South Valley company grows worldwide and at Fresno State
By ELISA NAVARRO, Student Writer
In 1978 Angelo Mazzei (1966) began a company alongside his wife, Mazzei Injector Company. The company, located in Bakersfield, has evolved from serving the agricultural industry, to serving all the water industry: “Ag irrigation, industrial water treatment, municipal drinking water treatment, waste water treatment and even the wine industry,” said Mazzei. “In fact, Fresno State uses our injectors for their wine process, to give it some color.”
“My favorite part is that we are constantly re-inventing things and satisfying needs. To me, that keeps me going. So if you look at an issue or a problem…you just try to see how to solve it.”
Mazzei graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, which gave him many opportunities to think outside the box, and allowed him to use his knowledge while helping his uncle’s farming operation.
While working for his uncle, Mazzei thought about the need in the agricultural operation for injecting fertilizers into high pressure water systems, and developed an injector that was able to handle a higher back pressure than the standard Venturi Injector.
“It’s amazing how much one technology will apply to another completely different area, and to me, I am an advocate of hands on schooling, because it gives a different perspective. You can’t learn everything just out of a book,” said Mazzei.
Now, the Mazzei name is at conferences all around the world where they share and present the many products and advancements that they have to offer. However, Mazzei stated that having a new product and a new company is very challenging, because you’re not only having to prove that you are a viable company but having to prove that your product is actually satisfying a need as well.
“We are always focusing on what we are doing, and how we can make and do things better. I’ve got 16 patents and we are applying for another one as we speak, on improving what we have. And the patents are really the product of looking at a problem and solving that problem,” said Mazzei.
To learn more about Mazzei Injector Company click here.
