OUR HISTORY
THE FOUNDATION AND THE FIRST YEARS
The history of Garmetal started in 1969, when Giulio Molteni – at that time executive director of a Milanese Company, that produced zinc alloy
die-casted toy guns, together with his brothers Giuseppe and Remo and his wife Adele – founded the Company Garmetal (acronym for their name’s initials and Metal).
At the beginning the focus of the activity was the production of zinc alloy die-casted toy gun using a cold chamber machine.
In 1972, Arturo, the first member of the second generation, joined the Company and in the same year, the first zinc alloy die-casting cold chamber machine has been acquired.
Due to the continuous growth of toy gun production, as well as the introduction of new die-casted components for various sectors (such as: furniture industry, building, gas industry and pneumatics industry), the Company decided to outsource the assembly of toy guns. At the same time, Garmetal decided also to introduce a new hot chamber machine.
In 1975, due to the increase in zinc alloy costs, the Company decided to start the production of aluminium die-casted components using a cold chamber machine.
Both this new activity and the decrease in toy guns’ orders, led the Company to definitively close the toy guns’ production division in 1976-1977.
Because of the continuous increase in aluminium and zinc alloy die-casting production, the Company decided in 1976 to move its offices and production from Renate (the historical headquarter, where the activity began) to Briosco, a small town nearby.
Therefore, starting from 1977 the Company has been growing more and more: there have been an increase in number of employees, hot and cold chamber machines and Clients in various industries.
History
THE MAIN STAGES
OF OUR HISTORY
In the 1980s the business of Garmetal has been constantly growing. The Company’s machine park had 7 presses for zinc alloy die-casting and 3 presses for aluminium die-casting.
In 1982, Giorgio, the second member of the second generation entered the Company.
In 1986 the Company changed its social reason from S.n.c. to S.r.l.
THE 1980s: DEVELOPMENT AND CONSOLIDATION
The 1990s have been marked by aluminium and automation. The Company indeed focused its efforts behind the aluminium machines and in these years there has been a shift from manual machining to the creation of robotized island.
In 1989-1990, Michele and Riccardo, the last two members of the second generation entered the Company. In 1995 the production plant has been almost doubled (till 2500 sqm). In the new building have been settled the toolshop, the finishings (sandblasting and vibration) and the mould storage.
At the end of the 1990s, more attention had been paid to product and process quality. In 1999, indeed, was introduced the quality department and in the same year the UNI EN ISO 9002 (nowadays UNI EN ISO 9001:2015) has been acquired.
THE 1990s:
ALUMINIUM AND AUTOMATION
In the 2000s there have been an increase in machine number and some of them have been replaced.
In 2003 the Company got the UNI EN ISO 14001: 2015 certification. A special and increasing attention has been paid on the environmental impact, through the adoption of new technologies to handle fumes, wastewater and acoustic pollution. Moreover, more attention has been paid to eco-compatibility of products used to die-cast.
Garmetal started to offer not only castings but also a semi-finished product with mechanical workings and surface treatments. The technical department has been established, as well as an informatic system (MES – Manufacturing Execution System) for real-time production management.
THE 2000s:
SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCT
AND ATTENTION TO THE ENVIRONMENT
From 2000s till nowadays, the Company has always been focusing on quality, respect for the environment and automation (with special focus on the digitalization of production process).
The production of semi-finished products with mechanical workings and surface treatments has been growing more and more.
In 2020 Eleonora, and afterwards Stefano and Alberto, the three members of the third generation, entered the Company. They are committed to carry on the legacy of Garmetal, by giving shape to the metals and the history of the Company.
GARMETAL NOWADAYS
