The history of ASM

The first steps

Azienda dei Servizi Municipalizzati (ASM) (Municipal Services Company) came into being on 23rd July 1908 following a resolution by the Brescia Municipality, to confer tram service and the production of ice. The Municipal resolution was the consequence of a public referendum, recognising the appropriateness of a transfer of the so-called “public utility” services under a public company.
In the following years the Brescia Municipality entrusted the municipality owned concern with the following additional services:

• The distribution of electrical energy in the Brescia Town Council (1909)
• The production and distribution of gas (1924)
• Aqueduct management (1933)

Expansion

As from the 1960’s ASM expands its activities and the range of services on offer, both in the city and in the provinces. More particularly in Brescia it assumes the handling of: street cleaning services (1968); traffic light installations (1976); thermal plant in public buildings (1989); car parks and parking meters (1990); purification and sewerage (1995). In the provinces it assumes the handling of natural gas pipelines and aqueducts.
The growth also continues by the creation of companies dedicated to and in partnership with territorial administrations. From this formulation the main group companies have their origin.
APRICA S.p.A. (1971), APRICA Studi (1979), Valgas (1984), Sinergia (1985), Selene (1989), Azienda Servizi Valtrompia (1998), Asmea (1999), Retrasm (1999), Gesi (2000), Plurigas (2000), ASM Energy (2001), Seasm (2002). 

Thanks to its strategy and a strong entrepreneurial drive, ASM enters the most interesting part of the energy cycle:

• In the generation and transportation of electrical energy, participating in the construction of thermoelectric plants and realising, concomitantly, a circuit of long distance lines connecting the power stations and the common co-partnership companies (in 1961 the power station at Cassano d'Adda in the Milan province starts up, of which ASM has a 25% ownership with AEM having 75%; in 1966 Ponti sul Mincio (MN) starts up, of which ASM has a 45% ownership together with AGSM Verona with 45%, AIM Vicenza and ASM Rovereto, now Trentino Servizi, 5% each).
• As regards district heating the first heating service in Italy comes into being and in 1972 the supply of heat/hot water is guaranteed by large methane boilers at the South Lamamora station. In 1978 and 1981 the new Groups 1 and 2 of the Central South start up which apart from providing the necessary heat for the district heating network, produce at the same time electrical energy (cogeneration plants); in 1988 the Lamamora station is integrated with a polycombustible boiler capable of using coal as well.
• From waste to energy with the start up of the refuse incinerator that uses refuse as fuel, recouping energy to produce electricity and heat. In 2004 the third biomass fuelled refuse incinerator line is started.

Liberation

in recent years ASM takes up the challenge of the process of liberalisation taking place in the energy market and local public services and in 1998 it changes from a municipally owned company to a stock company.

For the importing and acquisition of natural gas in international and domestic markets, together with other partners in 2001 it sets up Plurigas, concluding a contract for the annual acquisition of 3 billion cubic meters of natural gas for a period of 10 years.
In 2001, together with Endesa and Banco Santander Central Hispano, Elettrogen is acquired, the leading company for the production of electrical energy sold by Enel Group, now under the name of Endesa Italia and is the third domestic producer of electrical energy with 6590 MW of installed power. The interest of ASM for production of electricity is confirmed by the actions of modernisation and expansion carried out as regards the thermo electrical power stations at Ponte sul Mincio and Cassano d'Adda.
 

In July 2002 ASM is quoted in the Stock Exchange in the Blue Chips sector and in September 2004 ASM is included in the MIDEX index, representing the majority of medium capitalised companies.
2003 is characterised as the external growth year. ASM acquires gas distribution networks for about 75,000 consumers and electrical energy distribution networks for approx. 100,000 consumers.
 

In 2004 ASM confronts the international debenture markets by the taking out of a ten year debenture of €500 million at fixed rate. The issue is received with interest by the market: 50% of the debentures are collected overseas. In confirmation of the financial soundness of the company, the Rating agency Standard & Poor's confers on ASM an A+ rating, the highest among those awarded to Italian utilities.
 

In 2005 the merger takes place with Bergamo Ambiente e Servizi, operating in the Bergamo region, carrying out operations of integrated water cycle, the distribution and sale of gas, public lighting, urban hygiene and the production of electrical energy by means of thermal utilisation of waste. In this way one of the first steps is taken in Italy in the process of consolidation in the utilities sector.