Marzocchi

Marzocchi is an Italian manufacturer founded in 1949 by brothers Stefano and Guglielmo Marzocchi. The company profile doesn't include hydraulic industrial pumps anymore but only suspension components for motorcycles and bicycles. The Marzocchi Pompe is still in the hands of the Marzocchi Family and produces gear pumps and motors in Bologna.

In the 4th quarter of 2015 the motorcycle suspensions assets and the historic Zola Pedrosa plant was acquired by the Italian company VRM Group which continues to produce suspensions in Italy.

History
The two brothers Stefano and Guglielmo Marzocchi (former Ducati employees) founded Marzocchi in 1949 which started the production of suspensions for large-engined motorcycles in the cellar of their home in Via Zannoni, in Bologna.

In 1953 production had reached 200 pieces a day, the workers had become 25 and the basement in via Zannoni had become insufficient. We then begin to plan for a necessary expansion. In 1957 the company was transferred to a more suitable "shed" in Casalecchio di Reno. In the mid-1950s, when motorcycle production suffered a sharp decline, the Marzocchi brothers thought of diversifying production, taking up a gear pump project already started within Ducati during the Second World War.

In 1961, the Marzocchi brothers became convinced that it was necessary to diversify production. The growth of the two production sectors therefore led to the establishment of two distinct companies: Marzocchi Pompe S.r.l. and Marzocchi S.p.A. The first dealt with the design and production of hydraulic pumps, the second with motorcycle suspensions

After 1965, the second generation of Marzocchi entered the scene. Adriano, son of Stefano and Paolo, son of Guglielmo. For Marzocchi Sospensioni, the products were aimed at the high-end of the market: motocross and large-engined bikes. The company decision to focus on sports with the aim of product development proved successful. Marzocchi champions have dominated motorcycle circuits throughout Europe.

In the 80s the collaboration with manufacturers of large-engined road motorcycles such as BMW Motorrad, Moto Guzzi, Ducati expanded and Marzocchi established itself as a leader in Europe in the production of suspensions.

In the 1990s, the market diversified further. In the United States the sport of mountain biking begins to spread even at a competitive level and Marzocchi has the happy intuition of starting to produce bicycle forks that combine high technology with high performance.

In 2008 the company was acquired by American automotive parts manufacturer Tenneco. Until 2007, Marzocchi manufactured the mountain bike suspension forks in Italy.

Since December 2015 Marzocchi brand was taken over by the Italian company VRM Group together with the historic Zola Pedrosa plant with the birth of the subsidiary Marzocchi Motor and the reinstatement of 70 employees for production. Florenzo Vanzetto become the CEO of the company. American company Fox Factory acquired only assets of Marzocchi's mountain bike product lines.

In recent years Marzocchi Motor has become a supplier of forks for numerous motorcycle manufacturers to pass a turnover of 8 million euros in 2016 to a turnover of 32 million euros in 2021.

In January 2022 an agreement was signed with Zhejiang Mazhuoke Machinery Manufacturing (part of the Qianjiang Motorcycle group) for the construction of a second production plant in the Chinese province of Zheijang, south of Shanghai, to provide the suspensions for the domestic market and Chinese customers.

Motorcycle suspension
Up until the 1980s, Marzocchi were original equipment manufacturers ('OEM') for a number of Italian motorcycle marques including Moto Morini and Ducati, their oil shock absorbers also being OEM for Triumph Motorcycles in the latter stages of their production at the Meriden plant. Their later 'Strada' model introduced a degree of air suspension to motorcycling and, like the oil shocks, were available as aftermarket fittings for a large number of models. Strada units were OEM for Triumph's T140LE Royal Wedding and TSS models. A big advantage of the Marzocchi shock was its ability to be rebuilt, seal kits and service manuals being readily available. Meriden also experimented with using Marzocchi front forks which were also used on some Italian models. Meriden however closed down before any such forks reached production models.

Marzocchi shocks, albeit of more modern design, are still OEM for a number of manufacturers.

Bicycle suspension
Until 2007, fork production was based in Italy (apart from the entry level OEM parts, which are produced by the Taiwanese SR Suntour in Taiwan). Since 2008, all forks have been made in Taiwan.

* Notable models

Marzocchi Monster Triple (1999–2005)

Marzocchi Super Monster Triple (2003–2005)

Marzocchi Shiver (2001–2005)

Marzocchi Z1 (1996)

Marzocchi RAC (2001)

Marzocchi 66RC (2005)