Giordano Riello, a person described as the daddy of Italian air con, has died aged 97 at his house close to Verona.

The grandson of Ettore Riello, who fashioned Officine Fratelli Riello as a burner manufacturing firm in 1922, Giordano Riello manufactured his first air conditioner in 1961, creating the Aermec model in 1963. Aermec considers itself one of many first, if not the very first, air con producer in Europe.

A profitable entrepreneur, Giordano Riello was a pioneer and innovator in manufacturing and expertise. Under his stewardship the enterprise grew from its beginnings in 1961, to develop into one of many main producers of air conditioners in Europe with over 1,700 staff and a turnover of almost €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 corporate’s UK subsidiary.