UFIP,anacronymforUnione Fabbricanti Italiani Piatti[1](Italian Cymbal Manufacturers Union) is an Italianmusical instrumentmanufacturing companybased inPistoia,Tuscany.
 | |
| Company type | SRL |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Luigi Tronci (President), Alberto Biasei (CEO) |
| Products | Cymbals,gongs,and metalpercussion |
| Website | ufip.it |
The company currently producescymbals,gongs,and metalpercussion instruments.
History
editIn the early 20th century the "Agati-Tronci" company, a knownpipe organmanufacturer, began the production of cymbals, as they were difficult to import fromTurkey.In 1926 a worker for the Tronci family, Fiorello Zanchi, left the company to start a new cymbal manufacturer with Manlio Biasei, the "Zanchi & Biasei" company. A number of cymbals manufacturers were founded in Pistoia after theFirst World War,starting a competition.[2]
On January 6, 1931 four companies (Marradi-Benti, Zanchi & Biasei, Rosati Leopoldo and A. & B. Fratelli Tronci) founded acooperative societycalled UFIP to stop the competition between cymbals manufacturers.[3]In 1947 Zanchi left UFIP to start his own company,Zanchi(later spelled "Zanki" ).[4]In 1968 UFIP changed from a cooperative society to an actual production company.[4]
The grandson of Rosati, Buiani, co-founded with Giovanni Spadacini the Tosco company in 1974. In 1979,Robert Zildjiantook over Tosco and transformed it in aSabiansubsidiary. One of the main innovation designed by Tosco is the Octagonal cymbal. This particular design inspired the SabianRocktagon.[4]
At the beginning UFIP sold his cymbals under commission of various drums companies, initially with Turkish sounding names such as "Zinjian" (commissioned byPearl,LudwigandPremier), "Kashian" (commissioned bySlingerland), "Pasha" (commissioned byRogers), "Ajaha" (commissioned byGretsch) and "Super Constantinoples" (commissioned by Dolnet).[4]In the United States UFIP cymbals were sold as "Atlas" and "Abraxis" until, in the early nineties, the company began to use the "UFIP" name internationally.[4]
UFiP is being distributed in the United States by Davitt & Hanser music.
Manufacturing
editUFIP is known for using the "Rotocasting"technique. This technique was patented (IT000001141690B) by the Zanchi brothers in the seventies. Rotocasting consists in casting moltenbronzein a cymbal mold mounted on a centrifuge that spins approximately a thousand revolutions per minute.[5]This particular technique reduces air pockets in the alloy and ensures a thicker bell-to-bow ratio.[6]Most of the UFIP top level cymbal series are manufactured using the Rotocasting technique.
References
edit- ^UFIP – UNIONE FABBRICANTI ITALIANI PIATTIon Italia Su Misura website
- ^"Storia della UFIP".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-02-02.Retrieved2014-01-17.
- ^"UFIP".Promo P.T.Retrieved2014-01-17.
- ^abcdeHugo Pinksterboer (1992).The Cymbal Book.Hal Leonard Corporation.ISBN9780793519200.
- ^"Factory tour".UFIP S.r.l.Retrieved2014-01-19.
- ^"Blasting Onto The U.S. Market: UFiP Cymbals".Drum Magazine.8 May 2012.Retrieved2014-01-18.
