It is with great sadness that we have to tell you that Lucian Ercolani passed away on Saturday 13 February 2010, aged 92. Mr Lucian, as he was affectionately known to everyone at ercol, will be sorely missed.
The eldest son of ercol’s founder, Mr Lucian joined the company in 1934 and in due course took up the reigns from The Old Man, Lucian Ercolani Senior, running the factory from the 1950s through to 1994. Even after this, Mr Lucian remained closely involved with the company, regularly attending meetings and events, most recently the annual Christmas lunch for current and retired employees. During his time at ercol, Mr Lucian personally designed and had made many complex woodworking machines, that helped ercol to produce the consistently high quality furniture for which we are renowned.
Mr Lucian played an active role within the broader industry, forming long lasting friendships with our retailers and serving as Master of the Worshipful Company of 
Furniture Makers and supporting the Furniture Traders Benevolent Association, the industry charity. He was also an active member of the local community, a founder of the Radnage branch of the British Legion and a governor of the Bucks College of Higher Education, now the Bucks New University.
Mr Lucian served in the RAF during the war, for which he was decorated, receiving the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross, and throughout his life he remained closely in touch with his old squadron. Mr Lucian was a keen sailor, sailing to various countries around the globe and also travelled widely for the business.
Our current Chairman, Edward Tadros, Mr Lucian’s nephew, paid tribute to Mr Lucian “
“Lucian’s life was a long catalogue of a remarkable and very full career. He was a great innovator in manufacturing which he combined very successfully with a deep interest in people and great qualities of leadership. He was one of the truly great men of the post war furniture industry. It is indeed the passing of an era.
I think the underlying theme of it all was his strength of leadership and character at every turn.”
Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.
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