#ArchivalPill - The establishment of Farmigea

Slide 1

The birth of Farmigea and the entry on the scene of the Federighi family

The deed of incorporation of the company

Our story begins on April 24, 1946 in the office of the notary Guglielmo Gambini in the centre of Pisa where 3 partners, Giuseppe Rossini, Ugo Mannucci, Aldo Cerri established the company "Farmigea - Laboratories of Pharmaceutical, Hygenic and Related Products".
The share capital is almost entirely paid up by Rossini, who also assumes the position of sole director. The corporate purpose is the "manufacture and trade of medicinal and hygienic products in general, sanitary materials, detergents, perfumeries and similar and similar products". However, drugs are the real objective of the Company.

The first months of activity are particularly tough. The country had to be rebuilt after the drama of the Second World War. The capital injected by the shareholders is too little to carry out ambitious investments. The Company for the whole of 1946 limited itself to the purchasing of plants for the headquarters, found only in September, and to the "experimental tests of some formulas". Despite the efforts, the products are of non-original formulation and with little room for growth. Besides, most of the available resources are concentrated in management expenses and not for "propaganda".

Slide 1

Via Carmignani: the headquarters in the historic centre

In 1946 Farmigea opened its factory in the historic centre in Carmignani road a few steps from the Lungarno and the tower square. The building, chosen in one of the busiest neighbourhoods in the city, will strengthen the relationship between the company and Pisa. Even if in order not to give up the historic centre, expansions and renovations had to be carried out at high costs.

Only in 2001, when, however, the urban scenario had completely changed and, the link of a company with the territory no longer passed from its location in the centre, Farmigea will move to the industrial area on the outskirts of the city in a new plant suitable for growing needs and to the unique challenges of the future.

Map of the building in Via Carmignani where you can see the rooms (5a, 5b, 5c) used for the production of the first eye drops.

Slide 1

Leopoldo, the research man:

Leopoldo Federighi sitting at his desk

In the new Company designed by Antonio, the children immediately played an active role. Laura Alberta will make her debut with the role of sole director that she will hold for a long time, always following administrative role. Leopoldo, on the other hand, with a degree in veterinary medicine, has immediately taken care of building relationships with universities. This allowed the Company to grow rapidly and carry out studies and research in collaboration with various universities.
In 1951, thanks to these relations, the Company turned towards the ophthalmology sector: "Ophthalmic products are becoming increasingly popular and, once the period of considerable initial expenses has passed, they will certainly bear the necessary results. New organic products have been conceived and in these we place the greatest hopes of the Company". Leopoldo will also deal with to develop internationalization in times when it was not easy at all. In the long period spent in Africa, he has found a branch in Congo while in Italy he also managed the branch in Rome.

Slide 1

Thus began the story of the Federighi family in Farmigea. In the first few years, the greatest effort is to pay off the debts, contracted by the previous management; to propose new products and equip a better research laboratory. But above all, identify a sector in which to concentrate economic and human resources: ophthalmology will be chosen. Which from that moment will become Farmigea's specialization.

Slide 1