Aermec founder Giordano Riello dies
15th May 2023
ITALY: Giordano Riello, a man described as the father of Italian air conditioning, has died aged 97 at his home near Verona.
The grandson of Ettore Riello, who formed Officine Fratelli Riello as a burner manufacturing company in 1922, Giordano Riello manufactured his first air conditioner in 1961, creating the Aermec brand in 1963. Aermec considers itself one of the first, if not the very first, air conditioning manufacturer in Europe.
A successful entrepreneur, Giordano Riello was a pioneer and innovator in manufacturing and technology. Under his stewardship the business grew from its beginnings in 1961, to become one of the leading manufacturers of air conditioners in Europe with over 1,700 employees and a turnover of nearly €500m.
“Giordano was a great inspiration, admired and renowned for his enthusiasm, energy, and humanity. He had a natural ability to make everyone feel genuinely valued and appreciated,” commented Paul Lawrence, MD of the company’s UK subsidiary.
