Nidec ASI
Nidec ASI is an Italian industrial technology business supplying electric machines, power electronics, drives, and automation systems for heavy-industry and energy applications.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Nidec ASI, also referred to as Nidec Industrial Solutions, is an Italian industrial engineering and electrical-equipment business headquartered in Milan. It designs and manufactures rotating electrical machines, power-electronic equipment, drives, control systems, and industrial automation solutions. Its customers and projects are concentrated in technically demanding sectors in which large motors, generators, converters, electrical distribution, and automation systems must operate reliably under heavy loads or in complex environments. The company was established in its present Nidec form in 2012, when Japan-based Nidec Corporation acquired Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali, commonly abbreviated as ASI. The acquired business inherited a long industrial history connected to Ansaldo, the Italian engineering group founded in Genoa in 1853. Its electrical roots reach back to an Ansaldo electrical plant opened in Genoa in 1899. ASI later became part of the industrial businesses associated with Finmeccanica, was privatized in 2000, operated for a period as ASIRobicon, and subsequently returned to the Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali name before joining Nidec. Nidec ASI’s portfolio covers medium-voltage motors and generators, low- and medium-voltage drives, power supplies, power-quality systems, excitation equipment, electrical panels, and proprietary control and automation platforms. Rather than positioning itself primarily as a mass-market motor brand, the business operates as a systems integrator and industrial-solutions provider. Its offering can include the engineering, manufacture, integration, commissioning, and retrofit of a complete electrical package for a plant, vessel, infrastructure project, or production line. Its stated markets include oil and gas, energy, steel, marine applications, and heavy industries such as mining, cement, rubber, material handling, and cable manufacturing. The business has also been associated with specialized projects involving nuclear-fusion research, smart microgrids, ship electrification and modernization, harbor power supply, and steel-mill automation. These applications reflect a focus on electrification, energy efficiency, process control, and the replacement or modernization of older industrial assets. The company’s industrial footprint includes specialized production and engineering locations in Italy. Monfalcone is associated with large rotating machines; Milan with medium-voltage converters, excitation systems, and power-quality equipment; Montebello with low-voltage drives, automation systems, electrical panels, and renewable-energy-related applications; and Genoa with automation and power-system engineering. A facility in Ohio is associated with Avtron encoder production. The broader Nidec Industrial Solutions organization has also maintained subsidiaries or operations across Europe, Asia, and North America. Nidec expanded the scope of the industrial-solutions organization through acquisitions from Emerson in 2017 and 2018, bringing in Leroy-Somer motors and generators and Control Techniques drives and solutions activities. These businesses were combined under the Nidec Industrial Solutions umbrella, strengthening the group’s ability to supply motors, drives, control technology, and integrated industrial systems. Nidec ASI therefore represents both a successor to historic Italian electrical-engineering operations and a component of Nidec’s wider global industrial platform.
History
Nidec ASI is the modern continuation of an Italian electrical-engineering lineage associated with Ansaldo and its industrial operations. Gio. Ansaldo & C. was founded in 1853 in Sampierdarena, in the Genoa area, with activities that developed across transport, energy, and industry. Ansaldo opened an electrical plant in Genoa in 1899, establishing the historical base for the electrical-industrial business that would later become associated with Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali. Ansaldo became partly state-owned in 1950. During the late twentieth century, its industrial division expanded through acquisitions, including Hill Graham Controls in the United Kingdom, Ross Hill Controls in the United States, and Loire Automation. In 1993, Ansaldo’s industrial activities became connected with the Finmeccanica group. The industrial division was privatized in 2000 and collaborated with the American company Robicon under the ASIRobicon name. That collaboration ended in 2005, after which ASIRobicon became associated with investor Lynn Tilton. In 2006, the company adopted the name Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali again. Nidec Corporation acquired Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali in 2012. The acquisition gave the Japanese group an established Italian platform in large rotating machines, power electronics, drives, industrial controls, and automation. The business became Nidec ASI S.p.A., while its activities were subsequently presented within the broader Nidec Industrial Solutions organization. Giovanni Barra joined the post-acquisition leadership as chief operating officer in 2013 and became CEO in 2014. The company’s capabilities span the design and manufacture of electric motors and generators, low- and medium-voltage drives, converters, power-quality equipment, excitation systems, electrical panels, control systems, and automation platforms. Its engineering model is centered on complete or integrated electrical packages rather than isolated components. Projects may involve plant automation, process control, energy management, ship electrification, power supply, retrofits, and commissioning. Nidec ASI maintains several historically important Italian production and engineering sites. Monfalcone developed from an electrical-machinery operation linked to the Trieste shipyard and specializes in large rotating machines. The Milan site has roots in the 1899 Ansaldo electrical plant and focuses on medium-voltage converters, excitation systems, and power-quality systems. Montebello produces low-voltage drives, automation equipment, electrical panels, and solutions related to renewable energy and microgrids. Genoa remains associated with automation systems for steel plants as well as power-quality and power-supply engineering. An Ohio facility manufactures Avtron encoders. A major later step came in 2017–2018, when Nidec acquired from Emerson the Leroy-Somer motors and generators business and the Control Techniques drives and solutions activities. The solutions activities were combined with Nidec ASI under Nidec Industrial Solutions, broadening the group’s industrial product and service base. Dominique Llonch became president of Nidec Industrial Solutions and CEO of Nidec ASI during this period. The business serves oil and gas, energy, steel, marine, and other heavy industrial markets, including mining, cement, rubber, material handling, and cable systems. Referenced projects include electrical systems for nuclear-fusion research in Japan, a smart microgrid in Chile, modernization of the military sailing vessel Amerigo Vespucci, the electric ship Liuto, ship-to-shore power at the Port of Livorno, and automation for a cold-rolling mill in Yichang. The available reference material does not establish a separate current corporate status beyond its operation within Nidec Industrial Solutions.
- 2017
Leroy-Somer and Control Techniques activities expand the portfolio
[1]Nidec acquires relevant motors, generators, drives, and solutions activities from Emerson and integrates the solutions activities with Nidec ASI.
- 2012
Nidec acquires Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali
[1]Nidec Corporation acquires the Italian industrial business, establishing Nidec ASI within its industrial-solutions portfolio.
- 2006
The Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali name returns
[1]ASIRobicon S.p.A. adopts the Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali name again.
- 2005
Robicon collaboration ends
[1]The partnership with Robicon ends and the company becomes associated with Lynn Tilton.
- 2000
Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali is privatized
[1]The industrial division is privatized and begins operating in collaboration with Robicon under the ASIRobicon name.
- 1993
Ansaldo industrial activities join Finmeccanica
[1]The industrial branch becomes part of the Finmeccanica group, linking the business to a larger Italian state-related industrial structure.
- 1950
Ansaldo becomes partly state-owned
[1]Ansaldo enters a period of partial state ownership as its industrial activities continue to develop.
- 1899
Ansaldo opens an electrical plant in Genoa
[1]Ansaldo inaugurates an electrical facility in Genoa, creating the historical foundation for the electrical-engineering operations later associated with Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali.
- 1853
Gio. Ansaldo & C. is founded
[1]The Genoa-area company that forms the oldest historical root of the later industrial business is established, initially developing activities in transport, energy, and industry.
Products and positioning
An engineering-led industrial-solutions provider combining rotating electrical machines, drives, power electronics, control technology, and automation for energy-intensive and infrastructure-related applications.
Motors and generators
Rotating electrical machines
Nidec ASI designs and manufactures large and medium-voltage electric motors and generators for industrial, energy, marine, and heavy-duty applications. The equipment is used where high power, continuous operation, and integration with plant or vessel control systems are important. The Monfalcone site is associated with the production of large rotating machines.
Power electronics
Low- and medium-voltage drives
The drive portfolio includes low-voltage inverters and medium-voltage drives and converters used to regulate motor speed, torque, and energy consumption. These products support industrial production lines, pumps, compressors, material-handling equipment, marine systems, and other applications requiring controlled electromechanical operation.
Electrical power systems
Power-quality and excitation systems
Nidec ASI supplies power-quality equipment, excitation systems, and power-supply solutions intended to stabilize electrical networks and support reliable operation of generators and industrial loads. The Milan operation is identified with medium-voltage converters, excitation technology, and power-quality systems.
Industrial automation
Industrial automation and control systems
The company develops control, supervision, and automation systems for industrial facilities, including proprietary platform-based solutions. Applications include steel plants, process industries, electrical substations, production lines, and integrated plant packages requiring coordination between motors, drives, power equipment, and manufacturing controls.
Marine electrical engineering
Marine electrification and retrofit systems
Marine offerings cover electrical packages for ships, vessel modernization, propulsion-related equipment, onboard power systems, and retrofit work. Referenced applications include electric vessels and the modernization of the Amerigo Vespucci. The emphasis is on integrating power conversion, motors, generators, control, and automation within marine operating constraints.
Energy systems
Microgrid and energy-management systems
Nidec ASI develops smart-microgrid and related energy-integration solutions combining generation, solar power, storage, power electronics, and controls. The Montebello site is associated with a functional microgrid prototype connected to solar panels and energy storage, while a smart-microgrid project was referenced in Chile.
Industrial sensing
Avtron encoders
The Ohio facility is associated with manufacturing Avtron encoders, which provide position and speed feedback for industrial machinery and motor-control applications. Encoders complement Nidec’s broader drives, motors, and automation portfolio by supplying measurement data used in closed-loop control.
Marketing campaigns
- Nuclear-fusion electrical systems project
Energy · Research infrastructure · Japan
Nidec ASI is associated with an electrical-engineering project for the Japan Atomic Energy Agency involving nuclear-fusion research infrastructure.
- Ollegue smart microgrid
Energy · Chile
The company is identified with a smart-microgrid project in Ollegue, Chile, illustrating its work in distributed power systems and energy integration.
- Amerigo Vespucci marine retrofit
Marine · Italy
Nidec ASI is associated with electrical modernization work for the Italian military sailing vessel Amerigo Vespucci.
- Liuto electric ship
Marine · Ship electrification
The company is linked to the Liuto electric-ship project, demonstrating its involvement in marine electrification and onboard power systems.
- Livorno ship-to-shore power
Marine · Ports · Italy
Nidec ASI is associated with a ship-to-shore harbor power project in Livorno, supporting the connection of vessels to port electrical infrastructure.
- Yichang cold-rolling mill automation
Steel · Industrial automation · China
The company is linked to automation and electrical systems for a cold-rolling mill in Yichang, reflecting its role in metals-processing infrastructure.
Brand decisions
2017
Integrate Leroy-Somer and Control Techniques activitiesM&ABackground
Nidec’s acquisition of selected Emerson activities created an opportunity to combine motors, generators, drives, and industrial solutions within one platform.
Action taken
Nidec acquired the Leroy-Somer motors and generators activities and the Control Techniques drives and solutions activities from Emerson; the solutions activities were merged with Nidec ASI under Nidec Industrial Solutions.
Aftermath
The industrial-solutions organization gained a broader product and engineering portfolio spanning rotating machines, drives, and automation.
2012
Acquire Ansaldo Sistemi IndustrialiM&ABackground
Nidec sought to establish a stronger position in large industrial motors, generators, power electronics, drives, and automation.
Action taken
Nidec Corporation acquired Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali and incorporated the Italian business into its group.
Aftermath
The acquired company became Nidec ASI and later formed part of the broader Nidec Industrial Solutions organization.
Recent events
- 2017
Nidec brings Leroy-Somer and Control Techniques activities into its industrial-solutions organization[1]
M&A
Nidec acquired motors and generators activities associated with Leroy-Somer and drives and solutions activities associated with Control Techniques from Emerson. The solutions activities were integrated with Nidec ASI under Nidec Industrial Solutions.
- 2017
Dominique Llonch takes leadership of Nidec Industrial Solutions[1]
Leadership change
Dominique Llonch became president of Nidec Industrial Solutions and CEO of Nidec ASI as the expanded industrial portfolio was organized under a broader solutions structure.
- 2014
Giovanni Barra appointed chief executive officer[1]
Leadership change
Giovanni Barra, who had initially served as chief operating officer, was appointed CEO of Nidec ASI.
- 2013
Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali adopts the Nidec ASI identity[1]
Leadership change
Following its integration into Nidec, Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali operated as Nidec ASI S.p.A.; Giovanni Barra initially became chief operating officer.
- 2012
Nidec acquires Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali[1]
M&A
Nidec Corporation acquired the Italian industrial business Ansaldo Sistemi Industriali, creating the basis for Nidec ASI and extending Nidec into large industrial motors, generators, power electronics, and automation.
Sources2 sources
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