Bremach facts for kids
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| Società a responsabilità limitata | |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1956 in Varese as a Fratelli Brenna |
| Defunct | 2018 (Insolvency) (U.S. operations are suspended as of March 2022) |
| Headquarters | Castenedolo, Brescia, Italy |
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Area served
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Europe, Russia, Middle East, United States |
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Key people
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Gianfranco Mandano |
| Products | Heavy commercial vehicles, medium commercial vehicles, light commercial vehicles, special vehicles, firefighting vehicles, defence vehicles |
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Number of employees
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30 (2015) |
Bremach was a company that made strong trucks, especially for the military and for firefighters. It was based in both Italy and the United States.
Contents
History of Bremach
Bremach started in 1956 in Varese, Italy. Two brothers, the Brennas, owned a repair shop. They bought the right to make a three-wheeled motorcycle called the Macchi MB1 from another company, Aermacchi. The name 'Bremach' comes from combining 'Brenna' and 'Macchi'.
Early Vehicle Production
In 1983, Bremach began making its most famous trucks, the Bremach GR series. These were strong, all-wheel-drive vehicles. They included models like the GR35 and GR45, which weighed between 3.5 and 4.5 tons. These trucks used a 2.5-liter diesel engine from Iveco.
In 1993, Bremach introduced a new truck called the BRIO. This truck was designed for city services. It was quite low (1820 mm tall), which made it useful for working in tight spaces.
Changes and New Models
Around the year 2000, Bremach faced some money problems. To help, they joined with two other companies, Pro. DE and Valsella Meccanotecnica.
From 2001 to 2002, Bremach offered new all-wheel-drive trucks called the Bremach Family Extreme. These trucks were similar to the older GR series. They used a 2.8-liter diesel engine from Iveco, which had 105 horsepower. These engines met the Euro-3 pollution standards.
By 2006, Bremach had completely redesigned its trucks. They launched new versions of the Brick, Extreme, and Job models. These trucks had updated cabs and a new, modern look with round headlights. The Brick and Extreme models were still very strong. They could have air suspension and a powerful 146-horsepower turbo-diesel engine. This allowed a fully loaded truck to go up to 125 kilometers per hour.
The Bremach T-REX
In 2008, Bremach introduced a brand new truck called the T-REX. This truck replaced the older models. The T-REX had a special transmission with many gears, making it very powerful. It also had a strong, new cab design. This cab was built like those used in airplanes and Formula 1 race cars, making it very safe and strong.
In 2009, Bremach worked with a Russian company, Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant (UAZ). They planned to develop a special truck chassis based on the Bremach-UAZ T-REX. The idea was to create a truck that could carry up to 3.5 tons and be used for road building, government work, and emergency services in hard-to-reach areas. However, this project did not continue.
In 2011, Bremach showed an electric version of the T-REX, called the Demokar Electric Bremach T-REX EV. This electric truck had a very strong frame that could handle heavy loads. It was tested in Germany and received special certificates for military use. The small size and high load capacity of the electric T-REX were very innovative.
End of Bremach Italy
In 2015, Bremach s.r.l. faced financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy. The rights to produce the T-REX were sold to another company called Tekne. Bremach s.r.l. officially closed down in March 2018.
Bremach USA Operations
The American part of the company, Bremach Inc., continued to operate even after the Italian company closed. Bremach Inc. started working with UAZ again to develop new 4x4 SUVs for sale in the United States.
In December 2020, it was announced that two UAZ vehicles, the UAZ Patriot SUV and a pickup truck, would be sold in the U.S. as the Bremach 4x4 Taos SUV and Bremach 4x4 Brio pickup. These were planned for sale as 2022 models. Bremach showed special versions of these SUVs at the 2021 LA Auto Show. However, the company stopped its operations in the U.S. in March 2022.
Bremach Production Models
Here are some of the vehicle models Bremach produced over the years:
- 1956: Macchi MB1 (three-wheeler motorcycle)
- 1960: Bremach GR
- 1970: Bremach NGR
- 1980: Bremach Brio
- 1990: Bremach Job X4
- 2000: Bremach Job X2
- 2005: Bremach Job
Bremach T-REX Details
The Bremach T-REX was a very versatile truck.
T-REX Cab Options
The T-REX came with different cab styles:
- Open (Spider): For 2 seats, like an open-top vehicle.
- Single (Singola): A single cab for 2-3 people.
- Double (Doppia): A double cab for 5-6 people.
T-REX Engine Options
It had two main engine choices:
- Iveco F1A 2.3 liter engine with 116 horsepower.
- Iveco F1C 3.0 liter engine with 170 horsepower.
T-REX Size and Weight
The T-REX had different sizes, with wheelbases ranging from 2600 mm to 3700 mm. Its total weight could be from 3500 kg to 6500 kg.
T-REX Transmission
The T-REX offered different transmission options:
- Manual: A ZF S4000 gearbox with 6 forward gears and 1 reverse gear.
- Automatic: An Allison 1000Sp gearbox with 5 forward gears and 1 reverse gear.
- It also had a special Bremach transfer case for its four-wheel drive.
The T-REX featured permanent four-wheel drive, meaning all four wheels were always powered for better grip.
