In the world of fire safety, where every detail can mean the difference between effective protection and systemic failure, quality isn’t a nice-to-have but a fundamental requirement. Mozzanica understood this early on. Back in 2004 the company obtained its first ISO certification, setting in motion a path that would lead it to become one of the most qualified players in the industry at an international level.
In 2013 the company earned its qualification to work on F-GAS systems, but everything accelerated in 2014 when Mozzanica chose to enter the marine sector. This move kicked off an intense review of internal processes. Certifications from Lloyd’s Register, RINA, ABS and DNV became key milestones, opening the door to complex and highly regulated markets where reliability is non-negotiable.
In 2015 the company received ICIM recognition for extinguisher and hydrant maintenance. In securing this qualification, Mozzanica demonstrated a strong ethical approach. To ensure the service was carried out correctly, the company made it clear that the quantity of replacement materials supplied, especially extinguishing powders, should be lower than the quantity purchased. A concrete example of how certified quality translates into transparent service, ensuring customers aren’t charged for waste or for replacements that aren’t actually needed.
The year 2020 brought the ISO 45001 certification for occupational health and safety, and in 2023 the company obtained ISO 14001 for environmental management.
This journey didn’t stop in Italy. Mozzanica USA secured its first Lloyd’s qualification in 2018, then earned RINA, DNV and Bureau Veritas certifications in 2024, reaching DOT (Department of Transportation) certification in 2025.
But what do all these certifications really mean? Why pursue them? What is the deeper purpose behind this choice for Mozzanica? To answer these questions, we want to share a personal experience that sheds light on the true value of quality beyond bureaucracy.
The forced choice: when quality feels like paperwork
In 2014, Jordan A. Mozzanica, one of CEO Natale Mozzanica’s two children who was then working in sales, was asked to take over the Quality Office. The goal was to raise the standard of the work carried out up to that point and move forward with the certifications needed for the marine sector.
From that moment on, back-office work increased significantly, along with the need to manage very long and detailed procedures.
The paradox of quality
During this phase of transformation and improvement within the Quality Department, Jordan Mozzanica identified a key issue: a disconnect between theory and practice, between what the standards require and what actually happens in the field.
This insight laid the groundwork for a shift that would reshape the department, moving it away from being seen as a set of rigid rules and toward being understood as something genuinely necessary.
A meeting that changed his perspective
During a training course, Jordan Mozzanica met the General Manager of a major cigarette manufacturing company who had gone through a very similar experience. After listening closely to his story, the manager helped him understand that quality isn’t just about procedures but about improving company processes, which ultimately leads to better production and better organization.
The most eye-opening insight was cultural. The biggest mistake, especially in Italy where the focus is often on following procedures rather than understanding their purpose, is failing to apply ISO principles to real company operations. Too often ISO standards are followed to the letter instead of being used to understand the intent behind them.
To overcome this obstacle, it’s essential to build genuine dialogue between the different parts of the company.
It means understanding operational challenges but above all being flexible, ensuring that regulatory guidelines don’t become something that stiffens the organization instead of making it more agile and efficient. Quality should make processes flow more smoothly, not slow them down.
A shift in mindset: from bureaucracy to continuous improvement
Under this new influence, a period of change and new objectives began for Mozzanica.
Talking with the different parts of the company before writing any document became the norm. Listening to the needs of technicians in the field, understanding the challenges of the sales team, and recognizing the constraints of administration: all of this made the drafting of instructions, notes and Quality Plans far less burdensome and infinitely more effective.
There was a new meaning behind it, one that everyone could feel. It was no longer “You have to do this because the procedure says so,” but “We do this because it’s the safest, most efficient and most transparent way to reach our goal.” The difference is subtle in words but enormous in how it’s perceived and applied in practice.
Mozzanica also began introducing new operational guidelines and adopting software specifically designed to support quality-related tasks, making documentation accessible, searchable and genuinely useful.
A step change: when quality becomes strategic
When Engineer Melody Verzeni joined Mozzanica in 2022 and worked with Jordan on the handover of quality management, it marked another qualitative leap forward for the company. From that point, thanks to her specific expertise, the organization made significant progress, earning additional certifications but above all introducing new software and management systems better suited to supporting a structure approaching thirty million euros in revenue.
Engineer Verzeni also brought the right knowledge to approach the Oil & Gas market, a sector the company had strategically decided to enter in 2021. It’s an extremely demanding market in terms of quality and safety, where certifications aren’t plaques to hang on the wall but essential operational prerequisites to even qualify for tenders.
This shift highlights a crucial point: once an organization reaches a certain size and operational complexity, quality can no longer be managed as a side activity or a bureaucratic requirement. It becomes a strategic function that touches every part of the company, from design to maintenance, from staff training to supplier management.
The real meaning of certified quality
In the fire protection sector, where Mozzanica operates, ISO certifications take on an even deeper significance. A poorly designed or poorly installed sprinkler system may fail at the critical moment. Superficial maintenance can render an extinguisher useless. An error in documentation can prevent firefighters from quickly understanding how a system is configured during an emergency.
ISO 9001 for quality, 14001 for the environment and 45001 for workplace safety, along with the various marine register certifications, are not collections of stamps but systemic guarantees that the company has robust, verifiable and constantly improving processes. They are proof that nothing is left to chance, that every activity is tracked, every person is properly trained and every issue is analyzed to prevent it from happening again.
There’s a big difference between making quality part of how you work and simply following rules because the Quality Department requires it. Anyone who understands this distinction, and helps others in the company understand it, can drive significant progress for the organization. Quality is not a separate department that exercises control over others but a shared culture that elevates everyone’s work.
Looking ahead: quality and ethics
Mozzanica’s path to ISO certifications is far from over; it continues alongside the evolution of the company and the markets it serves. Every new certification is not a finish line but a milestone in a continuous improvement process that involves people, processes and technologies.
For Mozzanica, quality certifications are also a declaration of values: transparency toward customers, responsibility toward employees, respect for the environment and a commitment to safety. They are not just technical standards but operational principles that define the company’s identity.
In a sector like fire protection, where the safeguarding of lives and property is what’s at stake, choosing to work to the highest quality standards is not bureaucracy for its own sake. It is the concrete expression of a fundamental ethical commitment: not just doing things well but in the best possible way.