History and Milestones

As in the past, in Italy, business know-how is the result of experience and learning thanks to tests and mistakes. Giorgio Moretti and Maria Pasini, the founders of the Colorificio MP, are no exception to this rule. Thanks to the experience acquired during the many years as owner of a painting business first and a dealer of paints after, Giorgio Moretti was able to increase the company growth.

From then on, the development of the market was the result of a slow but constant process, split in small steps and full of brave and tough decisions:

• 1972: the first 300 sq m manufacturing plant was set up in Viserba (Rimini) for the production of water based paints for the local market.

• 1975 Fabrizio first and Onide after, sons of Giorgio Moretti and Maria Pasini, joined the family business.

• 1984 The company became a private limited company, the financial foundations were set towards a modern industrial level.

• 1987 The company needed a new “home” and moved to a 2500 sqm manufacturing facility. A big investment considering the turnover of the period. A brave but right decision that transformed the “small business” into a dynamic manufacturer projected into the future and directed by Giorgio’s sons, Onide and Fabrizio Moretti.

• 1990 The start of industrialisation and specialisation in natural lime-based products.

• 1992 A new turning point in the company’s history:

• the installation of a new modern industrial plant for the production of water based paints

• exclusive distribution for Emilia Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo of the products of the German leader company Einza’

• 1994 MP became the founding partner of the Gruppo Europeo DOC, a business concept that saw the light after a meeting between a number of businessmen, born and grown in the world of paints and coatings, that had the desire to make a change: create a new brand, with new products and a totally new distribution idea. DOC product catalogue was created and products were distributed all over the country.

• 1995 - 1999 A new strategic marketing mix and the development of new products: silicate based paints, mortars for historical buildings restoration and siloxane based paints.

• 1997 – We realised that we reached the limit given the existing manufacturing plants and sales organisation.
  An analytical review of all company data and operations was performed and the results were that we had two possible strategic options:

1)    Sit back and ignore the challenges set by the market – which meant more or less abandoning the playing field.

2)    Completely renew and update the company and focus on the ‘core business’.

•      The choice went to the second and more challenging strategy. Once again, as in the past, the management decided to make big and risky investments in production plants and marketing.

•       During the spring of ’98, we set an ambitious strategic business plan: focus investments, organizational and human resources on the core business: manufacturing and sales of paints and protective systems for buildings. Specialization is one of the fundamental strategic choices to acquire and maintain competitiveness.

• 1998 An additional innovation: The study and design of new production plants and the creation of the new “COLORPLUS^®” Tinting System.

• 1999 Complete renovation of the production facility with the best and still technologically innovative machines for the manufacturing of water based paints.

• September 1999 Celebration of MP’s 30^th anniversary and opening of the new production plants.

• 2000 The new Colorplus^® tinting system was presented to the market during the “SAIEDUE - DECOR & COLOR SHOW” exhibition.

• 2001 BEST PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2000 AWARD from the Austrian Scientific Institute VFF MARE NOSTRUM for the following reasons: “For use of special top-quality stucco for interior decorative finishes. Excellent quality, resistance, adhesion and elasticity. Approved for all interior decorative finishes. To obtain approval, the products have undergone testing in extreme conditions of rain, simulated hailstones, immersion tanks with artificial snow, temperature variations in Burn In chamber from -38° to + 75°, with n72-hr cycles for 1 month, strength test at 5 bar with 0.34 micron sand, mildew, mucilage and animal excrement (snails and pigeons) test.

• 2001 The COLORIFICIO MP left the Gruppo Europeo DOC while maintaining a very close partnership, to concentrate on the production and distribution of its own brand.

• 2001 – 2002 Acquisition of new sales networks, entering new geographic areas, in Italy and abroad, distribution of products through the new dealership concept COLORPLUS^®

• 2003 Quality management certification according to UNI EN ISO 9001-2000 standards.

• 2003 – 2004 For 2 consecutive years, MP was appointed among the 30 best companies in the “Excellent Company Award” in County of Rimini, using the “Benchmarking for Success” method for the following “Excellent Procedures”: Customer management: Development of distinctive service elements for the customer, including after-sale. Company process management: Continuous design and introduction of new products and services.

• 2002 - 2005 Research and development of new products and cutting-edge technologies, focused on problems relating to health, environment, protection of buildings and the particular aesthetic taste of our tradition. Design and manufacture of the “LINEA ARCADIA”, plasters and mortars for historical buildings.

• 2008 – Colorificio MP is awarded the “Educational Business Club” award from the Chamber of Commerce of Rimini. During the same year Colorificio MP obtains the EOTA European technical approval as supporting reference documents to European Technical Approval Guidelines (ETAG) and the CE certification for Overcoat System^®, MPs thermal insulation cladding system.

• 2009 – Colorificio MP wins the Sodalitas Social Award, a National award given from the no-profit organization “Figli del Mondo”, for the commitment in social responsibility projects. The same year Colorificio MP celebrates its 40^th anniversary, a very important step for a company born as a small local family business, that has become an important modern paint manufacturer specialized in luxury interior finishes and historical building restoration.

• 2010 – On October 10, 2010 Colorificio MP organized a big event to celebrate the new headquarters just 200 meters away from the manufacturing facility. A new ecological and sustainable building completed by a modern showroom.

• 2011 - Colorificio MP, always focused on innovation, inaugurates the new R&D facility. A resource that will allow our technicians to create new products and fine tune existing ones, in order to respond promptly to our valuable customer’s needs.

Today MP works in the professional building segment, with an annual turnover of € 5 million, the export percentage is roughly 15% of it, with a yearly production of about 3 million kg.