User:Andreazanussi/Lino Zanussi

Lino Zanussi (Pordenone, February 15, 1920 - San Sebastian, June 18, 1968) was an Italian businessman

When Lino Zanussi was born, the textile industry absorbs in Pordenone almost all employment. In this economic context, in 1917, his father Antonio Zanussi holds a workshop for the manufacture of stoves, the name of the brand is "Rex". At his death on November 21 1946, the company has one hundred employees. After father Antonio the company is managed by Lino Zanussi and his brother Guido. At the beginning they decide to produce for the domestic market. Educated to business by the father, Lino, in few years develops the company making it the major European industry of Appliances. Leader in Italy and Europe producing gas and electric cookers, gas cookers, washing machines, dishwashers and refrigerators with Rex and Naonis brands and televisions with Seleco. This rapid development in sales is reached by looking for an always better balance between the high quality of the products and the reduction of the selling price. (Peter Martinuzzi, Nico Nanni, "Lino Zanussi ", Edizioni Studio Tesi, Civilization of Memory, Pordenone, 1993).

According to Lino Zanussi, in fact: "... To sell we need to produce a better quality with lower costs, if we don't have one of these two requirements, we lose the market .... " To become a big industrial enterprise the Zanussi-house improves in several areas creating functions like marketing, finance, personnel management. The design is considered one of the most important elements for the growth of the product: the birth of the "section of industrial design. Lino Zanussi, sensitive to growth and development of its management, participates to the foundation of CUOA (College of Business and Administration in Padua). In the spring of 1963, Padua University gives him the honorary degree in industrial engineering.

Besides the home appliances in 1960 Zanussi starts the production of televisions, and two years later (1962) Italian production of appliances exceeds for the first time the production of Germany, becoming european leader. During the crisis of domestic market in the early '70s, Zanussi (located in Porcia and Vallenoncello) acquires other companies in Italy, becoming the Zanussi Group. At Lino Zanussi's death the Group has 13.000 employees in 13 factories.