Fortunately, the Cinzia was a historically significant folding bicycle and the company's history is well documented. Hopefully, I've kept the facts and context of this abridged version relatively intact during translation:
Cicli Cinzia was formed in 1967 by Primo Bombi and Servino Maccaferri, specifically to manufacture folding bicycles. Bombi was born in 1901, and by his early teens was working as a assistant to a bicycle painter. He soon left to become to become head painter for the fledgling Maserati automobile company. In 1937, Maserati was sold to the Orsi family who decided to move manufacturing from Bologna to Modena. However, Bombi chose to stay in Bologna and starts his own paint shop, Emilian.
Bombi takes on futre partner Servino Maccaferri as an apprentice at Emilian and the company flourishes, providing painting services to local bicycle and motorcycle manufacturers, particularly the Germain marque DWK, which has an assembly operation in Bolgna. However, as the company's reputation grows, work comes in from other manufacturers in the region, such a Ducati, Minarelli and Morini. It is a family operation, with Primo's two daughters, Diva and Rossana performing the pin striping on the tanks and fenders painted by their father and Servino. Diva and Servino marry, resulting in Emilian becoming a partnership between Bombi and Maccaferri.
The company continues to grow in the post war era and in the mid-1960s they take an interest in improving the popular Graziella folding bicycle. They realize that increasing the tyre size from 16" to 20" will increase pedalling efficiency without a marked increase in weight or portability. After some development, the new bicycle debuts in 1966.
Bombi and Maccaferri thought it best to capital on a female name and the initial choice was Annabella, but it violated the trademark owned by an Italian fashion magazine and the new company could not afford the license fees. Next door was a wheelchair factory and one day they heard the caretaker call out to his daughter "Cinzia!". The proverbial bulb simultaneously lit in both heads and a new marque was born.
The initial batch quickly sold out due the 20" wheels, metallic blue paint and a lower price point than the Graziella. Demand outstrips supply, and local retailers start showing up at the factory after their shops closed , to take delivery of unassembled bicycles that they would assemble overnight, so as to have them available in their shops the next morning. The superb finish continues to be a prime selling point and the colour palette is expanded in include green moss, lake green and metallic orange.
Cicli Cinzia is formally established on January 25, 1967, occupying a new, larger building, that produces 400 bicycles per day. Further expansion takes place in 1970, with a new 15,000 square metre factory with a capacity of 120,00 bicycles per year. By this time Primo has stepped down, with his son Guiseppe taking over sales and marketing, while Servino's son, Sergio, has joined him to supervise production.
In the 1970, the company expands its product line to include new folders, juvenile bicycle, hi-risers and competition bicycles, even sponsoring a pro team. The company hits a rough spot in 1973 when an American bank cancels its contract for 10,000 ready to be shipped bicycles, intended to be given away to customers who open new accounts. Fortunately, the oil crisis leads to Italy invoking a law prohibiting motor vehicle use on holidays. This leads to a new trend of Sunday family cycling, and the 10,000 bicycle inventory is sold in a few weeks.
More success follows in the 1980s as the company continues to grow, with production reaching 200,000 units annually. ATBs are introduced and the company takes on the contract manufacturing of brands, notably Peugeot and France, and Legnano in Italy. Productionw ould peak in 1993, with a record 360,000 bicycles.
To-day, the company still survives, as a family run business. As of the 50th anniversary in 2017, Cinzia folding bicycles sales had exceeded 3 million units.
