Marzocchi is Dead, Long Live Marzocchi
Whispers of Marzocchi's demise have been getting passed around like a woeful secret for the past few months, but the actual truth about the company's health has been harder to come by. There have been rumors that talk of everything from a minor hiccup in their business plan, to ever present Italian labour issues just making things a touch complicated, and even to the company's doors and windows being boarded up without notice, all of which aren't exactly inconceivable given Marzocchi's tumultuous times over the last handful of years.
![Head Marzocchi]()
The present day is far less romantic, less understanding, and filled with more concern for dollars and decimal points and margins, and things that say that history and heart matter little now.
The truth is that Marzocchi is not going to survive in its current form, and that Tenneco, their parent company, is searching for a buyer. This could go a few different ways, so we reached out to Andrea Pierantoni, sales and marketing director for Tenneco Marzocchi, to try and figure out what all this means for Marzocchi, their products, and, most importantly, their customers.
- There have been a lot of rumors about Marzocchi's future and what's going on with the company in Italy. Can you clear things up for us and explain what is actually happening and why?
Andrea Pierantoni - The challenges are such that all of the initiatives we've taken are insufficient to achieve viability in a highly competitive and slow-growth market. Despite the great efforts by the Marzocchi team to improve performance and reduce costs, our business model is not sustainable in this environment. We are actively seeking potential buyers for the business and will make a final announcement after a sales market evaluation is completed by a third party that we have engaged.
- The 2008 sale of Marzocchi to Tenneco should have, in theory, been a massive boost to the company given Tenneco's resources. Can you explain what has kept Marzocchi from staging a comeback that would have allowed you to compete with FOX and RockShox?
AP - After 2008, the Marzocchi mountain bike brand improved significantly with Tenneco’s support. But in 2012 we encountered problems when our assembly supplier stopped production. We lost two model years as a result. However, Marzocchi is ready to make a comeback with a completely new fork, the 350 Plus and 29 Enduro, and a new shock line (Moto CR, Moto R, 053S3R and 023S3R), which will help us compete with FOX and RockShox again.
- Most mountain bikers know Marzocchi as a suspension company that offers products for both mountain bikes and motorbikes. Do you see these two branches separating into different companies under a sale scenario, or would they stay together under the same umbrella?
AP - First of all, the company has not yet taken any definitive decisions. We have assigned a company to evaluate the market, and until this evaluation has been done we cannot speculate on what may happen.
- Marzocchi was on its way back in 2015 and 2016 by gaining more OE business than in the recent past. How does all this affect the OE side of things, and do you see production being interrupted?
AP - Production has not been interrupted. We are maintaining a very close working relationship with our customers and the engineering, sales and race support teams have worked very hard to recover the market with our MY 2015 and 2016 ranges. As a result of the great job that our team have done, we have entered new markets in South America and in Asia.
- Is there a possibility that the production of Marzocchi's mountain bike suspension will cease?
AP - We are actively seeking potential buyers for the business. I cannot tell you any more at this time as I cannot speculate on what the outcome of those talks might be, but we sincerely hope that the Marzocchi mountain bike suspension business can continue under a new owner, and we intend to do everything we can to help make that happen.
- What do you see happening to the mountain bike division if a buyer can't be found for the company? What other options are there?
AP - As I said earlier, the market is aware of our situation and we will talk with interested parties. I cannot tell you any more at this time as I cannot speculate on what the outcome of those talks might be, but I repeat that we sincerely hope that the Marzocchi mountain bike suspension business can continue under a new owner, and we intend to do everything we can to help make that happen.
- Should mountain bikers who own Marzocchi products be concerned about a lack of warranty or technical support in the future?
AP - With respect to products to be delivered, Marzocchi intends to fulfill its obligations regarding warranty claims, related support services and product liability claims in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable supply agreement.
- Where does this leave your sponsored riders? We've seen some of them move to other brands (Wade Simmons ect), but what about teams like MS Mondraker? Will they still be receiving product and support?
AP - For 2015 we focused on a few very top level teams such as MS Mondraker, enduro with Team Ravanel, and also in downhill with Tahnée Seagrave. If you follow the races, you can see that our truck and support team is always there and the results are very positive, including podium places on all women downhill World Cup races. In addition, we have supported Tahnée on the female initiative to support cancer research with PINK FORK.
- Has product development for the future been put on hold right now, or are things still moving forward on that front?
AP - All projects are ready. These include the 350 Plus, enduro 29, and the new rear shocks.
- What could happen under the worst case scenario, and what do you think would be the best case scenario?
AP - We are actively seeking potential buyers for the business. I cannot tell you any more at this time as I cannot speculate on what the outcome of those talks might be, and I repeat, we sincerely hope that the Marzocchi mountain bike suspension business can continue under a new owner, and we intend to do everything we can to help make that happen.
So there it is, Marzocchi in the classifieds if you will. Pierantoni and co would certainly like business to continues as usual, or better than what's become the usual for the Italian brand. True, it'd be a shame to see so much history go up in smoke if a worst case scenario does play out, but memories of Agostini on a GP bike or Simmons, on an RM7, launching over the massive Marzocchi truck in New World Disorder won't keep people employed. Prospective buyers will be looking at the bottom line, as they should be doing, before making a decision, but here's hoping that they also take both the potential and the history into account.
Marzocchi is Dead. Long Live Marzocchi.
It wasn't always like this, though.
They've supported the legendary Grand Prix motorcycle racer Giacomo Agostini in his glory years, have been the choice of many for the grueling Paris Dakar off-road race, and even supplied dampers to Ferrari's Formula One team in the 1980s, all accomplishments that seem implausible when you consider that the company was born in the basement of the Marzocchi family home in 1949. There are many stories to tell from those days, no doubt, but we're looking at grimmer times.
They've supported the legendary Grand Prix motorcycle racer Giacomo Agostini in his glory years, have been the choice of many for the grueling Paris Dakar off-road race, and even supplied dampers to Ferrari's Formula One team in the 1980s, all accomplishments that seem implausible when you consider that the company was born in the basement of the Marzocchi family home in 1949. There are many stories to tell from those days, no doubt, but we're looking at grimmer times.
The present day is far less romantic, less understanding, and filled with more concern for dollars and decimal points and margins, and things that say that history and heart matter little now.
The truth is that Marzocchi is not going to survive in its current form, and that Tenneco, their parent company, is searching for a buyer. This could go a few different ways, so we reached out to Andrea Pierantoni, sales and marketing director for Tenneco Marzocchi, to try and figure out what all this means for Marzocchi, their products, and, most importantly, their customers.
- There have been a lot of rumors about Marzocchi's future and what's going on with the company in Italy. Can you clear things up for us and explain what is actually happening and why? Andrea Pierantoni - The challenges are such that all of the initiatives we've taken are insufficient to achieve viability in a highly competitive and slow-growth market. Despite the great efforts by the Marzocchi team to improve performance and reduce costs, our business model is not sustainable in this environment. We are actively seeking potential buyers for the business and will make a final announcement after a sales market evaluation is completed by a third party that we have engaged.
- The 2008 sale of Marzocchi to Tenneco should have, in theory, been a massive boost to the company given Tenneco's resources. Can you explain what has kept Marzocchi from staging a comeback that would have allowed you to compete with FOX and RockShox?AP - After 2008, the Marzocchi mountain bike brand improved significantly with Tenneco’s support. But in 2012 we encountered problems when our assembly supplier stopped production. We lost two model years as a result. However, Marzocchi is ready to make a comeback with a completely new fork, the 350 Plus and 29 Enduro, and a new shock line (Moto CR, Moto R, 053S3R and 023S3R), which will help us compete with FOX and RockShox again.
- Most mountain bikers know Marzocchi as a suspension company that offers products for both mountain bikes and motorbikes. Do you see these two branches separating into different companies under a sale scenario, or would they stay together under the same umbrella? AP - First of all, the company has not yet taken any definitive decisions. We have assigned a company to evaluate the market, and until this evaluation has been done we cannot speculate on what may happen.
- Marzocchi was on its way back in 2015 and 2016 by gaining more OE business than in the recent past. How does all this affect the OE side of things, and do you see production being interrupted?AP - Production has not been interrupted. We are maintaining a very close working relationship with our customers and the engineering, sales and race support teams have worked very hard to recover the market with our MY 2015 and 2016 ranges. As a result of the great job that our team have done, we have entered new markets in South America and in Asia.
- Is there a possibility that the production of Marzocchi's mountain bike suspension will cease?AP - We are actively seeking potential buyers for the business. I cannot tell you any more at this time as I cannot speculate on what the outcome of those talks might be, but we sincerely hope that the Marzocchi mountain bike suspension business can continue under a new owner, and we intend to do everything we can to help make that happen.
- What do you see happening to the mountain bike division if a buyer can't be found for the company? What other options are there?AP - As I said earlier, the market is aware of our situation and we will talk with interested parties. I cannot tell you any more at this time as I cannot speculate on what the outcome of those talks might be, but I repeat that we sincerely hope that the Marzocchi mountain bike suspension business can continue under a new owner, and we intend to do everything we can to help make that happen.
- Should mountain bikers who own Marzocchi products be concerned about a lack of warranty or technical support in the future?AP - With respect to products to be delivered, Marzocchi intends to fulfill its obligations regarding warranty claims, related support services and product liability claims in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable supply agreement.
 |
 There have been some classic Marzocchi forks that still make my palms sweaty to this day, but will there be any new ones? |
- Where does this leave your sponsored riders? We've seen some of them move to other brands (Wade Simmons ect), but what about teams like MS Mondraker? Will they still be receiving product and support?AP - For 2015 we focused on a few very top level teams such as MS Mondraker, enduro with Team Ravanel, and also in downhill with Tahnée Seagrave. If you follow the races, you can see that our truck and support team is always there and the results are very positive, including podium places on all women downhill World Cup races. In addition, we have supported Tahnée on the female initiative to support cancer research with PINK FORK.
- Has product development for the future been put on hold right now, or are things still moving forward on that front? AP - All projects are ready. These include the 350 Plus, enduro 29, and the new rear shocks.
- What could happen under the worst case scenario, and what do you think would be the best case scenario? AP - We are actively seeking potential buyers for the business. I cannot tell you any more at this time as I cannot speculate on what the outcome of those talks might be, and I repeat, we sincerely hope that the Marzocchi mountain bike suspension business can continue under a new owner, and we intend to do everything we can to help make that happen.
So there it is, Marzocchi in the classifieds if you will. Pierantoni and co would certainly like business to continues as usual, or better than what's become the usual for the Italian brand. True, it'd be a shame to see so much history go up in smoke if a worst case scenario does play out, but memories of Agostini on a GP bike or Simmons, on an RM7, launching over the massive Marzocchi truck in New World Disorder won't keep people employed. Prospective buyers will be looking at the bottom line, as they should be doing, before making a decision, but here's hoping that they also take both the potential and the history into account.
Marzocchi is Dead. Long Live Marzocchi.
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careful what you wish for...
Imagine buying a new bike, specced with PRO components, Marzocchi suspension front and rear, and full XT for the same price as an X7/X9 and OEM Pike R and Monarch... oh how lovely a thought.
That being said someone should buy Marzocchi and keep them alive as they have history in the MTB industry and the market should have choices but I don't see Shimano ditching or modifying their partnership with Fox.
or Metallica and the Symphony masterpiece if you fancy
We will call it either Keep-it-Real Syndicate or Troll-cycles. Power to the people I say! Let's show the industry what we want! We can do it!
The big S could buy Marzocchi, but working with öhlins would probably be a problem.
How many users are on PB? We need to kickstart this!
from another point of view though, did anyone find the interview boring as shit and full of uber-corporate bullshit?
I'm another backer of the Shimano buyout. Marzocchi have been coming back the past two years. A lot more OEM for 2016 too. Good luck to them. Weren't Rockshox in this exact same position ten years ago before SRAM came along with $100 and a plan?
That said, I'd love to see a bike manu pick them up and totally change the game in MTB. Giant, certainly has the resources, could then have Giant branded forks and offer high end performance at a lower price with better margins.
@bonedog are you having a laugh about the engineering in Fox? Half of their forks are pure shit that you can't service yourself aren't they? Admittedly I'm not speaking from experience as I never have and never would buy Fox. Overpriced, underperforming according to a good 50% of bikers
I am just curious. I personally ride everything, stuff that comes along on classifieds.
or as Lopes would say, "dampered"
All puns aside, putting out the 350 27.5 with a 40mm offset...WTF? It's 2015 and every head angle is 67 or less.
EDIT: Oh, and longest A2C.
Shame they can't see the value in simply providing their employees with jobs and offering a valuable product to the global community. I hope to see Marzocchi stick around! Absolutely love my 888 RC3 EVO : )
I'd like to see marzocchi restructure itself as an worker owned cooperative; best possible scenario.
Employees are incentivized to do good work and be innovative because they will directly be rewarded for those efforts; and we as consumers would also be winners because we'd be getting the highest quality most innovative products. Such an organization is also more likely to weather the storms of hard times because when the owners/investors are the employees, they have a long view for the return on their investments, unlike the parasitic organism that is a investment speculator.
The trouble is its unlikely that you can raise enough capital from your employees because the concentrations of wealth in the model capitalist world are such that the only people with enough of it to get the project off the ground (or make the company soluble again) and the above referred to fat cats who'll insist on short term profitability.
And FYI, this doesn't have to be the case, we could collectively say, "hey, all this market volatility and the short term investing strategies sucks. Lets change the system so that investing achieves the outcomes we want; better jobs and better long term growth." but we haven't done that because our collective id can't get past immediate gratification; profits this quarter, jobs created this month, a new bike every god damn year
Workers, suppliers, downstream customers all bear much more risk than some suit whose main role is to sign yes/no on plots and plans developed by managers.
Love a bit of socialist idealism, where the end game is countries run by dictators and everyone is paid by the state what they deem to be a fair wage, innovation is stifled because no one is willing (or able) to take a punt.
[should really walk away after a blatant 'cat amongst pigeons' comment]
I applaud Tenneco for taking a punt on a business which HAS heritage, and given Marzocchi 7 years more life than it had previously, creating jobs, sponsoring athletes, funding the supply chain and a possibly a bit of money for its original owners.
This business obviously didn't fit Tenneco's portfolio, was draining resources for little or no return, now they're putting it out there for someone else to pick up the mantle rather than let the thing die a slow painful death (which is the viable alternative here). What I hope is that someone has a big wad of cash to take that punt... probably a big wad of cash earned from some other flipped business deal, to give it another 7 years of life...
Seriously guys, you'd be the first folk to complain that a small cottage industry, bunch of engineers in dirty overalls couldn't keep up with your demands for their excellent product, gave slow or non existent product development or couldn't give you adequate support for your widget. This capitalist structure you despise so much has enabled you to enjoy Marzocchi's products for many more years. That's the weird bit...
I guess if Marzzochi meets it's demise then DVO will be getting my business the next time around! Perhaps, in all honesty, they should have got it last time. Seems to me like a company working on the right set of principles...a rarity these days.
But seriously, you are just trolling right? Or do you really operate in shorter than tweet thought processes? Why don't you throw in a few more profound thoughts like "MERICA!", "Don't touch my gun", and "Dey took errr Jerrrb!"
But who knows...maybe you're both ok with your cheap *insert random good here* being made by some child in a sweatshop halfway around the world for pennies a day?
On the one hand you have this crying about greed, then look at the complaints about the cost of Enve compared to carbon rims from Asia. Can't have it both ways.
Think of going to Vegas. Are you willing to risk $1000 if the reward is $1005- doubt it. It's the same in business, you aren't going to risk pumping 2,5,10 million into a company unless there is a shot of a good return. Unlike what everyone wants to believe, making a million when risking 10 isn't a good return.
Look at the bitching about costs. Wouldn't surprise me if some of the same people bitching in that thread are the same ones bitching about greed in this.
But enough of that, you're just the right kind of investor for some ideas I have. Want me to send you the info?
You are funny though, call me crude and ignorant, yet you have to resort to the Fox news gun as some kind of insult. The same can be said of all the people watching the liberal media and falling for thier garbage hook line and sinker.
Best advice is stop watching any main stream news- they're all full of crap.
Proof, I would say, that your model (and complicit acceptance) of companies who adhere to extreme capitalism is NOT, in fact, the way it HAS to be. Some companies can, and do, operate ethically.
Also, MOST people risk their money through one from of investment or another (not just the ultra-rich), and yes, 10% would be generally be considered an EXCELLENT return on most investments. 5% would probably be par for the course, in most cases. Sad that some feel they deserve more than others.
Even though these were probably the sickest looking forks ever produced, I do understand that they discontinued these 5kg forks, when the 888 was so strong probably no one has ever broke it, while it weighed much less and was more reliable.
Nevertheless they are awesome pieces of history and I would love to have them hanging on my wall as decoration, or maybe on some old school fun machine huck bike, combined with 3" wide Gazzaloddis.
www.pinkbike.com/photo/12187300
also running a 55 RC3 Evo ti on my hardcore hard tail and just got some 888 RC3 Evo's to replace my Boxxers on my DH bike.. brilliant forks!!
Only 2 of the 10 forks I´ve owned were not zocchis. A 55, a 66, three 888s (rv, rc2x, rc3 evo ti), a Z1 a Shiver and a 350, and I loved every single one of them. May not be worth much, but if this ship goes down, I sure as hell gonna hold on to the sails!
We used to have national legislation under democratic control to regulate unfair competition conditions and hinder companies to grow too big. This power has now been surpassed to supernational financial elite through free trade agreements, and the end result for the average consumer is lower priced, less diversity between available products, and a bad conscience about exploitation of labour indeveloping coutries.
We live in a finite world with finite resources, we need to move from an idelogized continous expansion economy to a steady state economy under democratic control. Vote Green on the next crossroad!
Kinda weird, no? I can say first hand that their cust. service has been good as well. This is a real shame.
flag badpotato (0 mins ago)
Where will I now send my bomber for service????? Oh...wait.... It does NOT need a service - I do all by myself when I am bored...
Please stick around Marzocchi, I want my next fork to be one of yours too!
Anyways Marzocchi was the brand that took me through my glory years and had ever left my heart as a true performer in the bicycle industry. Up to this moment, I am willing to sell my soul to the devil as long as Marzocchi is saved and kept as a household name for durability and performance.
So far, I have been blessed with 30 Marzocchi forks which I still have the privilege to ride them on my bikes; this represents more than 12 years of history. Never the less this hideous news break my heart into pieces that will be sold and just let forgotten in the darkest corner of our sheds, man caves, vintage FR bikes, memories and souls.
Long live the Z1!!!!!!!
In any cases it"s bad luck and I think they surprisingly were not prepared to the "MTB boom", leading to more and more aggressive competitors on the market. Was running a Marzo on my 1st 2 bikes, and those (Drop Off triple, 66) were just incredible, but then moved to RS due to price and weight.
God save Marzocchi, however I wont change my Fox 36 Vans for anything else!
Shimano may own patents with Fox but there's nothing to stop them implementing that patent in the development of a Shimano branded fork.
Whoever buys it, there will need to be a vast amount of R&D done and quick turn around to make it actually happen which would need the corporate might of a big company.
Every "good" rider had marzocchi on there bike, then they just died of since 2008..
I hope they be back and get mote pr so they sell better!
What's the Manitou mattoc like?
And all the talking about year 2008 being the golden age? Oh please, Marzocchi's forks from years 2008 to 2010 were a complete disaster - I know, I had one!
I never bought another Marzocchi after that.
Marzocchi is down and out because of their own actions.
I wll never buy a Fox fork again.
I will never buy a Pike unless they made a coil model.The Lyrics will disapear with the 26" wheel.
Bos is a for the block suspension as DVO.Manitou is for people under 25 years who dont know their mass past and beleive that the thing will work more than 2 weeks.
XFusion,suntour etc good as all the chinese xauxau rice
A lot of people are monoglots, but that's no excuse for ignorance.