Christine Mariani turned a part-time hustle into a Luxembourg steel empire, carving out a sustainable niche in an industry dominated by global giants. Now, she’s betting on bold expansion to secure MCM’s future.
I’m seated at a long table in an office bathed in natural light. Through the window, a forested hill rises in the distance. To my right, a tableau of London landmarks mingles with butterflies—Beefeaters beside deer. The atmosphere in MCM Steel’s Dudelange headquarters is so serene, it’s hard to imagine that just below, workers are busy transforming steel for clients around the globe.
Mariani, MCM’s CEO and founder, has just returned from a family holiday in Sicily. Lightly tanned and handling an emergency with ease, she still takes time to ask about my background. We soon discover I live near the village where she’s restoring a long-abandoned manor she pursued for two years before finally winning it at a tribunal auction.
“It’s like a little Versailles,” she smiles. One thing is immediately clear: Mariani thrives on challenge.
Diplomacy dreams and a steel reality
Born in Belgium to Italian parents, Mariani spent her teenage years and twenties in Italy. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming an ambassador. “Because I wanted to travel and to represent my country.”
Discouraged by claims that diplomacy was only for the well-connected, she pivoted to studying languages in Bergamo. Around then, she began working as an interpreter at major cycling events like the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, also collaborating with the UCI and Deutsche Telekom professional cycling team. “I was responsible for the press room. And because it was a small world, with not many women, sometimes I found myself doing everything.” At one race, she even presented the flowers to the winner.
Her admiration for elite athletes grew alongside an interest in corporate leadership. “Through [the sponsors’ directors] I tried to understand how they could reach that level. It was a good training ground for life.”
A family legacy
Entrepreneurship ran in the family. Mariani’s father owned several businesses, including a corrugated steel operation in Belgium. As a child, she often helped out on weekends. In 1998, while still working in cycling, she moved to Luxembourg and, inspired by her father’s legacy, began contacting local steel suppliers.
She launched MCM as a side business, purchasing “second choice” steel—products that don’t meet the standards for first-rate classification—and selling to price-conscious clients. “In my first year, I did a turnover of €10,000, which is nothing, but I was still working in cycling,” she says.
“In my first year, I did a turnover of €10,000, which is nothing, but I was still working in cycling”
She likens the concept to baking. A misshapen cake isn’t worthless—it’s just not perfect. “Maybe there’s a chemical composition which doesn’t reflect the technical specification of the final customer. Or maybe they produce more than the customer needs.” Often recycled at environmental cost, such steel is “cleaned” and repurposed by MCM. “The final product might not be the cake that you wanted but you can give a cake to someone to enjoy it.”
Multilingual, dependable, and pragmatic, Mariani made smart early moves—like placing signs with her phone and fax number at major ports. It paid off.
In 2012, MCM opened a 17,000 m² site in Dudelange’s Wolser industrial zone. The bright, 800 m² office connects to a 6,000 m² warehouse, complete with an internal rail track.
A global strategy
Today, MCM’s market is evenly split between Europe and the rest of the world, with strong ties to Africa and the Middle East. Steel is sourced from Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, and Belgium and transported by barge and rail—reducing emissions—when processed in Luxembourg. Sometimes, steel is shipped directly from producers outside Europe to clients abroad.
In 2024, MCM sold 160,000 tonnes of steel, mirroring 2023 figures. The company aims to grow revenues by 10% annually. Still, challenges loom. “We are facing a lot of political and financial regulation, which are challenging for our markets.”
The fiercest competition comes from beyond Europe—particularly China. “As they cannot sell so much in Europe due to customs, they just invade countries where they still can—like Africa and the Middle East.”
MCM’s counter-strategy? Strategic growth without losing agility. “Today we are focusing on a new investment to work on more European material here in Luxembourg.”
Plans are underway to expand the Dudelange facilities. Phase one will extend the current factory by over 7,000 m², enlarging the steel service centre. In phase two, MCM hopes to acquire the adjacent former Liberty Steel mill. The estimated cost remains confidential as bids are ongoing. “This is absolutely critical for MCM’s survival,” she says.
Building for People
Speed is essential—and so is talent. Once the expansion is complete, Mariani will grow her 33-strong team. Protecting jobs is clearly a priority. “We can build a successful company with a lot of respect for the human being, for the employees, for the customers and, of course, for nature and sustainability.”
That ethos is reflected in the workplace. Natural light was a key design element. The offices overlook a plant-filled lobby. Upstairs, staff can enjoy a communal dining area, gym, and prayer room. “I receive a lot of Muslims in my company and know how important prayer time is.”
Recognition has followed. In 2011, Luxembourg’s Export Credit Agency awarded MCM the inaugural Export Award. Mariani has also made her mark locally: she served for a decade on the board of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology and currently sits on the Chamber of Commerce.
As we leave her office, she points to three giant cubes spelling out MCM—her initials. “They were placed in front of the Luxembourg pavilion in Dubai,” she says, referencing the 2020-202 World Expo, for which MCM was a sponsor.
“If I look back today, I wanted to become ambassador—and actually I am. I’m an ambassador of my company and of this country, which took me in in 1998 and where my two sons were born.” She smiles. “I created my second life here, and it’s an honour explaining Luxembourg to the rest of the world.”
This article was published in the 7th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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