Carmine Lauriente learned his trade climbing over roofs.

As an installer of cladding and guttering, he soon realised that the business had a serious supply problem. An entrepreneur at heart, but at the same time keen to work efficiently and meticulously, Carmine decided to embark on the fabrication of customised zinc (and copper) components. Façozinc was born.

1988

The sole trader private limited company Façozinc began operations in a small 400 m² workshop in the former Glaverbel premises in Gilly. Carmine Lauriente worked tirelessly seven days a week. His efforts began to pay off. His idea proved popular. Demand was high, but his response was always the same: “The customer is king. We take on the job and find a way to meet requirements.” Orders increased and very soon Façozinc began to feel constrained by its size.

1990

Carmine Lauriente suggested to his brother – Vittorio Lauriente, an electrical engineer with chez Glaverbel – and his brother-in-law, Carlo Marcovecchio that they join the family firm.

Their arrival would bring new momentum and Façozinc would continue to grow based on its guiding principles: speed of performance, customised service, availability and flexibility.

1993

Business increased and Façozinc moved into new 5,500 m² premises, the cornerstone of today’s Gilly site. The range of products stocked diversified in response to growing demand from customers. In addition to copper and zinc, other materials were introduced, enabling a comprehensive range to be supplied. Façozinc developed a “one-stop” concept in order to be able to offer services and materials to roofing professionals at all stages in a project.

1995

Cléonice Mastrostefano, niece of Carmine and Vittorio Lauriente, joined the team.

Based on her experience with KPMG, she organised the company and put it on a sound administrative and financial footing. During her university placement, she drew up the business plan (articles of association and financial plan) for the sole-trader private limited company Façozinc.

1998

Keen to get ever closer to its customers, Façozinc opened its first two stores in Strépy-Bracquegnies (Hainaut) and Grâce-Hollogne (Liège). The company continued to expand and it became essential for the family team to widen their skills base and bring in people from outside the family.

2003-2005

Façozinc opened a new site at Marloie (near Marche-en-Famenne). Its product range grew. The company spread across Wallonia with new centres in Tournai and Namur. The first crane lorries arrived, enabling deliveries direct to the construction site.

2012

Façozinc continued to expand and opened its 7^th store in Libramont. It now had over 120,000 m² of floor space in Wallonia.

2014

The family team set up an independent division specialising in the distribution of building materials in general under the name FaçoPro. Its focus? The distribution of aerated concrete, insulation products and hollow-core slabs. This division has its own engineering office which studies the use of these materials.

2015

The Drogenbos site was opened, giving Façozinc a new base close to the Belgian capital.

2016

FaçoPro added a concrete mixing plant. It then had a fleet of concrete mixers enabling delivery to the construction site. The combination of the activities of Façozinc on the one hand and those of FaçoPro on the other made it possible to offer trade customers a range of products extending from the foundations to the roof. Also in 2016, Façozinc moved abroad, opening its first store in Dijon, France.

2017

Façozinc continued to expand in the north of France with a new store in Halluin, near Lille.

2018

On the 30th anniversary of its foundation, Façozinc opened its site in Mons. The high visibility of its location led to it becoming the group’s shop window. In its consultancy role in support of its roofing industry customers, Façozinc decided to set up its training centre there. The architecture and ergonomics of this new site signalled the start of a new era. The site was designed by Nathalie Abrassart from architects StArTech in Mons.

2019-2021

Façozinc continued its expansion policy with the opening of a new site in 2021. The redesign of the website and creation of a mobile app (My Faço) saw the group begin its digital transformation.