Mivar

In the 1990s a larger and architecturally ambitious factory was built nearby (45°23′53″N 8°55′46″E / 45.39809°N 8.92946°E / 45.39809; 8.92946), however following its completion in 2000 it never was put into service due to downsizing business, primarily attributed by Vichi to increasing Turkish and Asian competition.

[4] Their reputation for reliability was however partially marred by higher failure rates on certain models, such as the 14/16/20P1 employing the DS19 flyback transformer prone to internal arcing, EEPROM corruption due to bugs in the ST92195B5B1/MOH microcontroller, or non-user-upgradeable early DVB-T modules incapable of handling over 255 channels (a limit which was easily exceeded in some regions at the peak of digital TV).

[7] Their design was still simple and rational, with front-facing speakers for better sound, and despite market-mandated increasing reliance on non-European component and LCD suppliers (some of whom vertically integrated competitors of Mivar), case manufacturing and assembly was still carried out in Abbiategrasso.

In 2017, Vichi daringly published an open letter to Samsung and other former rivals, declaring his willingness to grant free leasing of the new plant (except ordinary expense management) to anyone who wants to produce TVs, high tech products, household appliances or electronic equipment.

Vichi eschewed the stereotypical managers' life, choosing to have his workplace in the same room as the assembly line, having the same office hours as other employees, owning an older modest car, and not having a personal computer or cell phone.