The Pontedera factory in 1950

In 1950, the Piaggio factory in Pontedera was the beating heart of Italy's post-war industrial renaissance, successfully converting from aeronautical to civil production. Under the leadership of Enrico Piaggio and the genius of Corradino D'Ascanio, the factory frantically produced the Vespa 125, introduced in 1948, becoming a symbol of the 'economic miracle' with thousands of workers engaged in mass production.