In the second half of the 19th century, the mill became the property of Cerimodo, and then Canziani. In 1897, the Vita family took over its management and founded the Cartiera Enrico Vita & Co. paper mill. Enrico enlarged the facility and overhauled the water intakes on the Olona river, radically altering the buildings both in functional and corporate terms. After his death, in 1900, the company changed its name to Fratelli Vita, and was based in Milan.

In 1904 Matilde Vita married Sally Mayer, who, two years later, founded Vita Mayer & Co with his brother-in-law Vittorio. Vita Mayer became the sole owner of the Canziani facilities. Construction of the Valmorea railway line reduced transport times for the goods between Ticino and Varesotto. The Cairate-Valmorea section opened in 1916, coinciding with the outbreak of World War I. A few years later, the southern section to Castellanza opened, and in 1926 the line became international, reaching Stabio in Switzerland.