The cover features a detail of a 12-gauge brass caseback against a red background, the Pantone color chosen by Mino Fiocchi in the 1920s. It says a lot. The book also tells the story of a family business that has reinvented itself by facing every challenge with dedication and commitment. The Fiocchi company began its journey in 1876 with Giulio Fiocchi (1851-1916), and so 2026 marks a significant anniversary, which the company has decided to celebrate with a rich calendar of events called "Legacy in Motion," a campaign that embodies a constantly evolving legacy.
Starting with the presentation of the book "Fiocchi. 150 Years of Italian History" at the Rizzoli bookstore in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. Three generations of Fiocchi family members participated, both in the audience and on stage: President Stefano, Technical Director Costantino, and Production Director Leonardo. A conversation with Alessandra Selva, the company's marketing manager, who is project manager for the book, and moderator Roberto Parodi, a journalist and writer with a passion for hunting, will be held.
Stefano, the fourth generation of Fiocchi family members, has overseen the company's transformation over the past 23 years as president, accelerated by the acquisition of the Charme fund in 2018 and its subsequent acquisition by the CSG (Czechoslovak Group). "When we celebrated our 135th anniversary, I thought it would be a great personal milestone to also celebrate our 150th. It still meant sacrifices and sometimes painful decisions. But we're here, and this book represents a piece of Lecco's industrial history."
Lecco, the heart of business
Fiocchi cannot be limited to Lecco, which is the heart of the company and where Giulio, the chief accountant of the Banca Industriale e Commerciale di Milano, decided to establish production, taking over the company "Micheloni & C." for the cartridge manufacturing operations, along with Eugenio Ferrari. Over the course of one hundred and fifty years, Fiocchi Munizioni has weathered two world wars, economic crises, and complex challenges, combining entrepreneurial courage and strong family ties. All the Fiocchis present agreed on the company's values: product quality and reliability, responsibility for the company and the community, and "ethical sense and respect for people and work," stated Stefano.
His cousin Costantino recounted his early days in explosives production, emphasizing how it instilled a sense of safety in him: "The most valuable lesson is that innovations must be carefully evaluated because mistakes can be very dangerous, just like detonators." Leonardo Fiocchi, the president's nephew, who joined the company in 2014, emphasized the importance of his passion for hunting and is proud of how the company is at the forefront of innovation. "Keeping production in Italy allows us to draw on a high level of manufacturing expertise. International capital has enabled growth and development."
The prestigious volume
A grand celebration for the Lecco-based family, which has now withdrawn from the group's shareholding. Stefano Fiocchi remains president until July, while the industrial group CSG recently appointed Andrea Ruestig as CEO and Hannes Dikhoff as director of marketing and sales. The Fiocchi Group currently employs 1.500 people, 940 of whom are based in Lecco on Via Santa Barbara, with offices in the UK, the US, and Bologna. With the recent acquisition of Baschieri & Pellagri, its turnover has remained stable at €360 million for the past three years. The 150th anniversary book is an opportunity to revisit Fiocchi's history.
Fiocchi and Rizzoli entrusted Geoffrey J. Pizzorni, a business historian, with the task of producing this prestigious monograph. He wasn't present at the Milan event, but he told me: "Fiocchi's story is interesting because it's very rare to find companies that have spanned five generations. The work is based on family documents and, for the most part, on the company's historical archive. There are also some personal accounts that complete the story."
"Fiocchi. 150 Years of Italian History" is not just a historical document, but a journey that retraces the brand's milestones, its unbreakable bond with the region, and its ongoing dialogue with global excellence.
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