On the factory floor with the world’s oldest gunmaker, Beretta

August 2025

On a sweltering July morning in Gardone Val Trompia, I stepped through the gates of Beretta’s private villa — home to the world’s oldest firearms company and, for the day, my classroom in longevity. I posted a few pictures and videos here.

Pietro Gussalli Beretta, 16th-generation CEO, welcomed me into a boardroom ringed with antique artillery, muzzles aimed squarely at the table in perhaps the most unforgettable “power move” I’ve ever seen.

Over espresso, he traced the company’s arc from its 1526 origins as a barrel maker for the Arsenal of Venice to the 50-company global holding it is today. “Each generation transformed, in a way, the company… with a different approach,” he told me — an understated philosophy that explains half a millennium of survival.

From the villa, we walked the manufacturing floors, past master engravers etching steel, stock makers shaping oiled walnut, and artisans whose families have been here for three or four generations.

Ninety percent of employees are local; many will spend their whole careers here. Beretta’s formula blends deep roots with disciplined focus — every acquisition must fit their DNA of serving hunters, military, and law enforcement — and relentless innovation, with 5% of revenue fixed for R&D. Trust is central: local management stays in place after acquisitions, and leadership succession is handled with care.

In five centuries, Beretta has learned that longevity demands a paradox — remain anchored in place, but never stand still.