The history of ICOS, which in December 2020 celebrated its seventieth anniversary during a ceremony where the Municipality of Zola Predosa, on the outskirts of Bologna, honoured the longevity and excellence of some local businesses, is inextricably linked to its founder, Marino Leonelli, and his passion for mechanics, passed down to his children Piero, Paolo, and Carmen, who today continue the path with the same care and dedication. “It all started in a small village in the Modenese hills, where our father was born in 1925,” says Paolo Leonelli. “His first job was at the Alfieri Maserati company, where he began cultivating his interest in mechanics. A few years later, in 1948, he moved to Bologna and started working in a company that made automatic machines for the production and packaging of matches.” In 1950, at the age of 25, Marino decided to start his own business and founded ICOS in its first location, a warehouse on Via Emilia Ponente.

Founded as a subcontractor in Bologna's industrial fabric, the company gradually distinguished itself for its ability to offer a comprehensive service that spans four production areas: laser cutting of sheet metal in laser lamiere a Bologna, mechanical carpentry, cold deformation-stamping of sheet metal, and tooling and mould construction. “When business started to go well, the activity was diversified by renting other premises for the construction of cages for the poultry sector. The turning point in the history of ICOS was in 1968 when our father decided to purchase an area in the industrial zone of Zola Predosa, on Via Curiel, 4. The construction work was completed the following year and, in the early 1970s, the company entered the market. Besides his industrial and mechanical mission, our father, who was a man of many interests, had a passion for the land and nature and a desire to make good wine. For this reason, in the following years, he also created a beautiful winery in the hills of Castelvetro di Modena, the Tenuta Galvana Superiore, which today produces excellent wines,” continues Leonelli.

At the height of Marino Leonelli's entrepreneurial success and commitment, ICOS's activity in the new headquarters proved immediately profitable, leading to immediate collaborations with new customers and an expansion of product sectors, ranging from carburettor components to automatic machines, small household appliances, and automotive. “The following years were characterised by continuous growth: the company evolved and became increasingly modern and technological through a continuous update of the production equipment, obtaining ISO 9001 Quality Certification in 1998 and more recently ISO 3834-4 Certification. Since 2010, we have participated in an aggregation of 12 companies in the field of mechanical subcontracting that formed the RaceBO network contract. This team of companies, which features complementary and highly specialised activities, can offer finished products with high-quality standards at competitive costs, the essence of the challenge that, in the globalised market, awaits all industries.



In 2022, we also acquired a new 2,000-square-metre warehouse on Via Curiel, 5, which will allow us to expand and improve our production,” concludes Piero Leonelli, today leading the company with his siblings Paolo and Carmen, in the name of tradition but with a forward-looking vision.