SA Luciano Franzosini: 95 years of history!

Ninety-five springs, ninety-five long years of activity…almost a century of history! This is no small accomplishment because few others in our industry can boast of having achieved it, and if it is true that, as they say, “history is the teacher of life,” then Franzosini, anagraphically elderly but young in entrepreneurship and ability to cope with new challenges, can afford the luxury of being able to recount the gist of these years with the experience of the wise, but with the strength and determination of enterprising young people.

The first date of foundation of SA Luciano Franzosini dates back precisely to the distant March 28, 1929: from that day to today we have crossed a path of almost a century, various historical epochs characterized by the succession of as many economic phases, made up of prosperity, stability and crisis, which only thanks to the entrepreneurial skills of the various managers who have taken turns at the helm of our company, have led to the achievement of this milestone today.

In ninety-five years, the international shipping industry has undergone tremendous changes, starting from the early days with the first transports carried out by a horse-drawn wagon, to now, a time when technology offers great support to human labor. From 1929 until today we have witnessed around us the birth of many companies, mergers between various companies, acquisitions made by foreign “giants,” and then the subsequent cessation of many, many companies in our branch; but today Franzosini still exists, with the same corporate name it originally had, with the same and renewed values and principles that make it today one of the few historical Ticino shipping companies.

Franzosini was founded in Chiasso as the Swiss branch of an Italian shipping house established in 1845. The idea, already far-sighted at the time, to set up an office in Switzerland was rewarded by the large volumes of business that the company was able to handle.These were the years when very few companies organized transport between Italy and Switzerland and international trade was very limited, as it was constrained by long and difficult practices between countries that did not have common procedures for both shipments and customs. What’s more, let’s add that 1929 was the year of the first major crisis worldwide, so even at the outset, a steep uphill road had to be faced.

Already in those years Franzosini was at the forefront of efforts to uphold the rules of the world of work: at a time when there was a lack of regulation of the freight forwarder category and working conditions were deteriorating due to the unfavorable economic situation, in June 1936 our company participated in the first major strike in the category and soon after, in July of the same year, was the first company to sign a collective bargaining agreement.

In the immediate postwar period, Franzosini then became independent from its Italian parent company in order to independently develop its international transportation services in Switzerland and abroad.

In addition, thanks to the excellent internal administrative organization, the company was able to easily overcome the economic crisis and the first few years of operation; thus, after the first few years of investment had passed, it began to make good profits from its business.

The corporate structure changed as the years went by, leaning more and more toward an exquisitely Swiss shareholder base, made up of people not only physically present at work but sensitive to the problems of our area. The link with the territory became stronger over time, embarking on a decisive policy of “Swiss Made” orientation as early as the early 1940s, including through the acquisition of purely Ticino-based customers and with the management of international traffic that was concentrated between northern Italy, the Canton of Ticino and the entire territory of the Swiss Confederation.

Then came the years in which the company decided to pursue other goals besides financial and economic stability: Franzosini soon realized that it was necessary to equip itself with internal procedures such as to rationalize production processes and to espouse the principle of “respect for the environment,” even though at the time it seemed almost irreconcilable with the activity proper to a shipping company. What’s more, the concept was simple: maintaining a modern fleet of cars in perfect working order, with driver personnel capable of adjusting their driving style while limiting fuel consumption and emissions, would lead not only to environmental benefits but also to economic savings for the company itself. In fact, Franzosini can boast that it was the first Ticino-based company in the field of international transportation to obtain ISO 14001 certification for environmental policies, in addition to ISO 9001 certification for business and service management.

Also not to be overlooked is the constant effort made over the years to enable young people to enter the world of work by learning one of the professions of our industry: Franzosini has always trained young people in-house, having them follow the Confederation’s training paths and allowing them to know and learn about the shipping branch directly in the field. As of today, we have former trainees within our company who are in roles of fundamental importance to the company, proof that the commitment to young people has evidently paid off!

Another distinctive feature of Franzosini’s business has then always been the special attention shown to the world ofinformation technology: always on the cutting edge with state-of-the-art vehicles and a constantly renewed fleet of vehicles, Franzosini was among the first companies to equip itself with special software specifically for managing shipments, rationalization of loads, driving performance of its drivers-consistent with certification for environmental policies-as well as for managing its employees.

The result of this constant effort was that the company was always up-to-date in real time and immediately responsive to all aspects concerning its business, so that it was consequently able to adapt quickly, easily and without trauma to all the various economic phases we went through.

The focus on new technologies was then recently decisively reaffirmed by Franzosini by initiating a new phase in our history under the banner of continuous technological innovation, thanks to an intuition destined to revolutionize the world of digital storage of customs documentation with the exclusive product of EZdatacenter SA.

In recent years, it is worth mentioning in 2007 the opening of Franzosini Italia S.r.l., our Italian customs correspondent. The commitment of resources from Switzerland to Italy seems almost like a reverse path to the foundation, an investment that allows us to be able to track shipments and clients from shipper to consignee, through Italian and Swiss customs, without interrupting the chain of information and always maintaining that proper confidentiality that is essential to have when dealing with international shipments.

Subsequently, we took further steps toward international expansion by establishing strategic subsidiaries in key locations. The founding of Franzosini Monaco Sarl in the principality of Monaco is a key piece of our growth strategy. This expansion has enabled us to consolidate our presence in the heart of Europe, offering our clients top-notch logistics and customs services in a geographic area that serves as a bridge between northern and southern European markets. Munich’s privileged location, combined with our expertise, enables us to offer tailor-made solutions that meet the specific needs of a broad international clientele.

In the same spirit of growth and service to our clients, we founded FRANZOSINI & BUTTI LIMITED based in Dover, UK. This strategic move was undertaken to strengthen our presence in the UK market and to offer our customers optimal logistics and customs solutions in the context of Brexit. Dover’s location as the main gateway for freight traffic between the UK and the European continent allows us to monitor and manage transport operations with efficiency and accuracy, ensuring continuity of service even in a changing political and economic environment. Franzosini & Butti Ltd stands out for its ability to navigate the complexities of post-Brexit customs regulations, offering advice and operational support essential to keep supply chains between the EU and the UK running smoothly.

These openings represent not only geographic expansion, but also an affirmation of our entrepreneurial vision: to be close to our customers, to understand their needs and to overcome the challenges of international trade together. Our widespread presence and in-depth knowledge of local markets enable us to offer customized and high-quality logistics solutions, strengthening our customers’ trust and consolidating our position as a leader in the international transportation and logistics industry.

AEO certifications obtained in recent years by Swiss Customs – for SA Luciano Franzosini – and Italian Customs – for the Franzosini Italia S.r.ldemonstrate the financial solidity and high level of customs expertise acquired by the entire Franzosini Group, which is therefore distinguished by its customs professionalism, widespread presence in Switzerland and Italy and variety of services offered.

Lastly, let us mention the link between Franzosini and the world of sports: with the sponsorships to the basketball teams of Federale Lugano, SAV Vacallo and Cantù Basketball, our company not only wanted to support teams capable of winning trophies and transmitting enthusiasm and passion to the fans, the same sentiments that we put into our daily work, but above all wanted to share the basic principles and values of sports, such as aggregation, commitment, sacrifice and respect for the rules.

In summary, in its first 95 years of activity, Franzosini has shown itself to be a safe and stable company, able to distinguish itself by the special attention and sensitivity shown to its employees, customers, technological innovations, commitment to environmental protection, constant involvement of young workers in the world of work and respect for all the rules of the shipping and customs sector: a century of constant commitment with the result that today it is a company with great experience, in step with the times and strongly projected towards the future.

We are pleased to enthusiastically share this important anniversary with all our customers, suppliers and anyone who shares the human and corporate values that have distinguished our way of doing business for nearly a century.

We therefore wish Franzosini well on her 95th birthday, not only because of her longevity, but also and especially because today she represents a fundamental chapter in the history of our municipality, canton and nation. This company, although old in age, is distinguished by its youthful mindset and its extraordinary ability to meet and overcome new market challenges. Its path of growth and development led it to transform into Tepoorten Group Ltd. thus consolidating its position not only as a successful small-large company, but also as an indispensable pillar of the economy and community to which it belongs. This evolution testifies to its ability to adapt and innovate, while always maintaining the high level of quality and service that sets it apart. In celebrating Franzosini’s 95th birthday, we are therefore also celebrating the birth and rise of Tepoorten Group SA, an emblem of tradition, renewal and excellence in international transportation, logistics and freight forwarding.