Franco becomes emotional when speaking about his life at MCM: “I’ve been retired for almost two years, but I still often stop by to see what’s new. I started when I was 14, as an apprentice, and never left. Only my time in the military kept me away from my work.”

When he hears the word artisan, Franco associates it with innovation, and when he thinks of lathes, he links them to CNC machines. For him, it’s second nature to talk about digital design and the ingenuity that allowed him to imagine and create the most complex parts for olive sorting machines. Now, he speaks of plates for modern mechanical systems or cutting-edge components currently produced at MCM.

Forty-seven years is nearly half a century, and here, the transition is something that has already happened.

Franco has been a bridge—a worker, a sector supervisor, and above all, part of a family. “Here, we’ve always worked with trust and serenity. My greatest satisfaction has been being the custodian of Mastro Mommo’s trust.”

His eyes glisten every time he says the name “Mastro Mommo.” He credits him with always allowing him to work freely. “‘It doesn’t matter how you do it,’ he used to tell me, ‘I know you’ll finish the job with the best results.’”

“This has always defined the work at MCM, and even when Mastro Mommo handed over the reins to Domenico, and the company modernized and conquered new markets, the company’s policy, the relationship of trust, and open dialogue never wavered.”

“We were like a family during the challenging years of standing up against the racket. Back then, there were only six of us, but we stood by Mastro Mommo’s decision, and he never made us feel endangered. He protected us no matter what. He spoke little, but we were there, and he knew it.”

Today, the company has 31 collaborators.

“Of course, the work has changed, but at its core, there’s still ingenuity and the love that this craft demands. If I had to leave a message for the younger generations, I’d tell them to love what they do, to focus on their tasks at hand, because satisfaction always comes when you do your job well.”

By Maria Pia Tucci