About us
Mechini -The history
Our company comes to life at the beginning of the 70s, when Sergio Mechini and Grazia Dei (my father and mother, respectively) , after years of work employed by one of the then most famous manufacturers of lamps, (as it was used to say) agree that it’s time to “start his own.” It ‘just the beginning of 1970 when they rent a warehouse in Barazzuoli street 8, Florence, begin decorating the production of the manufacturer of lamps for which they worked until a few months before; the beginning is not easy, there is the budget to make ends meet and therefore the need to work for “third parties” but also the ambition to create his own line, its own brand.
Working life goes on between high and low with the latter often in the lead, the small company grows, however, and even there the need to hire staff.
As already mentioned, 80% of work is as contractors, but in the meantime begin to take life the first models of the “Lampadari d’Arte Sergio Mechini” (this was the first name of the company). At the beginning of 1975, the work begins to engage and the company moved to a more suitable warehouse, about 500 square meters in ARETINA street 251,Florence, where we can work better. In fact, the company grows and is able to participate at the first international exhibition “EUROLUCE” in Milan; the participation costs and logistics are felt but the results will come, so that we decided to rent 80sqm free in Aretina street 219, the first born Mechini ‘s showroom.
The company grew in the decade from the mid-70’s to mid-80s, in addition to continuously participate in the international fair “EUROLUCE”, is present at the trade fair “Maison et Objet” in Paris, at “Abitare il Tempo” Verona, “Gift” in Florence, “Light and Building” in Frankfurt and many others. In the early 90s, the sons Andrea and Sabrina Mechini enter in the factory and turns from “Lampadari d’Arte Sergio Mechini snc” to “Mechini srl”. The company grew , and it is composed by 4 family members working and 9 other employees, in addition to two contract manufacturers of semi-finished production and a decorating company that works almost exclusively for Mechini srl.
The end of the 90s and the beginning of the 2000s marks an important change, work increases and the space is not enough. A new move in 2003, another important milestone for the Mechini that, for an odd combination, rent a new warehouse in Barazzuoli street, 23. The circle seems to fade back into the street where the company was founded 30 years earlier, in the new location of 1600 square meters , Mechini develops as a true classic Italian lighting company leader, Mechini products rise up of very high quality, adding a lot of very important clients; we could mention many both in Italy and in the rest of the world but we are very proud about the relationship born with Mrs. Ludmilla Putin ( first lady of Russian President Vladimir Putin ) that has become our faithful customer.
In 2011 Mechini was certified as a manufacturer “Made in Italy 100%”. In 2014, after extensive research, we decided to make another big change and we bought a 2300 square meters warehouse, where we will move our business.
…to be continued!