT's decision to mount the Weber carburetors on its cars, the construction of a new large factory in Via Timavo was necessary. In the new premises, inaugurated on April 21, 1940,. about 400 workers found employment as well as modern well-equipped departments and various services for the workers. Edoardo Weber was awarded the title of Cavaliere della Corona d’Italia (Knight of the Crown of Italy) in 1937 and then, in 1943, the title of Cavaliere del Lavoro (Knight of Labor). From 1943 the war already heavily influenced the productive activity, in fact militarized and committed by military orders. It then followed the German occupation of the factory, with the consequent transfer of workers and plants to a shed in Bazzano. As a tragic epilogue, after the liberation of Bologna, on May 17, 1947, Edoardo Weber disappeared in circumstances that were never made clear. To the recovery of the Company, fortunately spared by the bombing but in great difficulty for the loss of its founder, FIAT actively contributed assuming leadership as a majority shareholder. Since 1952, Weber had become an integral part of the components supply chain of FIAT group and later on, in 1987, merged with another subsidiary, Magneti Marelli.
Translation from italian language by Marina Zaffagnini, Associazione Amici della Certosa di Bologna.
