Torcuato di Tella
Encyclopedia
Torcuato di Tella was an Argentine industrialist and philanthropist.
, Italy
, in 1892. He arrived in Argentina at age 13 and settled in Buenos Aires
. A widespread, 1911 bakery
workers' strike prompted di Tella to develop a bread making machine, which he sold to a number of the city's panaderías as both a labor-saving device and a hedge against future strikes. The venture gave birth to Sección Industrial Amasadoras Mecánicas ("Bread Making Machine Industries"), or, simply, SIAM.
Di Tella enlisted in the Italian Army
during World War I
; upon his return, he enrolled in the University of Buenos Aires
, earning a degree in Exact Sciences in 1921. The country's leading bread and pasta
machine maker by the 1920s, di Tella's friendship with Enrique Mosconi
, the Director of the newly-established State oil concern YPF, helped result in a contract for their petroleum extraction pumps, pipe
s, and fuel dispenser
s, making SIAM a leading Argentine manufacturer. A military coup in 1930 resulted in the contract's rescission, however, prompting di Tella to convert his new factory in the southern Buenos Aires
suburb of Avellaneda
into the manufacture of industrial machinery and home appliance
s (particularly refrigerator
s), becoming an employer to 10,000 workers and the largest, domestically-based industrial conglomerate in Latin America.
Torcuato di Tella married a fellow Italian Argentine
, María Robiola, and had two sons: Torcuato and Guido. He was politically active as a dedicated anti-fascist, assisting its victims in Italy, helping marshall opposition to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
and representing Argentina in numerous ILO
conferences. He taught Economics and Management at his alma mater from 1944 and, never holding public office, di Tella drafted a number of work safety and other labor legislation proposals.
Torcuato di Tella died in 1948 at age 56, and per his wishes, his two sons (both engineers) took control of SIAM, renaming it Siam di Tella
. The company continued to grow, albeit erratically, and in the 1960s became known for both its automobiles (producing 28,000 between 1962 and 1966) and its refrigerators (of which over 500,000 were made). The family established the Torcuato di Tella Institute
, an educational and philanthropic society for the promotion of local artists, in his honor in 1958; the institute became a leading local promoter of avant-garde art in the 1960s. Competition from foreign subsidiaries, changing government policy towards free trade, and the vicissitudes of the Argentine economy itself helped bankrupt the company by 1981, however, and its last remnants were sold off in 1994.
Torcuato and Guido di Tella
founded the Torcuato di Tella University in 1991, the year Guido became Argentina's Minister of Foreign Relations.
Life and times
Torcuato di Tella was born in CapracottaCapracotta
Capracotta is a comune in the Province of Isernia in the Italian region Molise, located about 45 km northwest of Campobasso and about 25 km north of Isernia...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, in 1892. He arrived in Argentina at age 13 and settled in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. A widespread, 1911 bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
workers' strike prompted di Tella to develop a bread making machine, which he sold to a number of the city's panaderías as both a labor-saving device and a hedge against future strikes. The venture gave birth to Sección Industrial Amasadoras Mecánicas ("Bread Making Machine Industries"), or, simply, SIAM.
Di Tella enlisted in the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; upon his return, he enrolled in the University of Buenos Aires
University of Buenos Aires
The University of Buenos Aires is the largest university in Argentina and the largest university by enrollment in Latin America. Founded on August 12, 1821 in the city of Buenos Aires, it consists of 13 faculties, 6 hospitals, 10 museums and is linked to 4 high schools: Colegio Nacional de Buenos...
, earning a degree in Exact Sciences in 1921. The country's leading bread and pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
machine maker by the 1920s, di Tella's friendship with Enrique Mosconi
Enrique Mosconi
Enrique Carlos Alberto Mosconi was an Argentine military engineer, who is best known as the pioneer and organizer of petroleum surveyance and exploitation in Argentina....
, the Director of the newly-established State oil concern YPF, helped result in a contract for their petroleum extraction pumps, pipe
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
s, and fuel dispenser
Fuel dispenser
A fuel dispenser is a machine at a filling station that is used to pump gasoline, diesel, CNG, CGH2, HCNG, LPG, LH2, ethanol fuel, biofuels like biodiesel, kerosene, or other types of fuel into vehicles...
s, making SIAM a leading Argentine manufacturer. A military coup in 1930 resulted in the contract's rescission, however, prompting di Tella to convert his new factory in the southern Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
suburb of Avellaneda
Avellaneda
Avellaneda is a port city in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the seat of the Avellaneda Partido, whose population was 328,980 as per the ....
into the manufacture of industrial machinery and home appliance
Home appliance
Home appliances are electrical/mechanical machines which accomplish some household functions, such as cooking or cleaning. Home appliances can be classified into:*Major appliances, or White goods*Small appliances, or Brown goods...
s (particularly refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
s), becoming an employer to 10,000 workers and the largest, domestically-based industrial conglomerate in Latin America.
Torcuato di Tella married a fellow Italian Argentine
Italian Argentine
An Italian Argentine is a person born in Argentina of Italian ancestry. It is estimated up to 25 million Argentines have some degree of Italian descent...
, María Robiola, and had two sons: Torcuato and Guido. He was politically active as a dedicated anti-fascist, assisting its victims in Italy, helping marshall opposition to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and representing Argentina in numerous ILO
Ilo
Ilo is a port city in southern Peru, with some 58,000 inhabitants. It is the largest city in the Moquegua Region and capital of the province of Ilo.-History:...
conferences. He taught Economics and Management at his alma mater from 1944 and, never holding public office, di Tella drafted a number of work safety and other labor legislation proposals.
Torcuato di Tella died in 1948 at age 56, and per his wishes, his two sons (both engineers) took control of SIAM, renaming it Siam di Tella
Siam di Tella
Siam Di Tella was an Argentine manufacturing company; the name Siam is an acronym from Sección Industrial Amasadoras Mecánicas.-Early years:...
. The company continued to grow, albeit erratically, and in the 1960s became known for both its automobiles (producing 28,000 between 1962 and 1966) and its refrigerators (of which over 500,000 were made). The family established the Torcuato di Tella Institute
Torcuato di Tella Institute
The Torcuato di Tella Institute is a non-profit foundation organized for the promotion of Argentine culture.-Overview:The di Tella Foundation and its institute were created on July 22, 1958, the tenth anniversary of the death of industrialist and arts patron Torcuato di Tella...
, an educational and philanthropic society for the promotion of local artists, in his honor in 1958; the institute became a leading local promoter of avant-garde art in the 1960s. Competition from foreign subsidiaries, changing government policy towards free trade, and the vicissitudes of the Argentine economy itself helped bankrupt the company by 1981, however, and its last remnants were sold off in 1994.
Torcuato and Guido di Tella
Guido di Tella
Guido di Tella was an Argentine businessman, academic and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Relations between 1991 and 1999.-Early career:Guido José Mario Di Tella was born in Buenos Aires, 1931...
founded the Torcuato di Tella University in 1991, the year Guido became Argentina's Minister of Foreign Relations.