Zanussi – Antonio Zanussi and the Stoves of Pordenone (1916)

Established in 1916 in Pordenone by twenty-six-year-old blacksmith’s son Antonio Zanussi, the Officina Fumisteria Antonio Zanussi originated as a modest craft shop dedicated to fabricating wood-burning cookstoves, laying the foundation for a transformative European appliance empire.

The Humble Workshop of Corso Garibaldi

Antonio Zanussi opened his inaugural workshop in a 30-square-meter room on Corso Garibaldi in the historical center of Pordenone during the First World War. Recognizing the regional household demand for fuel-efficient cooking and heating equipment amidst wartime fuel scarcity, Zanussi designed wood-fired stoves fitted with cast-iron cooking plates. The success of his standardized AZP (Antonio Zanussi Pordenone) model allowed gradual factory expansion. In 1933, inspired by the Italian ocean liner Rex winning the prestigious Blue Riband for the fastest Atlantic crossing, Zanussi inaugurated the iconic “Rex” trademark for his domestic cookers.

Lino Zanussi and the Post-War Industrial Boom

Following the founder’s death in 1946, leadership passed to his sons Guido and Lino Zanussi. Under the visionary stewardship of Lino Zanussi, the company expanded beyond stoves into refrigerators, washing machines, and gas ovens, erecting the colossal manufacturing complex in neighboring Porcia during the 1950s. Zanussi introduced progressive employee welfare, design collaborations with master architects, and exports across over one hundred countries before being integrated into Sweden’s Electrolux group in 1984. While Porcia remains a vital modern manufacturing hub, the original workshop on Corso Garibaldi in Pordenone is preserved as part of the vibrant civic pedestrian heart of the city.

Historic Site & Location