Page 60 - ITAtube Journal 2 2025

ITA Inside
Obituary
Franco Leonelli
On June 14th Franco Leonelli, the former
President, CEO and Chairman of the Board
of Directors of EMS - Engineering Manage-
ment Services SrL (Italy), passed away as a
result of age disease.
Franco Leonelli was always attracted by
difficult challenges and innovative projects,
he faced with leadership attitude, profes-
sional approach, integrity and competence
in 55-year career.
Graduated Nuclear Engineer at the Uni-
versity of Bologna (I), and after a 10-year
period spent at Euratom – ISPRA as Project
Manager of the project team charged of the
development of European nuclear plants
for civil uses, in 1973 Franco entered in
Dalmine (today Tenaris Dalmine) as Project
Director for new industrial investments.
Under his direction, Dalmine realized the
first successful Retained Mandrel Mill Plant
(MPM) in the World, a Dalmine – INNSE joint
project that was put into operation at the
end of the ‘70s of last century.
The Retained Mandrel Mill technology
still represents the state of the art for the
production of seamless pipes in carbon and
low alloyed steel in the medium OD range
for uses in the oil and gas production and
transport sector.
Later on, as a Consultant, Franco was
deeply and directly involved in many of
the similar MPM Plants projects that were
developed in the early ‘80s in the World in
the wake of Dalmine Plant success, starting
with those in America (US Steel, Algoma,
Tamsa, Siderca) and in Japan.
In the mid ‘80s, Franco founded EMS – Engi-
ed advisory supports to: Dalmine (Privatiza-
tion and new Expanding Mill), Sidor (Privat-
ization of CVG Tubos), KSP Steel (Seamless
Pipe Plant with MPM: Feasibility study, over-
all project development and PM support un-
til project conclusion), Jesco (Seamless Pipe
Plant with RMM: Detailed Feasibility study),
Arcelor Mittal Saudi Arabia (Seamless Pipe
Plant with RMM: Detailed Feasibility study),
OMK Group (Detailed Feasibility studies for
the new Seamless Pipe Plant with RMM and
other pipe plants), ChTPZ Group (several
Feasibility studies, including the Detailed
one for PNTZ Finishing Floor for OCTG) etc.
Aside from pipe projects, in this latest peri-
od Franco was also professionally involved
in several projects of the Arvedi Group, in
the improving projects of Malpensa and
Orio al Serio Airports, providing PM sup-
ports to the General Management, and in
the tender preparation for the new Milan
Rho Fair.
neering Management Services SrL and, with
his collaborators, he continued providing
engineering, management and technical
supports for the development, renovation
Franco was also an advisor of the World
Bank, the EBRD and the European Commu-
nity for projects related to the Iron & Steel
Sector.
and/or project financing of projects related
to steel pipe plants (seamless and welded).
Eventually, Franco decided to retire at the
end of 2017.
Just to name the most important ones, in
this period of more than 30 years Franco
We may say he was a Great Man, a Lion as
and his team developed studies and provid-
his name advises (nomen omen).60 ITAtube Journal August 2025