IRE-OMBA was founded in 1906 by the Earls of Sottocasa under the name “SOCIETA’ ANONIMA OFFICINE METALLURGICHE SOTTOCASA”. Its headquarters were at No. 14, Via Serassi, Bergamo and its telephone number was a simple “8”! An advertisement at the time described the Company’s activities as: “Forging, stamping and manufacturing of iron and steel – railway material – automobile parts – mechanical constructions”. In 1932, the Company changed its name to “Officine Metallurgiche Bergamasche Anonima” (OMBA), though its headquarters remained at No. 14, Via Serassi. OMBA was acquired by Lorenzo Feretti between 1946 and 1947. Following his death in 1953, the reins of the Company were passed to his sons, Giuseppe and Enzo. Up until the early 1960s, the factory in Bergamo manufactured large-scale forged pieces weighing up to 6,000 kg: drive shafts, piston rods, cylinder heads for large marine engines, and large round and flat sections. In the die-casting field, the Company at this time specialized in a range of products for the engineering, automotive and petrochemical industries. It was towards the end of the 1960s that Enzo Feretti made forging the sole focus of the Company, specializing in the production of rings. The first ring rolling mill was installed in 1969 and remained in operation until 1997. In 1974, the product range was increased with a new rolling mill, to which two hydraulic presses were added in 1975 and 1976.