Beyond the borders.
France, the first foreign market
Consumption was growing in Italy, but as soon as the rapid expansion in the domestic market settled, we started looking elsewhere.

In 1973, when we attended the trade fair in Paris for the first time, France started to become our first foreign reference market.
We were not satisfied. Things were going well and we were full of enthusiasm, of desire to do. We were brave, they tell us today, but only now we realize that we also had a good deal of unconsciousness.
Production increased, the pace picked up and we started thinking about new investments: Maronese grew in size with further expansions and acquired cutting-edge German machinery to guarantee a more streamlined production process.

In the meantime, Maronese bought premises with a surface area of 2,000 m², to start manufacturing wooden kitchens too – and Arrex was born.
The first, simple pieces of basic equipment had long since been replaced and updated with new machinery, but the opening up to foreign markets and the growing competition meant ever more sophisticated technology was adopted. Maronese began to stand out for the quality of its production systems.

The transition was complete: from artisans of industry to industrialists with an artisan heart.
Knights of the Order of Merit of the Republic.
The first of a series of important marks of recognition followed. Iginio, Giovanni and Bruno were knighted with the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, the highest ranking national honour to reward “merit acquired by the nation in the fi elds of literature, the arts, economy, public service, as well as social, philanthropic and humanitarian activities”..

This marked an important milestone for those who had contributed, through their work, to building this great company.