Our Company
1901 - The geographer Giovanni De Agostini establishes the Istituto Geografico De Agostini in Rome.
1904 - The First Calendar Atlas is published by De Agostini. 1908 - The Istituto moves its offices to Novara in Northern Italy.
1919 - The company is purchased by Marco A. Boroli and Cesare A. Rossi. They strengthen the cartography business with the assistance of Scientific Director Luigi Visintin.
1922 - The first issue of Grande Atlante Geografico (The Atlas of the World) is published.
1927 - The company begins to diversify its editorial production. The first printing press (a foglio rotocalcografica) is purchased.
1946 - The company becomes wholly owned by the Boroli family. Driven by Achille Boroli and his brother Adolfo, its major expansion begins.
1959 - The first issue of the Encyclopaedia Il Milione is published. This marks the beginning of the partwork era.
1962 - The company creates the 'door-to-door' sales sector in order to distribute encyclopaedias.
1970-1984 - The Istituto Geografico De Agostini, as publishers, becomes the strategic centre of the group. It pursues its objectives to expand globally and develop a strong partwork portfolio, using various new distribution channels.
1984-2000 - The group operates in over 30 countries worldwide. The main factors contributing to its success can be identified as: efficient media planning; exchange of best global practices; creation of new market segments; relationships with renowned endorsers; the creation of multimedia products; and marketing strategy and product innovation.
2001 - The group celebrates its centenary.
2003 - New business interests include movie production, distribution, lotteries and insurance.
2004 - Debut of the De Agostini Editore S.p.A., which, by the end of 2005, will control all the various sectors of the publishing business.