Even before Eastern Europe opened up to western markets, the de Eccher group was expanding into the region.
As long ago as 1977, the then Compagnia Europea Appalti, a de Eccher group company, collaborated with the Danieli group to successfully tender for the "turnkey" steelworks at Brandenburg in what was then East Germany.

Subsequently, in 1985 the group won a major contract in Russia for the construction of two large tanneries at Gatovo and Rjazan, and for three shoe factories at Kaluga, Togliattigrad and Moscow.
This was the beginning of an activity that has continued to expand, especially in the emergent Russia market, an area to which CODEST is still particularly committed and where the group is currently operating.